Page:North Dakota Reports (vol. 48).pdf/434

 at Edgeley, N. D. During the month of March, and until April 20, 1917, the Pomona Valley Farmers' Elevator Company sold in the manner hereinafter described for defendant 10,000 bushels of rye at the market price of about $1.49 per bushel. Between the time when defendant had through the said Elevator Company sold the rye and the 20th day of April, 1917, rye on the market had advanced in price to such an extent that a loss of about $4,000 had occurred on the transaction, and at that time for this amount the note in suit was taken. After the giving of the note, rye still continued to advance. The defendant in the month of July, 1917, through the Elevator Company, purchased 10,000 bushels of rye at $2.05 per bushel. The loss on the entire transaction up to the time of the purchase last mentioned was approximately $5,505.

The defendant owns and operates a farm of about 1,000 acres in the vicinity of Edgeley. He also owns about 1,000 acres of land in Canada. Formerly he was engaged in the real estate business and had also seven years experience as a grain buyer. He was a stockholder in the Pomona Valley Farmers' Elevator Company which was later reorganized into the Edgeley Co-operative Grain Company, nov the owner and holder of the note in suit.

In the fall of 1916, he sowed 800 acres of winter rye on his La Moure county, North Dakota, farm. In the spring of 1917 he endeavored to contract with the Pomona Valley Farmers' Elevator Company his prospective rye crop, which he estimated at about 12,000 bushels. Steel, the agent of the said Elevator Company, stated that he could not at that time contract to buy the rye, but that it might be handled as a "hedge."

The defendant desired to sell September rye. There was then no dealings in September rye, and the commission firm informed said Elevator Company to this effect. Steel again took the matter up with the commission firm and they finally suggested that what is termed a trial sale for July might be undertaken, and, if that went through, the sale could be later transferred to September when defendant could make actual delivery of the rye. Steel informed the defendant of this and such a sale was made at $1.49 per bushel. At this time he authorized the sale of 1,000 bushels, later of 4,000, and later still of 5,000 bushels, and sales thus authorized were made.

In the fall of 1917, the defendant delivered to the Pomona Valley Farmers' Elevator Company approximately 2,513 bushels of rye. On the 20th day of October, I917, this was sold at $1.67 per bushel, amount-