Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1871-10-13
The Hog Crop.

We give as follows the last circular issued from
the extensive provision firm of Henry Milward &
Co. Chicago, issued just before the late fire;
In accordance with our usual custom, at TINS
season of the year, we beg to lay before you the
summary of the replies we have received from
the various packing points, as to the prospects LOT
the hog crop the coming season. IL appears that
in Illinois TWENTY-FIVE points report the crop as
lOrger, three about the same, and one smaller
than last year. In Indiana, eighteen larger, hye
about the same, one smaller. In Iowa, sixteen
larger, five about the same, and four smaller. In
Missouri, eight all larger. In Kansas ana Ne
braska, two larger, and two about the same. Inc
number of replies received were not as numerous
we had last year, but they represent suhei-
ent range of country to furnish very falr lnui-
cation of the prospects of our future supplies.
Private advices from the various districts esti-
mate the General increase at from ten to twenty
five per cent
increased supplies is sufficient to furnish matter
for very grave consideration The past three
years have been almost ruinous to packers ana
provision operators, and although last season tne
price of hogs was put down to what was generally
regarded safe, the results of the business nave
been more disastrous than almost any on record
Every market has participated IN the general 0e-
cline, and the farmers, as usual, were the soie
beneticiaries. II is unreasonable 10 expect lhit
Europe will, under the most favorable clrcumo
stances, take more than the product OF l0VO,Oo0
hogs, and if the increase in the packing be equal
TO twenty per cent, there would be the product
of over 900 600 hogs left to be consumed IN TINS
country, and it is difficult to decide how low a
range of prices should prevail to induce any ny
sucR CONSUMPTION. The country is teeming with
fat and stock hogs, the fields are burdsned Win
corn fully ripe, and should any unnecessary eA-
citement be established in the provision narket
during the coming season. the farmers Will over
whelm US with hogs, not only up TO the list Marcii
1.-THE established close OF the season. but also all
through the summer.
AS will be seen by the figures below, our re-
CENTS of hogs the past summer have been largely
in excess of those of last year. and yet the num-
Der of hogs on hand is reported as unusually
large. Nothing but prudence, dlscreton' anu
low prices can avert similar calamities to those
which have Overtaken the provision interest the
past wears. Our packers did not suffer as mucn
as those in other districts as they now generally
| adopt a conservative course, and sea tneI pIO-
| ducts as quickly as manufactured; but last year
| il was difficult even TO save themselves, as INC
market was declining almost continuously fut-
chases for forward delivery in such years as the
| we have Just passed through, ana as Ile CoIll2
one is likely to be, of almost fatal INJURY y
| the provision interest, as they induce not only
connection among the packers, ana cOnsequeh'
advance in the price of hogs, but also such an IN
| crease in the manufacture as to swamp the HhOle
| trade. Such was eminently the case last year
| As early as July, 1870, purchases OF mess POrh
were made for delivery the following Decslloel
! at $1,000 The market then began to decline
! gradually and operators were tempted TO follow
Il down, hoping to better their position, but OF
| the lst December it was only worth SID Inc
| stock was then taken hold of by combination
| here and in New York and the market was forced
| mn till in February il had reached SZ3.50@2i.W
| DER Dbl Towards the middle Of the month II be
| gan to flag, and the manufacture lad reache'
| such excessive and unmanageable dimensions
| that, since then, the product has continuously
| and permanently collapsed, and holders have ha'
| to groan under a depreciation OF SO TO SlZ pc
Dbl from the highest point reached, ahdlt II SCH
| ing now at S13Gl3.25 cash.
| There is but little likelihood Of any materla
| advance on the old stock, though the new PACK
| ing for January delivery is selling 2Jc per Dbl
| higher than present quotations English meats
domestic meats lard and bacon shared IN tn
general depression, and the market throughou
| the summer was thoroughly demOralized.
| The receipts of live hogs from the LIST Januar
| to the list Oc1ober each year during the four pas
wears sum up as follows: In 1868, SSo 40 IN ls6s
O43 ss4: in 1870 991 453, and in 1871, ,392 I99
| while the shipments for the corresponding peri
| ODDS were In 1868 6S4, Az; in 1869, s5O,5O6;
| 1870 6T9SO3, and in ISL, S49, 1903. The recelpt
| since the LIST March 1.-THE close OF the pachIl
season. sum up go 800 in 1871 against ASH !
| 1870, while the shipments for the same TIME Wei
1850 in 1871 against 600 PSI in 1870. =,
The return of the Registrar General IOr Ht
| land shows an increase this year OF loZS.o hOgs
| and 170,052 cattle, over last year, whlSh ag.sl
showed an increase of ST. ,108 hogs, and 6z,'t
| cattle, over the year preceding. The increase !
| hogs in England is also estimated az 10 per cent
| 50 that in all probability the English cannot u'
our provision products, except at very low price
| The Southern States also have been lar 5ely II
| creasing their stock of hogs, so that calnhe'
and foresight will have to be exercised 10 lns'n
any successful results to our packers.