Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1872-03-21
NO. 70.


From advance sheets, giving the result of
the FEBRUARY circular to statistical CORES
pondents, made up at the Bureau of Agri-
culture in Washington, we are able to
furnish our readers with some important
statistical information, showing the CON-
parative numbers and prices of farm stock
IN the United States. There has been, it
appears on careful combination of local
reports. slight increase in all kinds of
domestic animals, except sheep, which
show a decrease of about one per cent.
The largest increase is in swine, per
cent; horses and mules, 3 per cent;
mich cows, per cent. oxen, and other
cattle. l per cent. Maine shows q de-
crease of 5 per cent. in horses, New
Hampshire 4, Rhode Island 2, Connecti-
cut l, and California 1. The other States
show an Observation-Disclosures per
cent. and Nebraska 20 per cent, the FAR
gest increase in any State.
Maine. New Hampshire, Vermont,
Rhode Island and Connecticut show q de-
crease in milch cows, whilst the greatest
appreciation is in the new States-2O per
cent. in Nebraska, 18 in Kansas, 10 in
Iowa and Minnesota. 6 in Missouri and
Arkansas, and in Wisconsin.
! The Eastern States show q decrease in
|
York, Pennsylvania, Georgia, Florida.
Texas and California. Most of the West.
ern States show an increase, the largest
| being Minnesota 10, and Nebraska 90 per
| cent
The advance in the price of wool is ex-
pected to increase the focks of sheep.
The States now reporting an advance in
numbers are Vermont, 6 per cent. Tex
as, per cent; Arkansas, Michigan,
Wisconsin, Kansas and Nebraska (25 per
cent?; California and Oregon is per
cent.
The numbers of swine have not been
sustained in any of the Eastern States.
The increase is in the South and West. but
more particularly in Nebraska (35 per
cent. Kansas, Iowa and Illinois.
The decrease in farm stock shown in the
New England States, which is in some
measure affected by the lessened prices, is
more particularly due, we make no doubt,
to the short hay crop. A season or two of
abundant hay crops would doubtless re-
verse the figures above given.
In the important matter of prices there
is shown to be a falling off since Februa-
rIy, 1871, for all kinds except sheep, which
have appreciated materially in value. But
the decline is neither uniform nor univer-
sal-a demand for horned stock, especially
milch cows, in the South having stiffened.
the current prices in some localities. The
decline in prices for horses is quite gener-
al. Texas, where the rates at which
horses are held have always been less
than in any other State. alone showing
slight advance. Prices for neat stock
are lower than for seven years past, ex-
cept in Texas. where appreciation is re-
sulting from the heavy drain made by the
drovers. In 1869 the average price of
milch cows in Massachusetts was 7.50;
in 1870, $57 90; in 1871, $59.l6; in 1872,
$39.S7. Oxen and other cattle also show
heavy decline in price in the Eastern
States, obviously from the same cause as
the decline in production, viz: scarcity
of hay and other feed. The ratio of de-
cline in the Middle States is not so large,
while in the South the decline has been
smaller, the rates ruling always lower,
and the breed being inferior. Sheep, alone
of all the stock, command higher rates.
In Vermont the average price of sheep
not less than one year old, has advanced
since February Of last year from $2.75, to
$4.56; in New York, from 1887, to $4.32;
in Pennsylvania, from $3.45. to $50; in
Ohio, from $2.49, to $3.37; in Michigan,
from 81. 45, to $3.14; in Illinois, from
$2.15. to $3.50; in Iowa, from 81 .SS, to
$2.4l; in California, from % "a, to $3. .O8;
in Texas, from Sl.59, to $l73. The
Southern States have few sheep, and have
not felt the appreciation materially.
The decline in the value of hogs is very
marked. In Ohio in 1869 the average
price was $l0.35; in 1872 the average
price is $3.93. An equal decline is shown
by the other swine producing States.