The democrat. [volume] (Weston, W. Va.) 1868-1874, 1872-12-16
ThO Hog CrOp.

From actual and estimated returns Of the
hog crop In the Western States, an increase
In the supply may be expected this year, and
probably for many years To come In Iowa
the number according TO on advance sheet Of
tho State Auditors abstract Of assessment for
this year Is, l,2ii, 1859 head, aguLnst l. 00s, OIL
head for 1871, and their total valuation was
s., 62l, 940, or SO, OF per head, while last year
their valuation was $2,0s2, 6Sl, or 50 SO per
head. This comparatively low average Ind.
Gates that the mature hogs have been nearly
all sold on, and that the stock now chiefly
consists Of young animals. But this differ,
enco will soon be made up by the bountiill
The crop In Missouri b also In similar con.
ditiOn, the stock consisting mostly Of hogs,
which, however, will be folly natured by the
commencement Of hepaclting season. From
Ohio, Illinois, Michigan, and In fact, nearly
all the Western and Southwestern States We
have accounts Of o marked increase this year,
and the approaching season promises to be
one Of unusual activity. Thisincrease In the
hog crop Is natural result Of the abundant
com harvest this year and last The com
product Of Inst year was exceedingly laTge-so
large In fnct, that the new harvest, which Is
even still more productive than tho last finds
considerable proportion Of last yenr's sur
plus In stock, owing to the want Of adequate
facilities for transporting 1t To market. The
West has heretofore relied on the Southern
States to take q considerable quantity Of their
corn surplus. But this outlay has been cut
Oh, for the last two years, for the very excel.
lent reason that the South now not only pro.
duces enough corn 10 meet the demands Of
home consumption, but has a surplus for ex-
portatlOn. The foreign demand Is limited
partly by the high cost and scarcity Of trans.
portatl0n, and partly by the fact that there
Is still considerable prejudice in Europe
against the consumption Of American com
But the comparative deficiency In the wheat
crop nevertheless afforded an outlet for corn
that probably would not have occurred Hnder
a more boun,iful yield Of wheat, and the corn
exports this year were on more extensive
sale than usual. As an evidence Of the large
yield Of corn, 1t may I've noted that the total
visible supply, including stocks In this city
and tho lake ports and In transit September
%, amounted TO l3,O90,7e bushels against
| 1851, 900 bushels ut the corresponding period
last year. Pie exports Of corn from the lat
Of January 10 the first Of October, 1872, were
20, ~, 2i5 bushels, IN increase Of II ,O0O, 900
bushels over the corresponding year.
AT present prices and with the large sup.
piles on hand, farmers can not find more
profitable investment for their corn than Ia
convert It into pork. In that form It Is near.
" always sure Of market, and In more
available and less bulky form. The foreign
demand for pork Is almost certain to be slim,
ulAted blythe growing necessities Of European
consumers. In England there Is. slow but
certain decline In home gtowth Of cattle and
live stock, which has already advanced thu
price Of meat TO an unusually high figure. A,
this inCrease Is more like to Increase than
diminish, a demand will almost necessarily
spring up for all kinds Of American produce,
that Is likely to grow to very large proportion
at no distant date. The recent formation O
the National Pork Fuckers Association, anG
the establishment Of new and accurate grad
iiIg system, Is calculated 10 exercise Timely
and favorable influence on the export demand
Thus with IN almost unlimited capacit,
in the West. for the manufacture Of pork, allC
: with the probability Of q constantly increas
| Ing and proportionatc foreign demand, Their
Is every reason TO anticipate, that the hoC
crop Of the future Is destined TO assume i'm
menso proportion. The indications Of an OK
, tensiye business during the approaching pack
ing season arc favorable. Farmers are gen
orally feeding their hogs at hn earlier dat,
than usual, and owing to the abundance an,
cheapncss Of food, the average weight Is likel!
to be heavier than In former years, Will
there will be gain in numbers. At presen
the pork.packcrs manifest u tendency to dis
continue their purchases among farmers, ant
compel the latter to send the hogs to market
; The result Of this movement depends largely
on prices, and on the rivalry that may exis
between the various pork. packing centcrs.-
New York Bulletin.