The democrat. [volume] (Weston, W. Va.) 1868-1874, 1872-12-23
ThO aog CrOp.


From actual and estimated returns ot the
hog crop in the Western States, al. inCrease
In the supply may be expected this year, and
probably Tor many years to come In Iowa
the number according to an advance sheet Of
the State Auditors abstract Of assessment for
this year Is, 1,24l, ,l69 head, against ,0Os, OIL
head for 1871, and their total valuation was
s., ,240, or So, OF per head while last year
their valuation wis s., 2,6Sl, or 50 90 per
head. This comparatively low average indl-
Gates that the mature hogs have been nearly
all sold on, and that the stock now chiefly
consists Of young animals, But this differ.
cnce will soon be made up by tho bountilnl
com crop, which is freely fed out 70 them.
The crop in Missouri b also in similar con.
ditlun, the stock consisting mostly OF hogs,
which, however, will be fully matured by the
commencement OF the packing season. From
0hlp, Illinois, Michigan, and In fact, nearly
all the Western and Southwestern States We
have accounts Of q marked increase this year,
and the approaching season promises to be
one Of unusual activity. This increased in the
hog crop Is u natural result Of the abundant
com harvest this year and last. The corn
product Of last year was exceedingly laTge-so
large In fact, that the new harvest, which Is
even still more productive than tho last finds
considerable proportion Of last years sur.
plus in stock, owing to the want OF adequate
facilities for transporting II 10 market. The
West has heretofore relied on tho Southern
States to take considerable quantity Of their
corn surplus. But this outlay has been cut
ofi, for the last two years, for the very excel.
lent reason that the South now not only pro-
duces enough corn to meet the demands Of
home consumption, but has surplus for ex.
portatiOn. Tho foreign demand Is limited
partly by the high cost and scarcity Of trans.
portatlnn, and partly by the fact that there
Is still considerable prejudice IN Europe
against the consumption Of American corn
But tho comparative deficiency In the wheat
crop nevertheless afforded an outlet for corn
that probably would not have occurred pnder
more bountiful 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, ii may he noted that the total
visible supply, including stocks In this city
and tho lake ports and in transit September
%, amounted to l3,O90,Tsi bushels against
1851, 900 bushels ut tue corresponding period
last year. The exports Of corn from the Let
Of January to the first Of October, 1872, were
q, tx, ,2i6 bushels, an increase Of II 900, 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 tC
convert It into pork. In that form II Is near
ly always sure Oi q market, and In more
available and less bulky form. The foreign
demand for pork Is almost certain TO be stlm,
ulatrd blythe growing necessities Of European
eonsumers. In England there Is q slow bul
certain decline In home growth Of cattle and
live stock, which has already advanced tht
price Of meat 10 an unusually high figure. A,
this increase Is more like to Increase thar
diminish, demand will almost necessaril,
spring up for oil kinds OF American produce,
that Is likely to grow to very large proportion
At no distant date. The recent formation o
the National Pork Packers Association. ant
the establishment Of new and accurate grad
ing system, Is calculated TO exercise Timely
and favorable influence on the export demand
Thus with nm almost unlimited capacit,
In the West. for The manufacture Of pork, AMI
with the probability Of constantly increaS
| Ing and proportionate foreign demand, ther
Is every reason TO anticipate. that the hOj
crop Of the future is destined to assume i'm
mense proportion. The Indications Of an ex
tepslye business during the approaching pack
ing season arc favorable. Farmers arc gen
orally feeding their hogs at an earlier dat
than usual, and owing tothe abundance ant
cheapnOss Of food, the average weight Is likel,
TO be heavier than In former yeaH, Will
there will be gain In numbers. At presen
the pork.packers 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-packlng centcrs.-
New York Bulletin.