Buchanan County bulletin. [volume] (Independence, Iowa) 1869-1891, 1878-04-26
PORK.
Western Stock Journal

Some II wants to know what we
think about the future price Of pork.
We think it is poor policy to abandon a
business because Of temporary disturb
ances. The causes which have led to
the present depressed condition Of the
pork market are readily understood.
lst. Over production. The exports
for 1876 we're $39, 664,4 56' in value of
bacon and hams; $5,744,022 of pork;
$222,429,495 Of lard; while in 1877 the
exports were $49,512,412 of bacon and
hams; $6,296,414 of pork, and $25.562,-
60 OF lard. This shows that it was not
a decline in foreign demands which de-
pressed pork. Statistics of Chicago
packing show nearly double the amount
packed in 1878 wei 1867.
I'd. The vast amount of pork thrown
upon the market in the winter season
requires a large capital to carry it, and
is attended with considerable risk. As
long as fall and winter feeding is the
general rule We must expect lower pri-
ces during those months. Farmers must
distribute their pork crop through the
year. If the pork product is marketed
and packed regularly in quantities just
about suited to the demands of the
trade, the packing business will be con-
Quoted with less hazard and the produ-
Ger will receive a more uniform price.
That present prices cannot continue
any great length of time must be evil
dent to every observer. We commonly
claim that three dollars per hundred
means thirty cents per bushel for corn,
but this is true only of the careful feed
er. TO others 1t may mean twenty
cents, or even ten cents for corn. I'm
der the most favorable circumstances,
three cents for pork and forty cents for
corn is a losing business. We may then
safely state who cannot produce pork
at a profit. The practical limit is to the
sections where corn can be purchased at
70 cents: Iowa, a part Of Illinois, Mis-
souri,, Kansas and Nebraska; perhaps a
total area of two States. Can such a
limited section supply the world with
pork? 1t not, pork must advance to a
price at which it can be profitably pro-
duced in all the great corr States, and,
to a limited extent, in all the United
States: but at that price the profit
would not be sufficient to encourage
over production. We are inclined to
think that will be about an average
price for the next decade.
The area Of profitable pork produc-
ton must always be limited to the nat
ural producing States. This ex-
tends all north of latitude 43, east of
Ohio, south of Kansas and west of GEN.
trial Nebraska. Hogs must be marketed
when ready; to hold them longer is at
tended with great loss, hence swine rails
ing can be conducted with the best pro-
fit when summer packing is possible.
This again limits successful pork hus-
bandry to the reliable ice belt. which
extends but little south of Iowa. The
following States must then produce the
bulk of pork packed for home and for
eign consumption: Ohio, Indiana, Hi
nols, Iowa and a portion of Missouri,
Kansas and Nebraska.
With an export trade in pork now
amounting to $75,000,0 900, and rapidly
increasing, it must be evident hat over
production is a mere temporary matter.
Not to be over sanguine, we will pro-
mise the western farmers from four to
five cents for the pork product of 1873.
EfinsS dUOUt NViu hdlSlnS HOt Ill lut
Books.
1st. Have the team in the field as
early as practicable-not later than six
o'clock. Leave at half past six at night
making, without the hours incoming
twelve hours in the field.
I'd. Never hurry, never loiter: steady
work is the winner.
3D.. 1t is not the number Of acres but
the .thoroughness of the work which
tells the successful results. Let every
hill receive attention.
T.. Always carry an extra strap and
an extra bolt into the field to use in case
Of accident. Many men must make a
journey to town for such trifes. A
thousand Titles make up the losses.
One curious writer gives the loss of time
by having short rows: ''The compare
tive time lost in turning at the ends of
long and short burrows, in blowing long
or short fields, may be seen from the
following calculation: With a length
of furrow measuring two hundred and
thirty feet, and a breadth of ten inches,
in a days work of ten hours, the time
lost by a team turning would equal five
lloulS dlIu ClCNCH llIilutCS, NIllC puO
four hours and forty-nine minutes would
be devoted to blowing; with a length of
furrow of four hundred and forty nine
feet, two hours and forty-four minutes
would be lost in turning, and seven
hours and sixteen minutes devoted to
blowing; a length of furrow OF six hun
dred feet would necessitate two hours
loss of time in turning, with eight hours
of blowing, while with a length of fur
row of eight hundred and twenty-five
feet, only one hour and twenty-eight
minutes would be lost in turning, giving
eight hours and thirty-two minutes out
of the days work for actual blowing.
9th. Let no man take a horse for a
drive in the evening when that horse has
worked in the field all day. One days
work is enough at a time Western
Sfock .JOWnai.
Sow Clover.
Now is the time to do it. 1t is the only
salvation for our farmers. 1t is in fact