Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-02-04
IN A BUSINESS WAY.
Some of the Marked Features of Trade
High Grnde Stuff ut n P~remium-Les-
sons for Consumers and Pro.
ducers Outlook for
Hog Products.

-
ducers Outlook for
Hog Products.
OFFICE OF THE PITTsBuRG DISPATCH
SATURDAY, February 2, 1889.
The marked trade features of the week
have been the increasing demand and up
ward turn of eggs and choice creamery but
ter. Markets are still glutted with low
grade butter and no upward tendency has yet
materialized for this grade. 1t still goes beg
ging. Genuine stuff is. however, in much bet
ter demand at better prices than a week ago.
There has probably never been a season when
it was more clearly demonstrated in all lines Of
trade that high grade country produce pays the
best in the long run than through this season of
abundance, With supplies all over the land
beyond the needs of consumers, the quality of
goods is everything. This fact has been con-
stantly brought out through the winter by WIS.,
its to the stock yards, Grain Exchange, and
produce commission houses. Inferior grades
have done as much to depress and demoralize
markets as the excessive supplies.
The general testimony of tradespeople is
that the quality of fruits, vegetables and dairy
productions this season falls below the aver
age, as the quantity is much above the average.
If producers will take the lesson of this season
to heart, and henceforth give greater attention
to the quality of the materials prepared for
markets, this 'winter of their discomfort may
in the future be looked back to as a season
yielding the greatest profits after all. These
abundant seasons have their uses over and
above the fact that they furnish cheap food to
the millions, and are therefore a great benefit
to the poor. The genuine is at premium when
the spurious abounds. Last winter everything
in the line OF produce and dairy products would
readily sell at remunerative prices. Producers
and dealers enjoyed it immensely, but the cost
of living was expensive to the multitude. The
DraSnnt season plyeS the millions of tOilara and
consumers their innings.
The range of prices for light packing hogs at |
Liberty to-day is IS Is to S. IS, and at Chicago |
81 70 to s. 90. At the latter place these figures |
are a reduction of 5 to 10c from Fridays rates.
AT East Liberty the run has been small all the |
week, and especially in light weights of $50 to
200 pounds supply has not been equal to
demand. The difference in price is fully
25 to Csc in favor of light hogs. Accord.
ing to former experience the difference should
be the other way. Heavy weights almost al !
ways bring most money. per pound. While
pounds sold to-day at Liberty for SC, those
ranging from ITO to 1S5 touched as high figures
as s. 50. Reports from Chicago show the aver
age weight of hogs received there for the
month of January So pounds above the average
for the same month last year, and for the sea-
son beginning November an average of Is to
10 pounds above last season.
The total number of hogs received at the
principal live stock centers of the Northwest
is 675, 600 less than last year at this time. But
the increased weight this year brings a product
equal to 100000 hogs If the increase is 20
pounds to a hog. and it is certainly above that
figure. At this date the number of pieces of
ham, shoulders and bacon, sa ted away for sum-
use, is in round numbers 1,300, 600 less than
at the same last year.
The outlook for lower priced hog productsis
not so strong when these figures are considered
as would naturally be supposed by one only look
ing at the reduced price of hogs as compared
with a year ago. A leading packer claims that
cuts should be higher. Saidhe:.'Farmers are get
ting a good price for hogs, considering the
and cheapness of corn, and in my
Judgment prices ought to drift to the neigh
of &C." Lard Is off nc to-day in SYM
oathy with the dropping prices of heavy hogs.
With this exception hog products rule steady.