Owingsville outlook. [volume] (Owingsville, Ky.) 1879-192?, 1897-03-25

are already overstocked, and the
need of marketing their surplus is
no doubt one reason for the present
depression in prices; but it may be
hoped that the extension of agri-
cultural industry in the grazing
region will before long increase the
demand for farm animals while
limiting their supply by checking
promiscuous breeding, and thus
lead to an early recovery from this
depression.
MULEs.-The decline beginning
in 1884 is similar to that of horses,
but has not proceeded so rapidly,
the percentage of fall in the thir,
teen years being sos, against SIS
for horses. In this diminishing
price the mule has naturally fol-
lowed the horse, for which animal
he is a widely accepted substitute
MILCH Cows.-Prices are slightly
lower in most of the Eastern and
some of the Central States. West
of the Mississippi milch cows are
in demand, at figures generally
higher than prevailed year ago,
There is some tendency toward the
introduction of improved varieties.
OXEN AND OTHER CATILE.-The
better price is due to an increasing
demand for beef as related to the
supply; but in some parts of the
there has been depression
in the prices of oxen, owing to the
low prices of horses. The total
value of oxen and other cattle is,
on the whole, however, declining
on account of decreasing numbers.
SHEEP.-Tbe price shows a pre-
vailing tendency to improve, usual
ly explained by correspondents as
due to a good mutton demand.
This tendency is most marked in
the Great Lake and prairie States,
those near the Atlantic and Pacific
coasts showing little change from
last year.
SwINE.-Along with the decline
in number there is further fall of
25 cents in average price per head,
the two factors resulting in an av-
erage loss of $2O,OOO,OOO. About
one third of the States, the most
important being Iowa, Missouri,
Ohio, Illinois, Indiana, and Penn
sylvania, show a moderate increase.
The largest part of the decline in
the year 1896 was in the South.
During 1895 the fall in price per
head (62 centsj and in aggregate
value ($33,G J,0OO) both exceeded
those of 1896.
NOTES PN NUMBER.
H0KsEs.-T1, decline in nuA der
which was first shown in 1894 still
continues, having amounted to 5
per cent in 1895, against As per
cent In 1895. The South Atlantic
and Gulf States from North Car
oiina to Louisiana, Arkansas, and
a few States and Territories of less
Importance report an increase, in
most cases ascribed to shipments
from the West or Northwest. The
decline in some of the grazing
States is partly due to the ship
ments just mentioned, partly, also,
to storms and a lack of care and
shelter. Some localities, particular
ly in Kansas and Nebraska, report
losses from blind staggers, or some
disease, caused by eating
wormy corn or eornstalks affected
by a fungus; but taking the coun-
try as a whole, complaints of losses
by disease are comparatively rare.
Except where horses have been
shot in considerable numbers to
save the pasturage of overcrowded
ranges for more marketable kinds
of stock, a large majority of the
deaths in 1896 would seem to have
been from old age. The chief cause
of the decrease in number is found
in the disappearance of the usual
inducements to breeding; such re-
ports as ''few colts raised" "farm-
ers have ceased breeding them"
and others of like tenor come from
hundreds of counties in almost ev-
cry part of the country, often with
the addition that few colts, If any,
have been raisd for two or three
years past. The localities in which
an increased demand for young
horses is noted form rare excep-
tions.
MULEs.-Like horses, they have
declined in number, but by a small
er percentage. The number OF
mules did not reach its maximum
until 1895, two years later than
horses, and the decline since that
time has been only 6.2 per cent,
against 9.6 per cent for horses. The
greater hardness of the mule, and
his superior endurance under the
rough usage to which draft animals
are often subjected by those to
whose care they have to be intrust.
ed, are among the chief reasons
why he has not been to any con-
siderable extent replaced by the
horse, despite the increasing cheap
ness of the latter animal.
Mich Cows.-Little change in
number is reported from the AT.
lantic States, but the North Cen
tral region shows some diminution
All of the States west of the ninety
fifth meridian, except Texas and
Utah, report o continued increase
due to the establishment of cream.
cries and an increasing interest in
the dairy industry.
OXEN AND OTHER cArTLE.-The
number of this class of farm ami
mails has decreased one sixth since
1894. Oxen are declining in use
because of the cheapness of horses
and these and "other cattle" have
diminished in number, it is repre-.
sented, because farmers and stock