The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1900-03-02
STOCK IN UNITED STATES
VALUE NOW OVER TWO BILLION
DOLLARS.
Effect of Spanish and South African
War Upon Prices-The Mule Most
Costly of All Domestic Animals.

The latest confirmation of the claim
that this is a two billion dollar coun-
try" is found in the returns of the num-
Der and value of farm animals as MADE
up by Statistician Hyde of the agricul-
tural department. We learn that on
the first of January this year there
were 1887 ,524 horses, 2,0S6027 mules.
16, 292, $50 milch COWS, 27,610,054 other
cattle and 41,S83,065 sheep. This is a
decrease during the year of 1899 of
about one per cent in the number OF
horses, of two per cent in the number
of mules, and of 1.3 per cent in the
number of other cattle. On the other
hand, there was an increase of per
cent in the number of mich COWS, and
of per cent in the number of sheep.
There was a general increase in the
values of animals themselves during
the year also. There was a gain of
S.21 per head in the case of horses OF
$751; per head in the case of mules, or
81. "a in the case of mich COWS, so. Is IN
other cattle, and of Is cents in the ease
of sheep. The application of the above
details is found in the fact that there
has been a total increase in value or
the country's live stock during the year
1899 of $4,000, 0O0 this, by the way, not
Including a manifestly considerable
but not as yet definitely ascertained
increase in the value of swine, no esti-
mate on which will be made until the
census of June next. The total value
of the faTm animals to the United
States on January l, 1893, was very close
to two billion dollars, namely, $780,
OlO,407 and the increase shown in the
value of the five classes of animals
above mentioned $216,0 900 900, therefore
indicates that the aggregate value Of
the country's animals will rtainly not
be less than $2,21S, 010, 4O7 and, whatever
I fWagn q L.
during the year, will further swell this
total.
The statement is also Forthcoming
that the value of the farm animals or
the United States has increased dur
ing the past three years 10 the extent of
$50, 900, 0O0. 1t might De remarked IN
this connection that the total value of
the farm animals of the COUNTRY mad
not exceeded 81, 600, 900, 900 since the yeHr
1894. For twelve years before that the
value of the animals had been in excess
of $4,000 ,000 and in one year, 1889
the total was $2,507, $50, 058 The reasons
for the decrease from early years are
of course, to be found N the falling of
in the number of such animals, que
to the greatly lowered prices paid
| There are nearly 5000, 900 fewer horses
in the country than there We're in 1898
and there are fewer mules than i'm any
previous year since 1885, while the num-
Der of beef cattle is the smallest there
| is record of since 1888. Sheep, while
increasing in number rapidly of late
years, are not nearly as numerous as
they were to 1895, and thence to 1880.
An interesting sidelight on the reIa-
tive values of different animals is rur-
nished by the department when II
places the aggregate value per head Oi
mules at S53 Sc, a higher price than has
been paid since 1894 The effect or
prices of the Spanish-American and thC
South African war are directly trace
able in the enhanced value of the mule