The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1904-02-05
The following article from the Breeders
Gazette will prove OF interest to every

Total. I. ......... 81. 1922 1886
Thus 1t will be seen that there was a
decrease OF 6,324.671 cattle in tho United
h States during the ten-year period 1880.
1900. To the casual observer. however,
the census reports appear to show that
the number OF cattle in the United States
has Increased from 67,67s7s2 in 1880 to
67,s22. 1896. in 1900. This Is a deusion as the
reports OF the eleventh census fall to
& include 1453s,327 calves upon farms and
1.e5a,ssS calves upon ranges insits grand
total Of the cattle in the United States
at that time. Therefore, instead Of an
apparent gain Of 10, ASIA In the ten-yonr
period, the figures actually chronicle O
3los5 Of G,3e4,67l X head ALI told.
In the face of&the excessive ma rket-
ings OF cattle for the past three years
these figures seem to be impossible. but
the anomaly Is easily explained Hun.
dreds of smaller towns which four and
five years ago butchered their. own beef
at the slaughter houses Of their home
butcher shops now&i5.useis chilled beef
shipped from the largo packing CEN.
tiers, This, of COURSE means that the
stock yards receipts at these packing
centers have been augmented to a pro-.
rortional extent. Moreover, recent and
rapid growth Of the "baby beef" fad has
been no small factor In swelling the
stock yards receipts. A nearly normal
supply OF older cattle increased by
rush Of yearlings will suffice to make
real shortage appear to be surplus
for two or three years; still every one
knows 1t is but question OF four or
five years until the inroads upon the
yearlings will have depleted the supply
t,f older cattle far below the normal lin
1t.
During the fall Of 1902 the entire popu-
lation Of the corn-belt became infected
with tho 'cattle-buying fever and such
q movement of cattle through the stock
ards never was witnessed before-largs-
liz a movement to the feed-lots. Again
during the fallfof 1903 the entire popula--
ton OF the corn-belt. became infected
with the "cnttle-selling fever and the
record movement Of cattle through the
stock yards was al gain slrpassed-large-
Is movement to the slaugpt Greenhouses.
Thus the real condition of the cattle
situation has been obscured for two
yersal, temperament pervading the feed
ing-dlstrlcts; a condition which may not
occur again in half century, 8f
The deluslon Of 1902 was caused by an
S IL cent steer market, The delusion of
1905 was caused by an instrumentation
statistical report from the Department.
Of Agriculture. which was sent out to
correspondents IN CSSl koWttoHlplt w
every county In every State Of the Union.
asserting that the number Of cattle In
the United States had increased from
40, 9o2 414S In 1000 to CTS ,O22 In 1901, OF
course. the estimate OF 4a,oOe, 4l4 for 1900
was based upon the report Of the,
eleventh census, In which6nelther calves
upon farms .5or ranges nor town COWS
were Included; while the G7.S04,o22 for 1901
was based upon the report Of tho twelfth
census, lii which both calves upon farms
and ranges and town cows We're In
cluded.
With this explanation It can readily
be seen that what appeared to be q
bugbear to the beef producer was. In
fact, result of the departments breyity
in the explanation OF the figures which
it put out. Notwithstanding the severe
fluctuations In the cattle market during
the past three years a normal action Of
tho rule OF supply and demand Is now
beginning ia, mark the trade and the fu-
ture seems full OF promise TO the cat
tlemnn.
Pike county, Mo.