The Grenada sentinel. [volume] (Grenada, Miss.) 1868-1955, 1905-02-25
Demand for Hogs"
Fort Worth, Tex, Feb. 6, 1905.


possible my ideas as to the reasons,
from a standpoint of profit, why more
hogs should be raised in Texas.
For the sake Of argument, we will
concede that supply and demand
governs the profit to a great extent
that is made on any commodity. The
demand, that is to say the consump-
ton of pork products in the State of
Texas, is yer $4,000, 900 per annum.
During 1894 the hogs raised in Texas
and sold to the packers was less than
100000, and while it Is true that
quite a large amount Of hogs products
are killed and consumed locally, still
the greatest part of the consumption
is produced by the packing houses.
According to these figures it would
appear that some one other than
Texans are raising the pork products
that we eat. Now, what are Texas
farmers here for? Are they here to
eat the products of the Nebraska log
r~aisers, to support the hog industry
there, or are they here for the purpose
OF making money to support their own
industry? AS long as the packers
have to ship finished pork products
from he North to Texas, then so long
will the Northern hog raisers and the
railroads eat up the possible profits
of the Southern hog producer.
Now, let us consider the possibilities
on the other hand. Here we have the
finest State in the Union for producing
hogs. This statement may be dis
puted, and still, in the face of prob.
able dispute, l make it.
We have climate so much in favor
of raising hogs for market that in that
respect alone we excel all others. We
have no severe, long winters like the
Northern hOg-prOducing States, con.
sequently the fattening process is both
quicker and cheaper, for the reason
that in a cold climate food is con
sumed by the animal to keep up the
animal heat, and he has no chance to
make flesh while this goes on. In
this We gain, because our winters are
so short and mild that all our food
put into the hog will go to make iesh.
We are not troubled with cholera to
any extent, while the industry is
crippled in other States by that dread
disease every year or two. We do not
have to invest heavily in shelter
houses as do the Northern farmers,
and we are not at the expense of serv-
ing food hot in the winter as they are.
Texas will produce any grazing foods
that any other State will produce and
considerably o than most of them.
Land is cheaper here than in the
North, and we can afford to have
larger pastures. 1t Is true that all
Texas is not a good producer of In
dian corn, but where that will not
grow the kaffir and maize varieties
will. Then, again, on account of our
climate, our percentage of deaths
among the little pigs is small COM
pared to other States, and On the
same account Jul labor expenses in
taking care of them correspondingly
less.
Now, If W. have these advantages
over other States, and | believe every
Texan will admit that we do have
them, and if, also, the hog has been
the mortgage litter Of other States,
how much more will he do for us?
Taking all these advantages into con-
sideration, and the fact that the pack.
ers are calling for three times the
number of hogs for 1905 that were
furnished them in 1904, and it seems
to me we have every reason to say
that more hogs should be raised.
There are other reasons, too, that
effect not only Texas, but the country
as a whole. The demand for pork
products has been growing steadily
larger and the supply of hogs offered
steadily less in the past few years.
The stocks of provisions have been
steadily falling behind, and at the
same time so have the number Of
hogs. The natural sequence is that
prices must remain more or less
steady, with every probability of an
increase for some time to come. The
above are some of the reasons why
We should raise hogs, and now sup
pose you see if some one al give some
good reasons why they should not be
so that we can have both sides
of the case to consider. Yours very
truly. G.. W. MATTHEW'S,
Secretary and Treasurer.
Last year the crop raised exceeded
by nearly 1000, 900 bales the amount
for this years consumption.
Buyers concluded the price could be
forced down below 6 cents a pound,
and we were presented with the spec
tacle Of an effort to price a crop Of
13, 000, 900 bales at over 500, 000, 900
less than the price at which a crop Of
II, 900, 900 bales sold. Because the.
planters have raised 1000, 900 more
bales than will be consumed during
the present year buyers proceed upon
the theory that they should be paid
800, 600. 900 less than they would have
been paid had their crop been 2,000,-
BOO bales smaller.
A Mississippian says that the DE-
versification of crops creates pros
perity as surely as an overproduction
IF cotton begets poverty and want, and
that corn and peas generate hogs just
rs certainly as dogs do fieas. You
do we'll to make a note of these
statements. They are both true.
The resolutions passed by the bank
srs and the various cotton exchanges
If the South r resulting in an
On the part of the bankers
and merchants to the necessity for
heir cooperation, as never before in
he history OF the South.