Daily Kennebec journal., 1908-12-30
THE MARKETS..
CONTINUED from Page F'our)

i'~of September the highest figure in
years Thus. during the. past year,
hogs have sold at the highest and the
lowest in recent years. The receipts
have been heavy. particularly at the
slaughter houses.
Veal calves have shown very little
change ranging from 3i@ to 7lac..
with some choice vealS higher. TIL"
market for small calves was depressed
early in the year by thu new law re-
garding their sale. but the demand is
about normal again. Receipts Of
calves have been smaller than la st
year The market for veal calves is
less affected by outside conditions
than is the market for other stock.
Sheep and lambs have Dern in small
supply at the yards but the receipts
at the slaughter houses have been very
heavy. The market has been dull dur
ing most of the year, and prices have
ruled low. The great majority of the
sheep and lambs that are brought t"
the Boston market come from the
West. and are shipped directly to the
n. f. Dressed Meat & Wool Co. At
the Yards at times there will be d
fair quantity. but ordinarily the sup
ply at the yards is light. Prices of
sheep have ranged from 1Ia to &c.
with lambs from 3 to Sc. Spring
lambs sold above these figures in their
season.
THE HORSE MARKET.
COMPARISONS on the horse market
for the past year with those of the
preceding year OF 1907 show a smalle"
amount of business transacted. Money
depressions have naturally affected the
trade with its consequent curtailing
of contract work and commercial!
horses have been less active with few
er horses needed during the past year
Buyers have also bought cheaper
horses for such work than In a more
prosperous year. Despite the fact that
there have been serious drawbacks to
good trading, the horse traffic has been
fairly active and horses of good quail
~ have never sold at higher values
than at the present time. but the
prices on ordinary horses have ruled
materially lower during 1908. Dealers
profits have been cut into somewhat
by the exceptionally high values plac-
ed on fresh Western horses. and the
difficulty in procuring enough suitable
horses at reasonable prices.
There has also been the added ex-
pense of running the sale-stables due
to the high price of feed. The slOwest
trade OF the year was during the week
preceding the election when >-orderS
from contractors and other business
concerns were practically at stand
still. and all classes of commerclal
horses were in light demand. This
slackness of trade was somewhat re-
covered as soon as the election was
assured Fresh heavy drafters have
been in fairly good demand throughout
the year. and prices have ruled high.
Lighter commercial horses have been
perhaps the du lest on the market. For
such horses the spring and fall trade
was good. but between seasons the de
mand was very quiet. and lower
prices prevailed A large amount OF
business has been transacted in the
exchange of second hand horses. An
especially good assortment of young
and sturdy horses of this class have
been entered and sold at full value.
;, Sales of harness classes have been
hampered by the limited supply Of
: high priced horses entered and also
{. the widening use of the automobile
g has had a depressing effect upon the
market. For first-c ass harness
horses, saddlers and combination
horses. of good style and finish. tha
| PRICES have been firm and strong. For
the ordinary type of driving horses