The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1910-09-03

KANSAS CITY. Mo-, Sept. 3.-Re.
ports OF the United States agricultural
department show that the receipts of
i've stock during July at the seven
largest stockyards in the middle west
were nearly 100000 head less than
July, 1909, and about 600,00 head less
than In the same month Of, 1908.
Though hogs on the hoof are high, the
receipts during July were Is per cent
less than the past flve-year average.
The shortage ct these markets for
the f1rst seven months Of 1910 exceeds
rs per cent, as compared with the
average OF former years.
There has also been a great decline
In the storing and shipping Of dressed
and cured meats.
The packers have sent out of Chica.
go Is per cent less fresh beef, cured
meats and lard than In the correspond.
ing seven months period Of any year
since 1900. The packers shipments
OF canned meats were only 40 per
cent of the same period In 1906.
Nor are they storing q quantity Of
meat. The stock Of meat on the last
day OF July. 1910. at the Ave principal
packing centers, has decreased about
100000 pounds since the end of
June and was about one-third less
than the average for the same date In
the i've preceding years!
And. Of course. the trust win not
bear the burden. .--.-... -. -
There are several reasons for the
scarcity Of i've stock and the smaller
quantity Of meat as measured by
pounds. First and greatest OF all Ia
the big drouth. The western range
states, where the nations beef Is rails
ed In immense herds, have suffered
the worst dry spell In 20 years. Grass
withered away. and springs dried up
taking from the herds both their food
and water. -
Thousands and thousands Of cattle
have been forced to the stoclyards
markets because Of this condition.
They have been coming to the market
thin and bony. Packers have not been
able to obtain much meat from them.
StOckmen who at this time every year
buy up the thinner range cattle, hogs
and sheep to feed up and sell to the
stoclxyards brought sparingly because
Of the uncertainty OF their feed crups.
Especially Ia this true OF Kansas, Ok
lahoma, Nebraska and Missouri.
Another reason for the scarcity Of
live stock and maybe the most i'm
portant, IL the fact that the ranges are
being cut down and turned into farms.
This is decreasing the herds and focks
and making It necessary to feed stock
with farm products IL the nations
meat supply is to be kept up. The
grain crops this year are good, but not
nearly big enough TO take the place OF
the old range grass.
The American taste for veal and the
high prices It has commanded have
helped to reduce the cattle supply, az
producers could not resist selling their
calves instead Of growing them into
beef animals.
The scarcity In hogs Is mostly due
to the high prices OF the last two
years. The boom led many farmers to
sell or too closely their brood sows.
In trade circles II Is generally esti-
mated that there are anywhere from
100000 to 100000 fewer hogs In
the country than a year ago.
Is the end In sight? Yes, but not In
the Immediate future. Even the gigan-
tic corn crop OF 2,940, 100000 bushels
which the American farmer will nar.
vest this fall does not promise much
in the way OF reducing prices of meat.
There Is cheerful hope for future
years In the tendency among produc-
crs of cattle, sheep and hogs to re-
store their dwindling herds. The fact
that few OF the best female animals
are being sent to the stocl<yards this
summer shows that the ranchman and
farmer are holding them back, with
the purpose Of Increasing the yield
next year. Agricultural schools and
scientific stock raising and farming
will help wonderfully in bringing ND
the supply OF live stock TO keep pace
with the increase In population.