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


ports OF the United States agricul>6
department show that the receiD<
live stock during July at the ne>l
largest stockyards In the middle II
were nearly 100000 head less q
July, 1909, and about 100000 head IL
than In the same month Of -
Though hogs on the hoof are high. q
receipts during July were Is per n
less than the past fivc-year averno
The shortage at these markets d
the first seven months Of 1910 excoo
20 per cent, as compared with n
average OF former years.
There has also been q great decii
in the storing and shipping OF dres0
and cured meats.
The packers have sent out Of Ch1o
go IL per cent less fresh beef. eur
meats and lard than In the corresoe
ing seven months period Of any
since 1900, The packers shinr
of canned meats were only ~
cent or the same period In 1906
Nor are they storing a quantity &
meat. The stock Of meat on the III
day OF July. 1910, at the five princ1r4|
packing centers, has decreased abCc
10,000.000 pounds since the end <1
June and was about one-third a.
than the average for the same date 81
the five preceding years! N;
And, OF course. the trust will no(
bear the burden.
There are several reasons for TIE
scarcity of live stock and the smallo1
quantity OF meat as measured ~
pounds. First and greatest Of all q
the big drouth. The western RAM
states, where the nations beef Is ra1o.
ed In immense herds, have sufforc
the worst dry spell In 90 years. 0Foo1
withered away, and springs dried up-@
taking from the herds both their food
and water.
Thousands and thousands OF catt1o
have been forced to the stockyardu
markets because OF this condftiOu
They have been coming to the markot
thin and bony. Packers have not bo6rI
able to obtain much meat from the
Stockmen who at this time every yo1
buy ND the thinner range cattle. hoe
and sheep to feed up and sell to tn
stockyards brought sparingly becinD6
of the uncertainty OF their feed crUpo.
Especially is this true OF Kansas, Ok
lahoma, Nebraska and Missouri.
Another reason for the scarcity a
live stock and maybe the most In
portant, is the fact that the ranges nEo
being cut down and turned into farn0.
This Is decreasing the herds and flock
and making 1t necessary to feed stool
with farm products If the natiQn,u
meat supply Is to be kept up. The
N rrDpc fhtC vaor 'eoAd hssf -
nearly big enough 10 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, -
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 TIVE
years The boom led many farmers -
sell off too closely their brood sowe>
In trade circles Il 10 generally esti-
mated that there are anywhere from
100000 10 100000 fewer hogs -
the country than year ago.
Is the end in sight? Yes, but not -
the immediate future. Even the g1Ennr
tic corn crop OF 2,940, 100000 bushels
which tho American farmer VIII hax<
vest this fall does not promtse mucA
in the way Of reducing prices Of meok
There is cheerful hope for f,suro
years In the tendency among prodoe-
ers OF cattle, sheep and hogs 10 ~
store their dwindling herds. The 6ct
that few OF the best female animAD
are being sent to the stockynrds I'M
summer shows that the ranchman sn4
farmer are holding them back, with
the purpose OF increasing the yfeld
next year. Agricultural schools ana
scientific stock raising and farming
will help wonderfully In bringing ~
the supply OF live stock 10 keep pace
with the increase In population.