The Detroit times., 1915-12-09

Common Cattle Dull and Hard to Quote:
Lambs Strong; Hogs are Looking HiQher

AASSSSSs
md lambs than last year. Nebras
IA Is estimated to havs about the
same number ~ last year and Col.
orado less. The general belief,
among men well vsrsed In such mat.
tiers. Is that not more than one.half
N many sheep and lambs have
been put on feed this year % has
been the average Of other recent
years. Thousands Of habitat lambs
have already made their appear.
ance In the market and they will
continue to come for many months
and without profit to the men who
finish them. The feeder. who scores
pront this year. will b the follow
who makes them good and fat. The
small supply Of stock on feed would
seem to suggest an average price Of
50 per cwt. for tat lambs Of medium
weight throughout the season.
The wool situation IL gaining
strength. every day al time goes
on. advices from al over the world
indicating n future demand which
will be only partially supplied by
the crop available during the COM
Ing season. In Boston, the trade
10 hating q trinc, but this II only
the natural result Of usual holiday
conditions In the factories and the
general goods market the world
over. Signs Of the development OF
a disposition to speculate. are abun-
dant among dealers who are In the
habit OF investing their money In
this staple, and the whole situation
looks stronger than for many years.
Efforts To contract wool. on the back
OF tha sheep. are reported from
many western points. but growers
are arm In their views and no deals
have beca made on this basis.
Every market In the country was
slugged full Of live hogs early this
week. Chicago got $4,000 and had
l.sOO held over from the Saturday
before. Buffalo got a large package
and the Missouri river markets also
had record.breakins runs. Prices
were lower. II In true. but, cousid-
ering the glut. the market behaved
well. There are abundant indica-
lions on every hand that the packer
deems them cheap enough to put
away.
The rush Of light young hogs from
the areas where the corn crop was
destroyed by the frost, continues.
This feature Of thu trade must, how
ever, be regarded ~ bull argu-
ment In the long run. as the crop
will be decreased exactly in proper
ton to the difference In weight be.
tween these young hogs ind mature
stock. Heavy hogs are already sell
ing at a premium over light weights.
proving that the provisioner still
mrs confidence In the future for the
lard market. We still feel like pick
ing the current market for the bot
tom and must predict an active
trade for the next 30 days. with
gradually hardening values.
On this date. last year. cattle
averaged so cents per cwt. lower
than now, lambs and sneep were u
To SI.25 per cwt. lower and the
average for hogs was about the
same as now. A glance at the mar
ket quotations for lambs. during the
arst week In December for the last
2b wears, reveals that the prices
paid during the past week are Nigh
err than they were ever before known
ut this season OF the year.
In q recent Issue, the Chicago
Breeders Gazette published the fol-
lowing concerning the export trade
In proyisions: Large quantities Of
cured and fresh meats are being
sent across the Atlantic weekly
Last weeks exports Of hog product
were 1895 900 pound Of lard. H..
100000 pounds Of bacon ana i,fso
barrels OF pork, against 6.237.oOo
nounds of lard 4.es2.O0o pounds OF
bacon and 1850 barrels OF pork a
wear ago. While current receipts
NJ hogs look heavy, statistics are I'M
reliable, ~ pigs predominant and
a run OF 50 To 160-pound stun neith'
ar ALA the lard ksttle nor builds
niles of meats. Last weeks aver
Ara weight OF hogs at Chicago was
oniy $50 pounds. the highest on
record, and "a pounds lighter than
q year ago. Pig carcasses oy the
hundred thousand are being sent
across the Atlantic In frozen condi-