The Detroit times., 1915-12-09
Local


IA Is estimated to havs about tina
same number as last year and Col.
orado less. The general belief.
among men we'll versed In such mat
ters, IN that not more than one-half
as many sheep and lambs have
been put on feed this year rs has
been the average OF other recent
years. Thousands or 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
a profit this year, will be the fellow
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 fat lambs of medium
weight throughout the season.
The wool situation IL gaining
strength. every day a. time goes
on, advices from all 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
Is hating a trife. but this Is 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 album
daut 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 the sheep. are reported from
many western points. but growers
are firm in their views and no deals
have been made on this basis.
Every market In the country was
slugged full OF live hogs early this
week. Chicago got $4,000 and had
/ 500 held over from the Saturday
before buffalo got a large package
and the Missouri river markets also
had record breaking runs. Prices
were lower. II Ia true. but, consid-
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 tbs trade must, how
ever, be regarded Is bull Argyll
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 nd mature
stock Heavy hogs are already SELL.
ing at a premium over light weights.
proving that the provisioner still
mas confidence In tho future for the
lard market. We still feel like PICK.
Ing tie current marker for the bot.
tom and must predict an active
trade for the next 90 days. with
gradually hardening values.
On this date. last year. cattle
averaged 80 cents per cwt. lower
Than now, lambs end sneep we're III
10 si.25 per cwt. lower and tho
average for hogs was abcut the
same as now. A glance at the mar.
ket quotations for lambs. during the
frat week in December for the last
25 years. reveals that the prices
paid during the past week are high
or than they we're ever before known
ut this season OF the year.
In a recent issue, the Chicago
breeders Gazette published the fol-
lowing concerning the export trade
in prcy.sions: Large quantities OF
cured and fresh meats are being
cent across the Atlantic weekly.
Last weeks exports Of hog product
were $4,000 pound OF lard. H..
40, o0oO pounds Of bacon anc f,rso
barrels of pork. against 6,237,00O
mounds of lard 100000 pounds OF
bacon and 1.1so barrels OF pork q
wear ago. While current receipts
~ hogs look heavy, stat'stics are IN
reliable, as pigs predominant ana
a run OF so to 160-pound stun neith-
or fills the lard kettle nor builds
niles OF meats. Last weeks aver
age weight OF hogs at Chicago was
only 100 pounds. the lishtest on
record. and "a pounds lighter than
q wear ago. Pig carcasses by the
hundred thousand are being sent
,crcss the Atlantic in frozen condi-