Evening star., 1923-12-31

still seems to be
meat supply on
the hoof in suffi-
! cient quantity to
MIR. GRUNELAND. supply the couTS-
try'S demand must
undoubtedly be credited to the Amer
lean farmers tenacity and his refusal
to quit even If facing more than tenn
porary loss In his business ventures.
The public has showed more buying
ability than during the year previous.
Not only this, but it was evident
from the start that better quality
responded by bringing improved
| grade stock to market. 1t was found,
however. that foreign demand was
not broad enough to give much sup
port to the markets. and the ready
product had to depend on home con-,
sumption for practically all outlet.
Receipts Show Increase.
Nearly million more animals ar
rived at Chicago market the first half
of the year than during the corre-
spending period last year. This was
caused mostly by an unexpected in
crease in hog supply. Cattle also in
creased during the period, while the
sheep run dropped off somewhat.
In the cattle trade the feature has
been the continued good demand for
fat stock during the first half of the
year. while the last period has show
and yearlings of prime quality. Farm
ers who held their heavy cattle for
extra finish did not make the expect
ed profit during the few last months,
but they have been ahead with plain
stock to sell
Quality improved during the first
months of the year at the Chicago
market, but this was to the detriment
of the stock in the country. and dur
ing the closing months the percent
haS
portionaIy large, as the number of
grassy animals also have outnum-
!, bered the expected figure. The re-
suit of this has been an uneven mar
ket. with plain grades harder to han
die than at any time since before the
war At the close of the year choice
yearling steers stand at the top, while
heavy animals have fallen below the
light stock during the last few.
In the early part of the year
stockers and feeders were in good de-
mand, and country buyers took much
stuff at relatively high prices. After
the, first few months they had to go
after thin stock, which did not give
the profit expected The total supply
of halves for the year has fallen
short of last years run, and the trade
has been extremely uneven.
The hog market has been featured
by a heavy supply. The trade started
with prices for best stock around
$500. but the heavy runs resulted in
lower values. Large runs were ex-
pected the first half of the year, but
most of the trade looked for a de-
crease later. Contrary to this the
supply has continued large, with
close to record figures for days and
weeks during the last two months
This again broke values from the in
creased levels noted in September
and the close Of the year finds hogs
far below the price levels obtained
at the outset.
Compared with other branches Of
| the live stock trade the sheep mar
ket has showed the most even tone
during the year. This was caused by
less liberal supply, but even this
end Of the trade closed far below the
information making them believe, and
correctly so, that the years supply
Of lambs would be comparatively
light On many sessions they bought
those. paid for choice killing stock,
but with the lower values at the
close Of the year, they have found it
hard to escape without loss.
September High Month.
The cattle market started the year
with top lots at $11.50, and the best
steers brought $11.85 during January
The more or less questionable figures,
was then placed at about $500, but
tops and averages dropped from the
opening. In March the best price
paid was $1,000 for the week ending
the 10th. A steady Improvement was
noted later, the top of the market
going to $3.50 in September.
From then to the close of the year
choice steers and the best long year.
lings have been ina class by them
During the last month or two. the
best steers have showed to good ad-
vantage. but demand for plain stock
has been about as uneven as at any
Western cattle have come in compe-
tition with plain quality natives, and
sellers have had hard work moving
all stock that did not show good
have arrived during the year, show
ing decrease over the number re-
ceived last year. About 1000, 900
cattle have been shipped out of this
market for all purposes during the
year The supply of calves have
Heavy Hog supply.
The hog supply for the year has
been one of the largest in the history
of the trade. The figure is placed at
round number of 10,500,000, against
8,156,472 last year. The high spot in
the hog market was reached in Sep
tember, when best lots went at 1915.
AT llo OPcIliuS ol thO CdA uCSt AO6 .
sold at $500, but 1t was a steady drop
down to. $3.50 in June. From that
point the trade gained until II made
the high point. When the supply
showed up SO much larger than ex-
pected, however, and with little de-
mand outside of domestic sources, the
market was uneven. During Novern-
Der the best lots sold with an aver
age below $500, while December has
found the market at the low point of
the year, with strictly prime heavy
butchers below $500.
Early in the year light hogs held
the best prices, but a more or less
active demand for lard helped heavy
stock to best price levels later In the
@ Peaioe; ,,S aDVu, n ~ svviooo ny sd m0ss L nave
during the year.
While the years total receipts of
sheep and lambs has not shown a
large figure. the trade has lacked the
strength which most of the sellers
had expected: Only about 100000
ing little change from the figure