Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1924-02-18
FARM HORSES DROP
RAPIDLY IN VALUE
Autos and Tractors Bring
About Sweeping Changes,
Latest Reports Show.
Special Dispatch to The Star.


NEW YORK, February 1S.-New
evidence that the faithful horse is
being slowly displaced by the auto
mobile and farm tractor comes in the
1924 report of the Department Of Ag-
riculture on the number Of farm ami
mails of the various classes in the
United States as compared with those
Of corresponding dates IN earlier
years. 1T shows, says the Trade Rec
ord of The National City Bank, that
the number Of farm horses in the
country at tfs beginning Of 1924 was
only 1S.263,000 against 21,555.0o0 in
1918, IA fall of 3,a90.00o. or Is per cent,
in the siX-year period.
Values Also Fall on.
Even If we go further back, says
the Trade Record, and compare con-
ditions in 1924 with those of the year
preceding the war, 1913, the fall off
In horses on farms is 100000, or
about IL per cent, while tho num-
Der Of other farm animals shows an
increase of 100000 in the same
period. Even more startling is the
fact that the stated farm value of
the horses fell off $1,101,940,OOO in the
period from 1913 to 1924, while the
value of other farm animals increas-
ed s513,415.000 In the same years. The
stated value of all horses on farms
decreased 4S per cent in the 1913-24
period, while the value of other farm
animals increased IL per cent in the
same period.
Other Animals Increase.
Practically all groups of farm ami
mails other than horses increased in
number in the 1924 period, In
which the horses have shown a de-
crease IL per cent. The number
or cattle on farms advanced from
$685.! 900 In 1913 to 66,8O1, 900 in 1924,
gain OF over 10,000.OOO, while the
horses were being reduced 1900. 900
The number of swine advanced from
6l,17S.OO0 in 1913 to 65,30l,00O in 1924,
an increase of over 100000. and
even the farm mule showed an in
crease in number of over d million
but a marked decline in value. The
number of sheep. which fell off about
100000 in the period 1881, began
again to increase in 1922. and stood
at the beginning of 1924 at 3S.361.-
600 against 3G,O4s.OO0 at the begin
ming OF 1922, while the value at the
beginning of 1924 was s3O2, 00o. 0oO
against but S173,G00,009 at the be-
ginning of 1922.
Tractors Affect Values.
It is when We compare the 1924
farm values per head of the various
classes Of farm animals with those
of 1913 that We see the most strik-
ing evidence Of the reduction in val
ue Of farm horses and mules which
has accompanied the advent of the
automobile and farm tractor The
average farm value of the horses as
shown by the official records Of the
Department Of Agriculture, fell from
SHOT, per head in 1913 to $6441 In
1924. that of the mule from s12431
per head in 1913 to $500 in 1924
while the average per capita value
of cattle advanced from s33.12 in 1913
to s35.o2 in 1924; sheep from $500 per
head in 1913 to $7.SS in 1924, while
swine averaged $3.50 per head in 1918
and 1916 in 1924. Thus the average
farm value per head OF the horses fell
off about Al per cent in the 1929
period, that Of mules about 33 per
cent, while that of cattle and sheep
showed material increases, and that
of swine practically unchanged.