Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-02-03
POULTRY AND LAMB
PRICES ARE FIRM
Cotton Also Maintains Recent
Steady Trend-Grain
Continues Weak.

/ SNANH
Some farm products began February
with the slightly upward tendency of
the month before, says the United
States Department of Agriculture, Blu
reau of Agricultural Economics. Mar
| ket News Service. Prices of dressed
poultry, cotton and lambs were fully
sustained. But weak or hesitating mar
kets continued for grain, WOOL cattle,
| hogs and vegetables. There was no
great change in the dairy markets. al
though declining feed prices helped the
position of feeders. Eggs continue I'M
usually weak in market position for
SO early in the season.
Potato Reserves Moderate.
Underlying potato conditions seem
| fairly strong. Potato holdings are
| estimated l per cent heavier this sea-
son in the main shipping States, as a
Tgroup, but Is per cent lighter than
| year ago in the consuming regions as
represented by 16 States mostly Eastern
and Central. The figures suggest prob
ability of continued active demand
Maine potatoes were down to $1.30 per
/. 100 pounds, New York State quoted
Round Whites at 81 AS, and the North
Central region reported range of $1.10
to $l40.
Onion holdings, little over 5000 600
bushels on January i, would indicate
about 10000 cars to move from jan
uary l to the end of the season, COM
pared with $500 last season. About
3,400 cars were shipped during jan
uary. Western New York onions we're
! down to a range of 72i. to rs cents
per 100 pounds in early February Old
crop cabbage held steady at Sl2 per
ton bulk in Western New York, but
| Wisconsin level declined to $6-$7 per
ton. Maryland and Delaware sweet po-
tatoes held about steady, but New Jer-
sey stock was higher.
/ The New York City bean market was
reported slightly irregular near the first
OF February, but generally somewhat
| lower.
| Active Egg Market.
| Receipts of fresh eggs are consider
ably in excess of those of a year ago.
Even at current quotations of I41a to
10 cents, the cold storage market is
rather inactive.
The poultry markets have been slow
| ~ advancing for over a month. A
factor Of considerable support to the
early 1881 season is the relatively short
f.; holdings OF dressed poultry in storage
Butter Markets Fairly Steady.
| The undertone of the butter markets
ir early February was nervous and un-
settled Buyers and sellers were oper-
ating cautiously. Shipments from the
South and Southwest held up well
with some increases reported in Ger
tain sections. In the Eastern section
OF the United States milk SURPRISES
are diminishing, but the Middle West
ern States still find themselves liber-
! ally supplied. It is quite generally
1elt that rural consumption has been
materially increased through the efforts
OF the creamery operators
! Despite the fact that the weather
over the greater part OF the main
cheese producing territory has been
favorable for production the make
continues to fall short of that for
corresponding weeks of last year, ac-
cordlng to warehouse receipts. Milk
production per cow during 1880 aver
aged about 2 per cent lower than in
1929, due chiefly to the drought and
poor pastures, but production per COW
on January was about per cent
heavier than last year. With more cows
on farms and the number still increas-
ing, and with milk production per COW
running above last year, an increased
production of dairy products during
1881 must be expected. There are
as yet no signs of any material change
in the feed situation before the end of
the present feeding period BY the
time new grain is available stocks
probably will be drawn low and some
scarcitles may develop locally.
Live Stock Values Weaker.
Sluggish markets for dressed meats
accompanied by lower wholesale prices
on much of the list, offset the helpful
influence Of recent lighter marketings of
live stock. The hog market around the
flrSt OF the month was near lowest price
levels OF the Winter, with heavy butcher
grades touching lowest basis recorded
since the Summer of 1924. Neither the
rat cattle nor fat lamb markets were
able TO retain price gains which resulted
from previous light marketingS both
classes starting the month with distinct
downward trends.
Inc increased volume of business in
wool on the Boston wool market that
was noted during the preceding fort
night was fully maintained during the
closing week OF January, making the
month decided improvement with re-
Spect 70 volume over December. Prices.
however, were rather weak.
Feeds Lower.
Eastern and Central Western wheat
feed markets were weak near the first
OF FEBRUARY with slow demand ocea-
stoned by the unusually mild weather
ana weakness In corn prices. PRODUCE
ZION OF wheat feeds continues of fairly
good volume, the rather prompt shin
ping. directions, particularly on bran.
furnishing a fairly good outlet. Lin.
seed and cottonseed meal declined. but
the weakness in these feeds was rot as
apparent as in wheat fesds. The east
ness In the corn market, together with
the generally slow demand for--feed-
stuffs. weakened the market for corn
py-product feeds. At Eastern points
gluten feed and meal were weak with
little demand for the moderate offerings
Timothy hay markets were slightly
more irregular than those for other
classes of hay. although no great
changes in price were reported. The
quality of timothy hay this season was
somewhat better than in former wears.
put alfalfa somewhat poorer.
Prices OF most grades of wheat were
nololng practically unchanged at the
END OF January. Feed grains. on the
other hand, were weak and lower as a
result OF relatively large marketings and
only a moderate demand Corn prices
declined to a new low point on the cron.
Rye was lower with the feed grains
FLAX prices tended downward under the
OF slow domestic inquiry and