REPORT OF THE SECRETARY OF AGRICULTURE. 33 



The number of milch cows and other cattle has shown an increase 

 (luring the last four or five years, the estimate for the former for 

 the present year being 23,906,000 as against 22,768,000 a year ago and 

 20,497.000 in 1913, before the European war began, while that for the 

 cattle is 43,291,000 as against 40,849,000 a year ago and 36,030,000 in 

 1913. Unfoi'tunately, the number of sheep continues to decline; the 

 estimate for 1917 is only 46,059,000 as against 48,483,000 a year ago 

 and 51,482,000 in 1913. It is estimated that the number of hogs, 

 which during recent years has shown an upward tendency, decreased 

 over 4,000,000, or from ('.7,453,000 to 62,747,000. However, it is 

 greater than it was at the beginning of the European war. The num- 

 ber of hogs varies from year to year more widely than that of the 

 larger meat animals. 



In considering the whole meat situation it should be kept in mind 

 that there is a close relationship between the production of live stock 

 and the supply of feedstuffs and that for more than a year past there 

 has been a relative shortage of grains and of forage. The large pro- 

 duction of these necessaries during the present crop season should 

 conduce to more satisfactory conditions for the producers of live 

 stock and should, other things being equal, tend to bring about an 

 increase. But with the destruction of live stock in Europe and the 

 great demands from there for meat and fats, with consequent greatly 

 increased exports from this country, it is clear that the supply will 

 not be adequate for the domestic needs and for those of the nations 

 with which we are associated in the war. The mere statement that the 

 population has steadily increased in this country — the gain in the 10 

 years from 1908 to 1917 being 13,000,000 — with an absolute decrease 

 in the live stock for the same period, would sufficiently emphasize the 

 seriousness of the situation if conditions were normal and the demand 

 for meats and fats were not so urgent. The great importance of doing 

 everything possible economically to increase the meat supply of the 

 Nation I have strongly emphasized in each previous annual report 

 and in many addresses. This is one of the great problems to which 

 the Department persistently has given earnest and vigorous attention. 



The actual increase in the acreage of fall-sown crops can not 

 be accurately determined at this time. There is every indica- 

 tion, however, that the farmers in the sections where fall grains 

 can be profitably raised have patriotically responded to the Nation's 

 33382°— AGE 1917 3 



