9 



erfal, and shows that it is useless for farmers to expect average returns 

 from production much above the usual demand for consumption. It ap- 

 pears to be a self evident proposition; but it proves a difficult one for 

 X)roducers to appreciate. 



COMPAEATIVE LUMBERS AND PRICES OF FARM ANIMALS. 



Numbers. — Horses : Eeturns relating to the numbers and prices of 

 farm animals in 1873 show a decrease of horses of 1 per cent, in Con- 

 necticut, Georgia, Florida, and Alabama, and 7 per cent, in California. 

 Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Khode Island, New York, New 

 Jersey:, Delaware, Maryland, North Carolina, Kentucky, Ohio, and Wis- 

 consin report the same number as in 1872. In the remaining- States 

 the increment varies from 1 per cent, in Massachusetts, Mississippi, 

 Louisiana, Arkansas, West Virginia, Indiana, and Illinois, to» 111 in 

 Kansas and 110 in Nebraska. 



Mules : California reports a decrease of mules of 8 per cent ; Oregon, 

 C per cent.; Indiana, 5 per cent. ; Iowa, Wisconsin, and Florida, 3 per 

 cent, each; Illinois, 2 per cent.; Michigan, Ohio, Kentucky, Alabama, 

 Maryland, and New York, 1 per cent. each. The other States show 

 either an equal or an increased number, the maximum, 10 per cent., 

 being in Kansas. None of the New England States make any returns 

 under this head. 



Oxen and other cattle : A decline of 15 per cent, is manifested in 

 Texas; 5 per cent, in Ehode Island and Delaware; 4 per cent, in 

 Louisiana; 3 per cent, in Connecticut, New York, Alabama, and Cali- 

 fornia ; 2 per cent, in Vermont, Mississippi, and Ohio ; 1 per cent, in New 

 Jersey' and Kentucky. All the other States report a number fully 

 equal to or greater than the previous year, the maximum, 20 per cent., 

 being ioi Nebraska. 



Milch cows : Nearly all the States report the number of cows as equal 

 to or in excess of last year. Texas declines 7 jier cent. ; Delaware and 

 Florida, 4 per cent. ; Louisiana, 3 iier cent. ; Massachusetts, New York, 

 and Alabama, 2 per cent. : Rhode Island, North Carolina, and Ohio, 1 

 per cent. A number equal to the previous year is found in Vermont, 

 Connecticut, New Jersey, Maryland, Virginia, Georgia, Mississippi, Ten- 

 nessee, Kentucky, and Michigan. In the remaining States an increase 

 varies from 1 per cent, in Arkansas to 15 per cent, in California. 



Shec]) : An enormous increase, 9G per cent., is noted in Kansas, sev- 

 eral counties having during the year developed a very considerable en- 

 terprise in sheep-husbandry. Large flocks were directly imported by 

 resident farmers, but a very large proportion of the increase was brought 

 in by emigrant settlers. California increased her flocks 17 per cent. ; 

 Arkansas, 10 per cent. ; Maine and Texas, 8 per cent. ; Nebraska, 7 per 

 cent. ; Oregon, 5 per cent. ; Minnesota, 4 per cent. ; New Hampshire, 

 Connecticut, Maryland, and Wisconsin, 3 per cent.; Massachusetts, 

 Alabama, and Michigan, 2 per cent. ; Illinois, 1 per cent. ; New Jersey 

 and Ohio report a number equal to the previous year. In all the 

 other States there is a decrease, ranging from 1 per cent, in South Caro- 

 lina and West Virginia, to 12 per cent., in Louisiana and 15 per cent, 

 in Delaware. 



Hogs : The only States reporting an increase are Kansas and Nebraska, 

 C per cent. ; California and Oregon, 5 per cent. ; Alabama, 3 per cent. ; 

 Delaware, 2 per cent. ; Florida, 1 per cent. The greatest decrease, 15 

 per cent., is found in Louisiana. Tennessee declines 11 per cent. ; New 

 Hampshire and Arkansas, 10 per cent. ; Ohio, 9 per cent. ; Vermont, 

 Virginia, Mississippi, Indiana, and Illinois, 8 per cent.; Texas, 7 per 



