MONTHLY EEPORT. 



Depaetment of Agrictjltuee, 



Statistical Division, February 28, 1871. 

 Sir : I herewith report for publication statistics showing the relative 

 numbers and prices of farm stock, as compared with returns made in. 

 February of last year ; also a variety of extracts from correspondence, 

 a copy of the circular of the Commissioner of Agriculture calling for aid 

 for the farmers of France, and articles on the New York Agricultural 

 Society, British improvements in plows, scientific notes, market i)rices 

 of farm products, meteorological tables and notes, &c. 



J. E. DODGE, 



Statistieian. 

 Hon. Horace C apron, 



Commissioner. 



RELATIVE NUMBEES AND PRICES OF FAEM STOCK. 



The February circular was intended to obtain a comparative view of 

 the numbers and prices of farm stock. Returns have been received from 

 all the States, showing a small increase in numbers, taking the whole 

 country together, in all animals except sheep. The increase of swine has 

 been largest ; that of cattle and horses moderate, slightly in excess of 

 the advance in population. 



There is no increase of horses in the northern half of New England, 

 and but a slight advance in Massachusetts and Rhode Island. New Jer- 

 sey and Delaware have scarcely sustained the figures of last year, while 

 New York and Pennsylvania have exceeded them. The Southern States, 

 excepting Texas, return larger numbers, as do all the Western States, 

 Nebraska presenting an increase of 15 per cent., and Kansas 20 per 

 cent. The average increase is about three per cent. The prices of horses 

 are lower, as a rule, than in February of 1870. A slight decrease in the 

 number of mules is reported in New Jersey, Maryland, Virginia, Florida, 

 Ohio, and Minnesota, and elsewhere an increase of from one to six per 

 cent., Kansas and Nebraska only exceeding that rate, their percentage 

 being respectively fifteen and sixteen per cent. A reduction in price 

 similar to that noticed in horses is reported. The following statement 

 affords a fair illustration of the range of prices of horses: 



1870. 



niinois $29 63 



Ohio ; 34 86 



Kentucky 40 91 



Georgia 42 59 



Texas 13 04 



$45 76 

 54 08 

 58 08 

 68 62 

 21 43 



$65 33 

 78 00 

 76 75 



101 58 

 26 31 



1871. 



$95 02 

 106 34 

 102 25 

 142 16 



42 82 



t-28 57 

 34 70 

 36 14 

 40 20 

 12 06 



$44 60 

 54 00 

 52 75 

 63 51 

 18 19 



$66 66 

 77 47 

 72 42 

 92 53 

 26 96 



$93 93 

 102 92 



96 35 

 129 45/ 



45 52 



