6 



The hog cholera has very little existence in the eastern and midclle States. It 

 is more or less in nearly all the Hvesteni ;?tates, and is enough spread in the great 

 hog-raising States of Illinois and Indiana to prove very fatal among the hogs 

 driven on the alluvial lands to fatten. In 1860 these two States had" 4,778,250 

 hogs, being a seventh of the entire number raised in the United States, at that 

 time. Should the cholera spread among the hogs collected on tlie fields, many 

 must die, and our reports indicate the loss of many in these States during the 

 summer and fall. 



The report for September showed the usual number of stock hogs in the 

 country ; but the tables of October exhibit the fact, that whilst there is a gen- 

 eral av( rage fattening in the northern and middle States, there is a large falling 

 ofi' in the greatest hog-producing States. In Ohio, Michigan, Indiana, and Illi- 

 nois, there are but eight-tenths of the number of last year. To arrive at the 

 probable reduction in these States, the census returns of 1S60 must be taken as 

 a basis, for this Department has not yet formed an estimate of the farm stock for 

 1862, as it has done of the farm crops. In Ohio, there Avere 2,175,623 hogs in 

 1860, and in Michigan 374,664, making, with the above number for Indiana and 

 Illinois, 7,328,537 hogs. Add to these ten per cent, for the increase since that 

 year, and the present number would be 8,061,390. The usual allowance be- 

 tween the fattening hogs and the whole number is one-half , which would give 

 4,030,695 as the number that should be now fattening. But two-tenths, or 

 twenty per cent., are withheld, because of the scarcity of corn, amounting to 

 806,139 hogs. 



But the condition of the hogs in those four States is yet lower than their 

 numbers. In Michigan, Illinois, and Indiana, the tables show it to be seven- 

 tenths, or 30 per cent, below the average condition. In Ohio it is 20 per cent, 

 below. For the purpose of showing how far it is possible for hogs to reach 

 either their usual numbers or attaui a weight at all approaching to the cus- 

 tomary standard, we here introduce a few extracts from letters coming from the 

 best fattening districts in these States : 



"The number of fattening hogs raised in this county is probably about the 

 same as last year, but then many were brought in from other counties to use up 

 the surplus feed. This year I do not know of a single hog being fed, except 

 the farmers' own raising." 



"Much of the corn has very little eflFect in fattening hogs. All that can sell 

 are selling their hogs, so as to save their corn. There will be but few fat hogs 

 taken from out the county compared with last year." 



"Our farmers think the corn crop is fully one-half shortened, and so much 

 injured that it is of little value for fattening purposes. Less than one-half the 

 number of hogs will be well fattened in this county." 



" The condition of the county is alarming, in view of the shortness of the 

 crops compared with the amount of live stock that is unfit for market, and must 

 necessarily be passed through the coming winter." 



"In regard to the frosts of September, the effect has been to injure our com 

 about one-half for feeding cattle, and nearly to destroy it for selling or feeding 

 to hogs." 



" Hogs and cattle consume a large amount of corn, and will make growth, but 

 little fat. The result will be light pork, and but few heavy fat cattle." 



" The corn appears to make hogs grow when fed to them, but does not form 

 lard. Large numbers have been imperfectly fattened and sold already. In 

 some cases the hogs have been well fatted, but it has been upon peas mostly, of 

 which larger quantities have been raised than heretofore." 



"The corn has no strength. Fattening cattle are yet in the fields, and in 

 about an average condition; but few will be corn-fed, as the price of beef here is 

 jiot by any means in ratio Aviili the price of corn." 



These extracts, as well as the tables, go clearly to show that the frosted corn 



