MONTHLY REPORT. 



Department of Agbicultuee, Statistical Division, 



Washington, D. C, February 29, 1872. 

 Sir : I lierewith present, for publication, the results of the annual in- 

 vestigation concerning the prices of farm, animals, and their numbers 

 in comparison with the statement of the previous year ; also, a brief 

 account of the recent agricultural convention ; an article upon forests 

 and the public lands 5 a record of the yield and proiit of agricultural 

 operations on a western farm; notes of the garden; entomological 

 records; chemical memoranda ; scientific notes ; and facts from various 

 sources. 



Yery respectfully, 



J. K. DODGE, 



Statistician, 

 Hon. FREDiERiCK Watts, 



Commissioner. 



COMPARATIVE NUMBERS AND PRICES OF FARM- 

 STOCK. 



The February circular to statistical correspondents, which invites 

 statements of comparative numbers and j)rices of farm-stock in 

 the counties of the several States, has been quite fully responded to ; 

 and a careful combination of these local estimates and statements of 

 fact indicates a small increase in each kind of domestic animals, except 

 sheep, in which a decrease of about one per cent, is apparent. The 

 largest increase is reported in swine, amounting to six j)er cent., though 

 their numbers had been thinned by the heavy operations of the pork- 

 packing establishments. The Department estimate of fattening hogs in 

 September was about twelve per cent, greater than in the previous 

 year, and, in many of the Western States, an increase of fully 25 per 

 cent, of swine, old and young together, was apparent. Horses and 

 mules are credited with an increase of about 3 per cent.; milch cows, 2 

 per cent.; and oxen and other cattle, 1 per cent. 



The only States in which a decrease of horses is presented are — 

 Maine, 5 per cent.; New Hampshire, 4 ; Ehode Island, 2 ; Connecticut, 

 1, and California 1. An increase of 1 per cent, appears in New York, 



