52 



New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Mississippi ; 2 per cent, in Mass. 

 achusetts, South Carolina, Georgia, Louisiana, West Virginia, OhiOy 

 Indiana, Illinois ; 3 per cent, in Virginia, North Carolina, Alabama, 

 Kentucky, Michigan ; 4 per cent, in Florida, Texas, Tennessee ; C per 

 cent, in Wisconsin and Missouri ; 7 per cent, in Arkansas and Oregon ; 

 8 per cent, in lowaj 10 per cent, in Kansas, and 20 per cent, in 

 Nebraska. 



In mules a loss of 1 per cent, is indicated in New York, Pennsylva- 

 nia, and Indiana ; of 2 per cent, in Kentucky ; of 3 per cent, in Michi- 

 gan ; and 4 per cent, in California. The remaining States (New Eng- 

 land unreported from x^aucity of numbers) show an increase in nearly 

 the same ratio locally as in the case of horses. In Iowa and Kansas the 

 increase of horses is much greater than that of mules. 



In returns of milch cows, no States show a decrease except Maine, 

 New Hampshire, Vermont, Ehode Island, and Connecticut. The appa- 

 rent increase throughout the country is about two per cent., the great- 

 est appreciation being in the new Stat^s receiving large accessions to 

 their agricultural population, as 20 per cent, in Nebraska, 18 in Kansas, 

 10 in Iowa and Minnesota, 6 in Missouri and Arkansas, 5 in Wisconsin. 

 Greater prominence is beginning to be given to the dairy interests in 

 the South, the mountainous districts of which are admirably adapted, by 

 reason of their mildness and equability of temperature, nutritious and 

 abundant grasses, and cool springs, to the making of butter and cheese. 



The failure of the hay crop in the Eastern States has caused a further 

 redaction in the numbers of " oxen and other cattle," and a decrease is also 

 reported in other States as follows : New York, 1 per cent. ; Pennsylva- 

 nia, 5 ; Georgia, 2 ; Florida, 4 ; Texas, 3 ; California, 5. Most of the 

 Western States indicate more or less increase — Michigan, 2 per cent. ; 

 Illinois, 1 ; Wisconsin, 8 ; Minnesota, 10 ; Iowa, 7 ; Missouri, 5 ; Kan- 

 sas, 15 ; Nebraska, 20 ; Oregon, 7. The aggregate increase is little 

 more than one per cent. 



The advance in the price of wool will stimulate the enlargement of 

 flocks from the lambs dropped the present spring, but the stagnation in 

 wool-growing of several years past was not removed in season to affect 

 the number kept over the present winter. The States reporting a slight 

 advance are Vermont, 6 i)er cent. ; Texas, 9 per cent. ; Arkansas, Mich- 

 igan, Wisconsin, Kansas, Nebraska, (25 per cent.) ; California and Ore- 

 gon, (16 per cent.) There has been an increase in- the Territories, of 

 which reports have not been very full. 



Eelative to swine, the numbers of last year have not been sustained 

 in any of the Eastern States, in Maryland, Louisiana, and California. 

 The Southern States appear to be giving more attention to the produc- 

 tion of pork, and a marked increase of numbers is manifest in the West- 

 ern States, those making the greatest advance being Nebraska, 35 per 

 cent. ; Kansas, 25 ; Iowa, IC ; Missouri, 15 ; Illinois, 7 ; Indiana and 

 Kentucky, G per cent. 



PRICES. 



The prices of farm-stock are still lower than in February, 1871, for all 

 kinds excepting sheep, which have appreciated materially in value. 

 While neat-stock will average lower rates, the decline is neither uniform 

 nor universal ; a demand for horned stock in the South, especiallj" milch 

 cows, having stiffened current i^rices in some localities, which are yet 

 low compared with the better rates for improved northern cattle. 



The decline in horses is quite general. In Texas a small advance is 



