REPORT OP THE STATISTICIAN. 



403 



Tlie total numbers of farm animals, compared with the figures of 

 February, 1886, are as follows: 



stock. 



1886. 



1887. 



Increase or 

 decrease. 



Horses 



Mules 



Milch cows 



Oxen and other cattle 



Sheep 



Swine 



12,077,057 

 2, 052, 593 

 14, 235, 888 

 31,275,242 

 48,322,3;31 

 415,092,043 



12,496,744 

 2,117,141 

 14,522,083 

 33,611,750 

 44,759,314 

 44,612,8313 



+ 419,087 

 + 64,548 

 + 286, 695 

 +2,236,508 

 -3,563,017 

 -1,479,207 



VALUES. 



The decline in values noticed in two preceding reports has not been 

 active. It is most manifest in cattle, which have increased in num- 

 bers. As to horses, sheep, and swine, average values have slightly 

 increased during the year. It is to be hoped that the depression in 

 agricultural values has reached its lowest ebb. The averages are as 

 follows: 



stock. 



Horses 



Mules 



Milch cows 



Oxen and other cattle 



Sheep 



Swine 



Increase or 

 decrease. 



+S0 88 



- 69 



- 1 32 



- 1 88 

 + 10 

 + 23 



The course of prices of the last ten years is thus shown as indi- 

 cated by the average price of all animals of each species on the 1st 

 of January: 



Years. 



1878 

 1879 

 1880 

 1881 

 1882 

 1883 

 1884 

 1885 

 1886 

 1887 



Horses. 



52 

 51 

 58 

 58 

 70 

 74 

 73 

 71 



Mules. 



Cows. 



$63 70 

 56 06 

 61 26 

 69 79 

 71 35 

 79 40 

 84 22 

 82 .38 

 79 CO 

 78 91 



$26 41 

 21 73 

 23 27 



28 95 



25 89 

 .30 21 

 31 37 



29 70 

 27' 40 



26 08 



Other 

 cattle. 



$17 14 

 15 .39 

 10 10 

 17 .33 

 19 89 

 21 80 

 23 52 

 23 25 

 21 17 

 19 79 



Sheep. 



$2 25 

 2 07 

 2 21 

 2 39 

 2 37 

 2 53 

 2 .37 

 2 14 



1 91 



2 01 



Swhie. 



$4 98 



3 18 



4 28 



4 70 



5 98 



6 75 

 5 57 

 5 02 

 4 25 

 4 48 



The year 1879 was the date of lowest prices recorded since the 

 collection of these statistics. The decline from 1873 to 1879 was 

 almost continuously progressive and very heavy. A sharp rise fol- 

 lowed, culminating in 1884. Sheep were highest in 1883, commencing 

 a decline, due to large importation of foreign wool, a year before the 

 retrograde movement in other values commenced. Hogs were also 

 highest in 1883, on account of the i:)Oor corn harvest of that year. 

 Hpgs always sympathize with corn in price movements, fluctuating 

 with good and bad harvests, aside from the tendency of prices from 

 other causes. 



