210 



REPORT OP THE COMMISSIONER OF AGRICULTURE. 



allayed by the developments of the year. What is called the "carrying 

 process" is still operative to a serious extent. This process consists in 

 selling to obtain money to pay for previous purchases. TLie solid sub- 

 stantial men of the market are demanding an abatement of this nuisance. 

 The abuses of the credit system have been felt in this market, consider- 

 ably affecting the normal relations of the trade. It is hoped that in the 

 regular development of business these abuses will disappear. By means 

 of refrige rating-steamers transporting slaughtered animals, a large in- 

 crease of the export trade has been secured, thus enlarging the demand 

 for live stock at this point. The receipts of all classes of animals during 

 1876 shows increase, except milch-cows and swine. The steady expan- 

 sion of the trade within ten years, and especially since the close of the 

 civil war, still continues to be one of its marked features. 



The receiifts of different kinds of farni-animals for the past nine years 

 are shown in the following table : 



Animals. 



Beeves 293, 101 



Cows 5,3s: 



Calves P2,'J3; 



Sheep 1,400,«2:J 



Swino 976,511 



1868. 



1869. 



325, 761 

 4,83C 



93, ue-1 



1, 479, 563 

 901, 308 



356, 026 



5, 050 



116. 457 



1, 403, 878 



380, 934 



4, 6-16 



121, 937 



1,331,075 



899, 625 1, 3;:4, 492 



425, 275 



5,089 



11.5, 130 



1, 179, 51^ 



1873. 



442, 744 



4,701 



116,015 



1,206,715 



1, 922, 7771, 9«5, 3S9 



454, 033 453, 060 



3, 676 .5, 034 



104,719 117, .5e0 



1,165, 353)1, 228, 530 



1, 774, 228il, 388, 541 



I 



1876. 



477, 276 

 3,967 



125, 594 

 I, 247, 820 

 1, 282, 171 



Cattle. — The receipts of 1876 show an increase of 24,216, but this does 

 not fully indicate the increased beef consumption, as the receipts of 

 dressed beef from the West have also greatly enlarged. An important 

 export trade in dressed beef, which was inaugurated during 1875, has 

 grown to unexpected ])roportions. Eefrigerating-steamers have been 

 litted up, and toward the close of tbe year averaged 1,000 carcasses per 

 week from New York and lialf as many from I'Liladelphia. The total 

 number shipped trom New York dui*iiig the year v/as 22,500, the weekly 

 average at tlie beginning of the year being much smaller than at its 

 close. If this number bud been tlirowMi on tbe home-consumption market, 

 it would have created great llisturbance, by increasing the supplies 

 beyond tbe utmost limits of the demand. The average price of beeves 

 of all grades during tbe year was 5>0.05per cental, or $1.25 less than the 

 average of 1875. Trices reached their maximum in January, but declined 

 gradually till May, when a reaction began, but it was again followed by 

 depression. The arrival of holiday stock at tbe close of the year caused 

 a steady enhancement. The January range of prices was 87.50 to .$13.50 

 per cental, and tbe average $10.70 ; February range, $7.50 to $13.50, 

 average 8 1 0.25 ; Majch range, $8.25 to 8 13, average $10.25 ; April range 

 $8.25 to $13, average $0.91; May range, $7.50 to $12, average $0.95; 

 June range, $7 to $tl, average $9.50; July range, $7.50 to $11, aver- 

 age $9.00; August range, $6.25 to $10.50, average $9.11; September 

 range, $0.50 to $11.25, average $9.43; October range, $6.75 to $11, 

 average $8,96; November range, $6.75 to $11, average $9.51 ; Decem- 

 ber range, $7 to $12.50, average $9.55. Milch-cows iell off" 1.067 from tbe 

 number marketed during the previous year. The shii)ment of milk from 

 the interior, either fresh or artiticially condensed, is superseding tbe use 

 of cows in the city, which, in too many cases, are fed upon distillery 

 slo])s, and ])roduce an unhealthy and even poisonous milk. This branch 

 of tbe cattle trade has been for some years declining. Prices have a 

 comparatively narrow range. (3alves were marketed in large numbers, 

 the increase over tbe preceding year being 8,014. Tbe figures in the 

 above table show only the live calves sent to tbis market, A large 

 number of dressed carcasses are also imported, adding very materially to 



