EEPORT OF THE STATISTICIAN. 



217 



prices induced an enlargement of manufacturing enterprise, and its in- 

 creased consumption reacted upon prices, which had greatly stiffened up 

 at the approach of July. This continued to the close of the year, the 

 advance in fleece-washed wool being 7 ® 8 cents over spring prices. 

 Tubwaslied and unwashed manufacturing did not present so marked an 

 advance. The demand has steadily been for better grades of wool, and 

 the range between high and low grades was broader than usual. The 

 whole trade had an improved tone, an increased inquiry for wool and 

 more liberal purchases. The general impression was that the wool 

 market had passed the dead-point of depression, and that the business 

 was gaining a lirmer footing than for many years. The receipts of the 

 year were i4,24'2 bales, against 14,6G8 the previous year ; shipments 

 11,870 bales, against 14,200. The large decline in the shipments indi- 

 cates an increased amount taken for local manufacture. 



Stoine. — The receipts of live and dressed hogs during the last com- 

 mercial year amounted to about 880,000, against 020,889 the previous year.; 

 shipments 185,206, against 149,464. Of the receipts, 672,055 were weighed 

 at the stock-yards, and their aggregate weight was 169,350,795 pounds, 

 averaging 252 pounds per head. The number weighed in 1874-'75 was 

 705,637, weighing in the aggregate 180,042,495 pounds, and averaging 

 255 pounds per head. During the last two commercial years the largest 

 average weight was in January and the smallest in April. 



The number of hogs packed during the last sis winter-packing seasons, 

 with their average weight and yield of iard per head, were as follows : 



During the year business was very unsatisfactory to all concerned. 

 During the winter packing season hogs commanded prices which oper- 

 ators considered as incompatible with profitable investment, aijd hence 

 some remained out of the market Jinring the whole season. Prices in 

 September and October ranged from $7 to $8.50 per cental, but fell 

 slightly at the opening of the winter packing season. Fair to good hogs 

 were then quotable at $7.10 ® 87.30 per cental gross, which exceeded 

 the average of the preceding winter. Prices advanced, with occasional 

 hesitation, till nearly the end of the season, closing at $7.40 ® $7.90, 

 which were considerably below the highest figures reached. The aver- 

 age of the prices during the year was $7.27.53 against $5.99.17 the pre- 

 vious year. 



During the summer packing season of 1875, embracing part of the last 

 commercial year, the Cincinnati operators packed 118,783 hogs, with a 

 total weight of 27,931,258 pounds, and averaging, 235.14 pounds per 

 head. In 1874, there were summer packed 130,153 hogs, with an aggre- 

 gate gross weight of 31,026,076 pounds, and an average gross weight per 

 head of 232.28. 



