90 



AGRICULTURAL REPORT. 



LIVE-STOCK MAEKBT. 



NEW YOKK. 



The live-stock trade of New York, during 1872, was not in any way 

 more satisfactory than daring 1871. Considerable losses were entailed 

 upon contractors, who seem to have calculated with great confidenco 

 upon an enhancement of prices, which, on the contrary, materially 

 declined. The average price of cattle during the year was' ll^^r cents 

 per pound against 12 cents in 1871, and 14 J cents in war times. The 

 averages have been remarkably uniform during the year, yet exhibiting 

 a wide range : poor Texans, for example, selling at one-half the rates of 

 fine " natives." The hog-trade was especially discouraging to dealers, 

 l^ricGS ruling low. 



The arrivals of far.n-animals during the live years just closed were as 

 follows : 



A considerable increase is noted in the number of beeves and cows, and 

 a very large increase in hogs, while calves and sheep exhibit a marked 

 decline. The weekly receipts of farm-animals average as follows: 

 Beeves, 7,187; cows, 88; calves, 3,301; sheep, 25,132; hogs, 25,179; 

 total, 70,149. 



Of the above aggregates of cattle Illinois furnished 241,8G4 ; Texas, 

 59,920; Kentucky, 35,996; Ohio, 34,550; Missouri, 19,083; Indiana, 

 12,387; New York, 12,010; Virginia, 4,752; [owa, 1,302; Michigan, 

 1,270 ; Canada, 780 ; Pennsylvania, 501 ; New Jersey, 210 ; Tennessee, 

 192; Kansas, 144; Colorado, GO; Connecticut, 40; Delaware, 30. Texas, 

 ^hicli last year Avas fourth on the list, now ranks second. Undoubt- 

 edly the very large aggregate of Illinois partly represents contributions 

 from neighboring States marketing their cattle at Chicago. The heavy 

 decline in sheep is due to the revival of the wool business. A lack of 

 good mutton-sheep is especially noted in the New York market, where 

 the best animals for the table were obtained from Canada. The prices 

 of sheep v,'ere lower than in 1871. 



The average prices per pound of live stock at the close of the first 

 week of each month of 1872 were as follows : 



