178 



EEPOET OF THE COmvIISSIONER OP AGRICULTUKE. 



PORK PAOKII^G. 



The following: statistics have been compiled from the annual report ot 

 the Cincinnati Price Current. The "i)acking year" consists of a " sum- 

 mer season," from March 1 to November 1, and a "winter season," from 

 November 1 to March 1. The importance of the summer season for 

 operations in pork is increasing, and with, the abundant supply of ice 

 during the summer of 1879, there was a large increase in number packed 

 during the summer as compared with the number in the year i)revious. 

 The great pork-producing region of our country is in 



THE WEST. 



SuMiviER PACKiNGr. — The summer-packlng season of 1879 opened with 

 a fair supply, and at prices uot much changed from the year previous. 

 The numbers packed, weight per head, and the yield of lard during the 

 last four summer seasons were as follows : 



Season. 



1876 



1877 

 1878 

 1879 



Numljera. 



2, 357, 866 



2, 543, 120 



3, 378, 044 

 4, 051, 240 



Aggregate 

 net weight. 



Pounds. 

 424, 879, 300 

 484, 553, 471 

 C31, 807, 730 

 743, 525, 500 



Average 

 net weight 

 per head. 



Pounds. 

 184. 10 

 190. 57 

 187. 03 

 183. 53 



Aggregate 

 yield of lard. 



Pounds. 

 70, 040, 980 

 85, 3S4, 17G 

 113, 949, 500 

 129, 580, 672 



Average 



yield of lard 



per head. 



Pounds. 

 30.35 

 33.56 

 33.73 

 31.98 



The numbers packed at the six leading cities, Chicago, Cincinnati, 

 Saint Louis, Milwaukee, Louisville, and Indianapolis, together with 

 other prominent points, during the last three years, were as follows : 



Packing points. 



Chicago.. 



Cinciunati 



Saint Louis 



Milwaukee 



LoutBvUle.. 



Indianapolis 



Total for the six cities 



Cleveland, Ohio 



Cedar Rapids, Iowa 



Kansas City, Mo 



Des Moines, Iowa 



Detroit, Mich 



Other points 



Grand total 



1876. 



1, 31.5, 402 



121, 173 



131,158 



CO, 827 



9, 500 



283, 621 



1, 921, 681 

 187, .^92 

 105, 580 

 66, 754 

 28, 609 

 24, 000 

 23,850 



2, 357, 866 



1877. 



1, 508, 026 



134, 416 



148, 277 



54, 785 



19, 800 



204, 264 



2, 009, 5G8 

 146, 048 

 110, 130 

 77, 821 

 34, .503 

 34, 028 

 71, 022 



2, 543, 120 



1878. 



2,017,841 

 154, 517 

 142, 000 

 107, 053 

 25, 000 

 312, 224 



2, 758, 635 

 220, 385 

 195, 200 

 99, 517 

 12, 027 

 30, 302 

 52, 978 



3, 378, 044 



1879. 



2, 155, 418 



149, 934 



350, 000 



67, 537 



25, 000 



. 243,500 



, 991, 389 

 319, 865 

 141, 685 

 145, 638 

 49, 800 

 61, 675 

 341, 196 



4, 051, 248 



Winter packing. — The record of number of hogs packed in the 

 West during the winter season of 1879-'S0 shows a total of 6,950,451, 

 against 7,480,048 in 1878-'9, the decrease in head being 530,197, and at 

 same weight as 187S-'9, the decrease is equal to 004,453 hogs, or 9 per 

 cent. At the six large cities there was a decrease of 720,508 hogs, and 

 at all other or interior places an increase of 190,311, compared with the 

 preceding year. The gains and losses by States are shown in an accom- 

 panying "table. The aggregate number packed for twelve months end- 

 ing March 1, 1880, is 11,001,099, which exceeds the previous year 143,007. 



