58 



DOMESTIC AXniALS. 



[CriAi-. I. 



Estimated average price of beef cattle per net pound each year, 1854-03 : 

 1854, 9 cents full; 1855, 10 cents; 1S5G, QJ- cents nearly; 1857, lO.i cents 

 nearly; 1S5S, Si cents nearly; lS5i), t) Cents; ISCO, S cents full; 18(31, 7^ 

 cents ; 1862, 7| cents ; 18C3, 9i cents. Up to March, 18C4, prices have ranged 

 from 9 to IG cents a ])Ound net, wiiieli was liiglier than before since 1857. 



I)uring 1803, the livc-wuiglit price of corn-fed hogs ranged from 4 to 7 

 cents per pound. la February, 1804, it reached 8i and 9 cents per pound, 

 wliich was the highest i)rice for Western stock ever attained. 



Tiiat all who read this page may see what an immense interest is involved 

 in the live-stock trade of tiio country with New York city, we add the fol- 

 lowing calculation of number of pounds of meat and estimated value: 



lilNSUMrTlO.N OF TEX YK.Ul.S — 185-1-18G3. 



Beeves— 2,100.518 head av. 700 llw. net. ..1,50.5.302,000 lbs. at 9 cents per lb. net.. $135,482,034 



Calve.s— 418,7U head av. 75 lbs. net 31,408,050 ■• at 10 cents per lb. net. . 3,140,805 



Sheepandlambs— 4.t»38,108heailav.4211.s. 207,300,530 " at 10 cents per 11>. net. . 20,730,053 



ywUie—6,2.s'J,03'J head av. 125 lbs 001,204,800 '• at cents per lb. uet. . 3'J,072,2>-8 



Total 2,400,305,080 lbs $190.034,7^O 



Average per annum for tlie ten years 240,530, .50(1 " 10,003, 178 



Farmers, look at these figures. They teach you an important lesson ; one 

 wc'i worthy of being jilaecd upon this permanent record, to remind you and 

 your children of the great importance of tlie live-stock interest of tlie country. 

 You see by ihe tables the rapid increase of the trade, and the enormous sum 

 that it amounts to in ten years. Lest you should be confused liy tlie sum in 

 numerical figures, let us repeat it in words. Two billions four hundred and 

 five millions three hundred and sixty-five thousand nine hundred and 

 eighty-si.\ pounds of meat, amounting to one hundred and ninety-nine 

 millions thirty-four thousand seven hundred and eighty dollars. Tiiis is 

 the sum that New York'city has disbursed to the farming intci'est for Ten ■ 

 years' supply of meat, derived from the slaughter of twelve millions seven 

 hundred and ninety-seven thousand and thirty-nine animals. 



Tiiese statistics enable us to realize the vast resources of America. The 

 country is now feeding a million of men in the army, fighting for freedom, 

 full rations of meat, and sending nearly two millions a year of animals to 

 the city shambles of Kew York, for whicb the city is sending back to the 

 country twenty millions of dollars. 



This is the greatest meat-eating country in the world ; it produces all that 

 it consumes and a great surplus to send abroad. 



74. Cattle Transportation. — Kearly all the stock sold in the New York 

 market is transported upon railway cars. "VYe assume that the beeves for 

 ten years' supply have jiaid a tariff of $10 a head average to railroads, 

 making the sum of $21,505,180; calves at fifty cents a head, $209,387; 

 sheep at seventy-five cents, $3,703,081; hogs at $1 25 each, $6,612,048. 

 Total $32,03(1,290, as the estimated amount paid for the transportation of 

 animals butchered in New York for ten years. 



Improvement is needed in transportation. Animals are forced to stand 

 without food or water two or three days, or as long as their tired legs will 



