Marketing and Markets 379 



rather sparingly during the summer and to depend largely 

 on the cheaper new corn for most of the gains. As shown 

 in Fig. 11, page 215, the price of corn is highest in August 

 and September and lowest in December, January, and 

 February. In addition to the effect of cheap corn, the 

 use of pigs for hogging-down corn and for following cattle 

 during the winter tend to retard the marketing of the 

 previous spring crop. 



The supply from January to April rapidly and quite 

 regularly diminishes under normal conditions. This is 

 the natural result of the heavy liquidations taking place 

 in the preceding months. The low run during April is 

 the logical consequence of the effort to reduce stock be- 

 fore the assessor arrives, the readjustments required on 

 rented farms at moving time, and the desire to sell all 

 marketable stock before the rush of spring work com- 

 mences. 



Fall pigs are normally ready for market in May and 

 June and hence the rise in the supply during these months. 

 This is the time also when the culls from the breeding 

 herd begin to arrive following a brief period of fattening. 

 The risk of loss from shipping in hot weather and the in- 

 creasing scarcity and price of corn are also important 

 factors resulting in a larger supply during the early summer 

 and a consequent diminishing supply from June to Septem- 

 ber. 



A study of the individual supply curves shows few varia- 

 tions from the average. Such differences which are to be 

 noted are usually the result of special conditions or influ- 

 ences which tend to effect a change of plan from the regu- 

 lar time of marketing. The following are some of the more 

 common of these influences : a partial failure of the corn 

 crop over a considerable area of the corn-belt ; the present 



