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284 



THE ILLINOIS FARMER. 



The Hog Market. 



'•M We understand that Mr, James L. Lamb of 

 this city, began cutting pork for packing on 

 the 23d Not. He has about 1,200 head now 

 m his pens, and is offering $3 gross for good 

 hogs. There were a good many drovers in the 

 city last week, and there seems to be a disposi- 

 tion among many of them to sell provided they 

 can realize $4 net. We are glad to learn 

 that sales will be made in this region 

 almost exclusively for cash. We subjoin 

 info'rmation from other points as far as heard 

 from. The St. Louis News of Nov. 18th says : 



Pork packers are ready to buy hogs, but sell- 

 ers are slow in coming in. Smalllots are beini,^ 

 slaughtered on the Illinois, and a few lots of 

 mess pork and lard have been sent in. Tho 

 pork commands §12 50, and prime lard is held 

 at about lie. 



At Cincinnati, yesterday, hogs were selling 

 at $5 75 to fill contracts, and mess pork at 

 §14 50. The regular market has not yet open- 

 ed. Farmers, says the Commercial, are care- 

 less about settling early, and packers are about 

 as indifferent about buying. The Gazette says 

 there promises to be an abundant supply of 

 facilities for moving the produce, and what is 

 equally as desirable — a satisfactory market fur 

 wheat, flour, corn, pork, &c. 



At New Harmony, a thousand hogs were 

 slaughtered last week, costing five dollars on 

 early contract. At Indianapolis, §4 is the high- 

 est offer. 



The Chicago Tribune of the 18th says : 



Prospects are fair for an active hog trade 

 during the winter, and buyers and packers will 

 be plenty, if rates are reasonable, say ^4 gross 

 for good hogs. 



The Chicago Democrat of tho 17th says : 



T'le market was rather more active on yes- 

 terday than on the preceding Sunday, and heavy 

 hogs sold at better prices. No hogs were sold 

 to our city packers, and they are slaughtering 

 none unless they are already contracted for. A 

 few Eastern buyers were on the market and 

 made some purchases, but they have now aban- 

 doned the market, for the reason that they can- 

 not pay the prices now ruling here, and the 

 additional expense of $2 per cwt. in getting the 

 stock to New York, and have a profit. The}', 

 we believe, universally avow their intention of 

 keeping out of this market until the present 

 exhorbitant railroad tariff is reduced. Sales on 

 yesterday at Myrick's include 450 head at 

 $4 10@$4 12J; 88 head, verv choice, averaging 

 331 ft)s, at $4 40; 150 head, averaging 245 ib^, 

 at $4 25; at the new yards on State street 150 

 head, averaging 280 libs, sold at §4 15; all of 

 these were for the New York market. Receipts 

 for the week were 12,180 and for Saturday 

 3,100. 



The Louisville Journal of the 17th, has the 

 following : 

 We are on the eve of the pork packing season, 



and very likely killing will be commenced to- 

 day. There are, however, only about 1,500 hogs 

 in pens, thus far, but if the weather continues 

 favorable, they will commence coming in fast. 

 Buyers are generally offering $3 50 on time, 

 gross. There are, however some who have 

 contracts to fill, and they wonld probably give 

 $5 cash. The purchasers of late have been 

 principally persons in the country. Prices are 

 unsettled at present, and they may advance or 

 decline. Our packers have supplied themselves 

 for doing a large business, and those who desire 

 to pack on their own account, will find this as 

 cheap a point as any other, while as a market 

 our facilities are equally good. 



The Cincinnati Gazette of the 17th, says : 

 The receipts are on the increase, but they are 

 comprised mostly of contract hogs. The offer- 

 ings are therefore light, and thus operated in 

 favor of parties having droves for sale. A lot 

 of 550 head sold late on Saturday evening at 

 S5 75 per 100 lbs net. and there were buyers 

 to-day at the same figure. The general feeling 

 is better than last week, and good hogs may be 

 quoted steady at §5 50@S5 75. 



There is nothing doing in Alton. The Chi- 

 cago Democrat of the 19th says : 



The markot for live hogs is moderately 

 active, but prices are without quotable change. 

 Many of our dealers have Eastern orders for 

 mess pork, and are busy supplying them, but 

 are barely operating on their own account. 

 Receipts are falling off and are hardly equal to 

 the demand, only 120 head arrived yesterdiiy, 

 and but a few car loads to-day, and those found 

 a quick market at the following rates : 250 head 

 choice at S4 20; 150 head averaging 300 lbs at 

 S4 12!^ ; 23 car loads, averaging 277 lbs at 

 §4 10." 



The Chicago Times of the 20th, remarks: 

 There are a good many orders here for both 

 pork and hogts, from the East, and our pork 

 packers are making preparations for extensive 

 operations. Prices of live hogs are -a little 

 higher to-day, t^ay §4@,$4 20 per 100 lbs. Mess 

 beef is being shipped in large lots daily, and 

 the market here will soon be bare. 



A sale of 150 head, averaging about 205 lbs., 

 was made in St. Louis on the 20th, at $4 50 "p 

 hundred. 



At Cincinnati, and some other points, con- 

 siderable ci-tting has been done in fulfillment 

 of early contracts, but the result has proved 

 unprofitable. The following statement from 

 the C ncinnati Gazette, exhibits minutely the 

 deficiency pocketed by an early contractor on 

 one small purchase : 



Ouu of our leading packers having just closed 

 out the products of a lot of three hundred hogs, 

 packed on commission, we have obtained the 

 iollowiug statement, showing the result of the 

 operation. The hogs were contracted for last 

 sutnmer at $6 50 'p 100 lbs net, and were de- 

 livered au.d cut on Monday. Full prices were 



