36 



Farm Animals in the United States. 



7s. 1 ijd. in 1886, and rose to 1 is. id. In 1893. In the next two 

 years the value had fallen by 4s. 6d., or 40 per cent., and the 

 6s. yd. per head reached in 1895 represents the lowest point 

 touched. Since 1897, however, an almost equally rapid rise 

 has to be recorded, and the value at the commencement of 

 the current year (1 is. 5 Jd.) is the highest of the twenty years. 

 It is somewhat curious that this rapid rise accompanies a 

 slight increase in numbers. These numerous changes in the 

 value per head have subjected the total value of the flocks of 

 the United States to considerable variations ; the maximum 

 and minimum of the whole period occur at intervals of only 

 three years, viz., £26,231,000 in 1893, and £13,577,000, or 

 little more than half, in 1896. In 1899 the total value was 

 £22,437,000. 



Swine, in number, pursue a more regular course ; from 34 

 millions in 1880 they rose to 52,398,000111 1892, only to fall 

 again to 38,652,000 in 1899. Neither rise nor fall were,, 

 however, uniform, and in some years changes of many million 

 head were shown in the twelve months ; for instance, an increase 

 of nearly eight millions is recorded between 1881 and 1882, 

 and nearly six millions between 1888 and 1889, while tfie 

 number in 1893 was over six millions less than in the preced- 

 ing- year. The fluctuations in the valife do not exhibit much 

 regularity ; it can only be said that the highest estimate w T as 

 28s. i|d. per head in 1883, and the lowest 17s. id. in 1897. 

 The wealth of the United States in swine w T as greatest, during^ 

 the past twenty years, in 1893 (£61,547,000) and in 1883 

 (£60,823,000), and least in 1880 (£30,371,000), when it was 

 just half what it was three years later, an increase of over 

 nine millions in number during that short period having been 

 accompanied by a rise of 10s. 4d. per head. The next lowest 

 total occurred in 1S97 (£34,640,000), and in 1899 it was 

 £$ 5>44°>ooo. 



The variations in the number of horses and mules have 

 been very similar. Horses reached their maximum (16,207,000) 

 in 1893, and have since fallen to 13,665,000; while the 

 greatest number of mules was noted in 1894 (2,352,000). 

 Values have pursued a different course. The decline in the 

 case of these animals occurred almost entirely in the two 



