-17-- 
collected and are given in the following tables. A word of explana¬ 
tion is needed in regard to the meaning of the figures. They repre¬ 
sent the “ top of the market ” through the season. Colorado sheep 
bring the highest prices and each man feeds with the expectation of 
getting the best prices. The column marked “ high,” means the 
highest price at which the best sheep sold during the period, while 
“low” means the lowest price at which the best sheep sold. 
“Average” is the average of the prices for the best sheep. No 
attempt has been made to ascertain the average prices of the averaoe 
sheep or the prices at which low-grade sheep sell. There are always 
poor sheep for sale that will scarcely bring a cent and a half a pound. 
It will be noticed that “choice sheep,” mostly made up of fat wethers 
from two to five years old, sell for fifty cents "to a dollar a hundred 
pounds less than lambs. This relation at the present time is quite 
constant. A few years ago when the export trade was better, there 
were times when a large fat sheep for export would brino- more 
per pound than a fat lamb. The prices for fat ewes are not given in 
the tables, but they will average from fifty to seventy-five cents less 
than the corresponding prices for choice wethers. 
Prices are given only from November to June. The trade previous 
to November is supplied by grass-fed sheep off the range. June first 
is the top of the market for the year for grain-fed sheep; but by this 
time the pastures of the south are already supplying many thous¬ 
and grass-fed “ Texans,” and the market is unsettled and very uncer¬ 
tain. Prices drop rapidly after the first of June to the summer basis. 
Chicago Prices per Hundred Pounds for the Best Grades of 
Sheep. 
1891. 
High. 
Lambs. 
Low. 
Average. 
High. 
Sheep. 
Low. 
Average.. 
November 1-15 . 
. 5.25. 
... 5.00. 
... 5.20... 
.4.70. 
... 4.60. 
.. .4.67 
November 16-30. 
.5.40. 
.. .5.25. 
.. . 5.31... 
.4.80. 
... 4.o0 . 
... 4.65’ 
December 1-15. . 
.5.50. 
.. .5.00. 
.. .5.25. .. 
. 4.85. 
...4.50. 
.. .4.74 
December 16-31. 
.6.39. 
... 5.50. 
... o. 8 8 ... 
. 5.50. 
...4.85. 
... 4.97 
Jan. 1-15, 1892 . 
.6.50. 
... 5.50. 
... 6.00... 
. 5.65. 
.. .4.95. 
... 5.30 
January 16-31. . 
.6.75. 
...5.80. 
...6.27... 
.5.70. 
...5.10. 
.. . 5.40 
February 1-15 . .. 
. 6.85. 
... 6.05 . 
... 6.42 . .. 
.5.75. 
... 5.20. 
...5.46, 
February 16-29. . 
. 6.80. 
... 6.25 . 
.. . 6.51... 
.5.62. 
...5.10. 
...5.43- 
March 1-15. 
.7.00. 
... 6.50. 
...6.77... 
. 5.90. 
• • • O • O O • 
... 5.70’ 
March 16-31 
.7.00. 
... 6.65 . 
... 6.85 ... 
. 6.35. 
...5.75. 
.... 6.09> 
April 1-15. 
. 6.95. 
... 6.25 . 
.. . 6.64... 
. 6.50. 
.. . 5.85 . 
...6.20 
April 16-30. 
.7.05. 
... 6.80. 
... 6.96... 
.6.75. 
... 6.45 . 
.... 6.62: 
May 1-15. 
. 7.00. 
.. .6.50. 
.. . 6.85 . .. 
.6.20. 
... 6.00. 
.. .6.12: 
May 16-31...... 
.8.25. 
... 6.60. 
... 7.48 ... 
. 6.90. 
... 6.25. 
... 6.61 
