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(ger Say er Pb ” ; : : > Gs Ae, i a 9 Se ath te t o Y 1G POO PE ON a 9 as cat aig sts BO bey Seg Digitized by the Internet Archive in 2010 with funding from University of Toronto http ://www.archive.org/details/yearbookofagricu1909unit YEARBOOK OF THI UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. ~ RS p= == (e — =. il hf WASHINGTON: GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE. 1910. [CHAPTER 23, Stat. at L., 1895.] [AN ACT Providing for the public printing and binding and the distribution of public documents. ] ” * » * 7 * * Section 73, paragraph 2: The Annual Report of the Secretary of Agriculture shall hereafter be submitted and printed in two parts, as follows: Part One, which shall contain purely busi- ness and executive matter which it is necessary for the Secretary to submit to the President and Congress; Part Two, which shall contain such reports from the different Bureaus and Divisions, and such papers prepared by their special agents, accompanied by suitable illustrations, as shall, in the opinion of the Sec- _retary, be specially suited to interest and instruct the farmers of the country, and to include a general report of the operations of the Department for their information. There shall be printed of Part One, one thousand copies for the Senate, two thousand copies for the House, and three thousand copies for the Department of Agriculture; and of Part Two, one hundred and ten thousand copies for the use of the Senate, three hundred and sixty thousand copies for the use of the House of Representatives, and thirty thousand copies for the use of the Department of Agriculture, the illustrations for the same to be executed under the supervision of the Public Printer, in accordance with directions of the Joint Committee on Printing, said illustrations to be subject to the approval of the Secretary of Agriculture; and the title of each of the said parts shall be such as to show that such part is complete in itself. : > Z| PREFACE. The present volume is the sixteenth Yearbook of the Department of Agriculture. It does not differ materially from the preceding ones except in the number of pages it contains, this volume being shorter by 166 pages than that for 1908. This reduction in size was not accomplished without considerable difficulty, since it involved the exclusion of some valuable papers and the elimination of some inter- esting features of the Appendix. The reasons for reducing the size were: (1) To secure a less bulky book, which can be handled and transmitted through the mails more conveniently ; (2) a smaller vol- ume can be more securely bound and therefore presents a better appearance; (3) to insure publication at an early date, it being the expectation and earnest desire of the Secretary that this Yearbook be issued and made available for distribution on or before May 1 instead of in July or August, as heretofore; and (4) the urgent neces- sity for economy in expenditures from the printing fund. The decrease in size has been effected not only by including fewer articles but by condensing them, and by eliminating the less impor- tant features of the Appendix, which this year occupies but 202 pages. The statistics of production, values, exports, and imports of agricul- tural products are given with even greater fullness than usual. The tables showing domestic production of crops and farm animals by States have been improved by grouping the States in conformity with the methods of the Federal Census. In the tables for world’s produc- tion of wheat, corn, oats, rye, barley, and flaxseed, this year for the first time acreages are given as well as yields. Two special tables are presented which are of great value and represent a large amount of research—‘‘ Rice crops of the United States, 1712-1909,” and ‘‘ Hop crops of the United States, 1790-1909.’ The tables of transportation rates are fuller than usual. There is one new table showing ocean freight rates on grain and cotton from several leading ports of the United States to Europe, and another showing average receipts per ton per mile for freight transportation on the railroads of the United States, divided into ten groups. The preparation of the statistical tables is a work of considerable magnitude. Most of the reports upon which they are based can not be received until after the close of the year; then the figures have to be carefuliy tabulated, and the accuracy of the work must be verified by mathematical tests and by comparing the figures with 3 + YEARBOOK OF THE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. the originals. Such work requires considerable time. This year the statistical matter was prepared with more expedition and furnished for publication earlier than ever before, a fact which has contributed largely to the early issue of the Yearbook. The directory of officials of various agricultural and kindred associations has been omitted because it was impossible to allot sufficient space to accommodate all organizations of this class, and because of the delay experienced in securing accurate information in regard to such organizations. The usual review of the weather conditions for the year 1909, greatly condensed, and the lists of officials of agricultural colleges and experiment stations and State officials in charge of agriculture have been retained. In compliance with the law requiring that the Yearbook shall contain a ‘‘general report of the operations of the Department,” the Secretary’s report has been included, and as usual has first place. The twenty-three papers which follow it are all new and here pub- lished for the first time. The list given in the table of contents shows a variety of interesting topics treated by the experts of the Depart- ment. Most of these papers are of permanent value, making the vol- ume well worth preservation. In fact, the series of Yearbooks make up an excellent farm lbrary, and such a library may be found in many farm homes throughout the United States. As a matter of information, it may be stated that it is customary to reprint these papers in separate form for free distribution as a convenient and economical method for making the information in them available for dissemination after the supply of the Yearbook is exhausted. The illustrations in this volume comprise thirty-six text figures and thirty-six full-page plates, eleven of which are colored. It is now very generally known that the Yearbook is distributed principally by Senators, Representatives, and Delegates in Congress, and that the Department’s quota is used to supply its correspond- ents, whose only compensation for the valuable service they render is the publications they receive. It is earnestly hoped by the Secretary that the Yearbook for 1909 may fully sustain the reputation which this annual—the most important publication of the Department—has achieved. Jos. A. ARNOLD, Department Editor. Wasuineton, D. C., April 1, 1910 CONTENTS. Page ee die had bwin oats 6 tase kien og a oss cepWae= ms pAnieeie se © @ 9 The Farmers’ Cooperative Demonstration Work. By S. A. ane oo a Coe 153 Methods and Costs of Marketing. By Frank Andrews.. ob ie fe, BI Conditions Influencing the Production of Sugar-beet Seed i in 1 the United States, es LED US Uti, 40s Sk ele we a Wee a ose swi pevier er erewdt-<- 173 Plants Useful to Attract Birds and Protect Fruit. By W. L. McAtee......... 185 The Problems of an Irrigation Farmer. By Carl §. Scofield.................. 197 Pocket Gophers as Enemies of Trees. By David E. Lantz................... 209 The Functions and Value of Soil Bacteria. By Karl F. Kellerman........... 219 Tuberculosis of Hogs and How to Control It. _ By John R. Mohler and Henry J. OES Bere an ee pia re eh ge Pe Ss 227 Farming as an Occupation for City-bred Men. By W. J. Spillman............ 239 Introduction of the Hungarian Partridge into the United States. By Henry Si) tee Co auuMenrt wikia ood. Wagon. FS. woul ais tite bea yh o- 249 The Future Wheat Supply of the United States. By Mark Alfred Carleton... 259 Vegetable Seed Growing as a Business. By William W. Tracy, sr............ 273 Information in Regard to Fabricated Wire Fences and Hints to Purchasers. SB oS ea ney Is Sea LP aa ee ae ee 285 Methods of Applying Water to Crops. By Samuel Fortier.................... 293 Progress in Methods of Producing Higher Yielding Strains of Corn. By C. P. ean LE NN ntaLG) 28, OMe ae APG ASS SEE ee Hee ties e's 309 Agriculture in the Coal Regions of Southwestern Pennsylvania. By H. J. MM Ouro se sewing, tutes sot Pat... Sau los oe ely 321 The Opportunities in Forest Planting for the Farmer. By Allen S. Peck..... 333 Comforts and Conveniences in the Farmers’ Homes. By W. R. Beattie...... 345 Prevention of Frost Injury to Fruit Crops. By G. B. Brackett............... 357 The Handling of Deciduous Fruits on the Pacific Coast. By A.V.Stubenrauch. 365 Promising New Fruits. By William A. Taylor.........................2... 375 How Farmers May Utilize the Special Warnings of the Weather Bureau. By See ernie Len TRNNNNE Pt bee oy een): EGE Sdtsi SOS orl ol od 387 Injuries to Forest Trees by Flat-headed Borers. By H. E. Burke............. 399 Appendix: Organization of the United States Department of Agriculture ............ 417 Publications of the United States Department of Agriculture and how they NS eae 2 ARES Se Say ee ee ee ey Se 417 Review of Weather Conditions of the Year 1909.......................-.-.. 419 Agricultural Colleges in the United States........................2...-.- 428 Agricultural Experiment Stations of the United States, their Locations and I i otroms Maree Cute lva tio Reins. Mae... cs. ek ces 431 State Officials in Charge of Agriculture....................22....222.0... 432 Statistics of the Principal Crops........................... Eieatecwee en’ 433 Sane ceria es Wee eit red WEN AO) Jah be Sone a's wd b's oan dared 433 UREN SMOG OR A MNO to ha ec cece a wndccveimaeneece ns or 443 Sn RE nh es cw awe seu cig ue s 457 eee ee kn Ped tie Sp a ee oe ae 466 6 YEARBOOK OF THE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE, Appendix—Continued. Statistics of the Principal Crops—Continued., Page. BVO. ences cevevecesecsbeucens ouvahe ds sase scenes suaiiieneen 476 Buck Wheat... os sccces won dvncncepeadanss teehee andes eae eeeeeeee 485 Potatoes... cccvccecee ufbe th Ch eR ave an setae eae 490 FOG osincccwiecccnwacicnn oe ib't'se cee cele Wie a aleieia giute arya 498 Clover and timothy seed «oi... s's bin 0.0 'p 0 a ow i > ae oe 541 Bugar ooo. ssccccecess st nese cess sss cin 70 ye eeeeete een 542 Pet seed nw ce ec cce scenes eee é woe 5 6 elm eg plats = oe eee 547 Coflee 22. is SS SD Te so Sa nme 'n ag Conte pen a teen 547 Oil cake and oil-cake meals’...5.. (00.055. ---- snus neeeenene eee eee 550 Bein O25 SESS SOIC a 5 sitet aor on es Sota oie 551 Turpentine .\..sicscaw'> s'sjs'e's wos sees bos See el oes 2 552 India: rubbef os oocce estas ea cals ss canes +e 5 cee pete ene 553 Be eres cc cet cee ae re anes ee te nae oe 554 Wood: pulps fee oreo is er ees a ae we oy ca 8 555 Farm animals anid them productas<. f,. 2205. SS 2. eee 556 Transportation Patoa!s'. 2.0 SoS U Se inhi see e sas + 0 5t,s say enn 590 Imports and exports of agricultural products.............-.---.--.-------- 597 Distance traveled and area covered in plowing............-..------------ 618 RE far tease so eka ee CORR OS ep ines ba ose vae nas +e eh 4 65 one 619 . Fig. 1—Cornfield on a demonstration farm. . Fig. 1—A fairly good type of seed beet. . Fig. 1—Seed beets, showing method of testing for sugar. . Fig. 1—Teosinte and its hybrids with Indian corn. . Apple orchard equipped with oil heaters i CUM CMM oy Sandi ws bs nes av asievanh oaanneudercacas . Flame Tokay grapes, California . Influence of precooling on peaches ILLUSTRATIONS. PLATES. Old and new methods of breaking land.........................-- Fig. 2—Corn day at PERO: ANA ERP er sere eter is cc SeEe Co eee des Oe Oe tes nese es vee ees . Samples of corn selected by farmers for seed.................-....- . Fig. 1—Members of a boys’ corn club at Tyler, Tex. Fig. 2—How to make a farmer: Boy standing in his demonstration patch of corn. Fig. 2—A common type eg MR ik: Ag Ee GRE SRNR Ae Shh ae 5 ely de yh 9 Fig. 2— A type of seed beet producing a strong central stem............. peo etalke of Sugar bectees25c2ce sis scass eel Mit elses? . Fig. 1—Faces of pocket gophers, showing pouches and incisors. Fig. 2—Root of apple tree gnawed by pocket gopher........... . Apricot tree killed by pocket gopher..................00....00200. . Almond tree killed by root knot or crown gall.................... . Tuberculous hogs infected by feeding after tuberculous cattle... ... . Tuberculosis of hog . Tuberculous hog carcass See RMAN PAFGNGGe.' 5+ ser ases POS JS 8 At . Seed-growing in California and Nebraska......................--- . Séed-growing in Kansas and Pennsylvania....................--.- . Fig. 1—Concrete hydrant for distributing water. ee a ee Fig. 2—Pumping Fig. 3—Clearing brush in California. - . -. Fig. 2—An ear-to-row test plat, showing husking method used................ plant for rice irrigation. . Fig. 1—An ear-to-row plat with corn husked. Fig. 2—Field of corn of U.S. Selection 133 at Oconomowoc, Wis.............-...-.--- ’ Bars of com of U, SiSelection 189/22. 2 AS PI Nee ee . Ear of corn produced by a plant that grew from a kernel of Boone County White Dent that resulted from a pollination with Black Moxacan. pweet-cormm pollen ss. 2.12 Ue PSIOL PP NT . Fig. 1—Interior of a 50-year-old white pine plantation near Bridge- water, Mass. Fig. 2—A 27-year-old European larch plantation, Dundee County, Ill................ Mt POURRA PII FID AY . Fig. 1—A 20-year-old black walnut plantation from seed, Tippe- canoe County, Ind. Fig. 2—A 3-year-old plantation of black locust on irrigated land near Twin Falls, Idaho -—-e eee eee eee ee . Plantation of hardy catalpa, Reno County, Kans................-- . Eucalyptus windbreak to protect a lemon orchard, San Bernardino County, Cal 180 180 180 212 212 212 232 232 232 252 280 280 296 312 312 312 312 336 8 Page. Tents SX. Mother apple oo Kisses verde ae aehaciiee had shade tee nad ices 376 XXXI. Coffman applé ...... iéd'e cn'eae taka iackna <0fe selbvs seus 296 9. Check method of irrigation. 6.1. sidsnm so wats ee dhl ora serps wae 297 10. Basin method of irrigation... .«. tah duce ond hots weet Siteegile eae 298 11. Border method of. irrigation on cileasinw 22 . cc.ganckWnisigh Aa eels ce wale nas he Ba eee 354 23. Method of constructing a concrete milk trough.....................-- 355 24. Oil heater.......-. Gis eave badd shpgles xm dela Geek as ea. heal eee 360 25. Work of the two-lined chestnut borer..............2---.2-seeseeceee 402 26. Work of the bronze birch borer... J siendss ahexes aie aeeda hee = eee ee 27. Work of the flat-headed western hemlock bark-borer............-....- 404 28. Work of the flat-headed eastern hemlock bark-borer................- 405 29. Work of the flat-headed bald cypress sapwood borer............----- 407 30. Work of the flat-headed bald cypress heartwood borer. ........-..-.. 408 31. Work of the flat-headed big tree heartwood borer...........-...------ 409 32,33. Work of the flat-headed western cedar heartwood borer......... 410,411 34. Work of the flat-headed turpentine heartwood borer................-- - 412 35... Work of the golden bu prestis .. 220265 9.05 shawnl ews sauneeedations<0e 413 36. Work of the flat-headed sycamore heartwood borer. ...........-.-+6. 414 YEARBOOK OF THE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. YHARBOOK OF THE U. 8. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. REPORT OF THE SECRETARY. Mr. PRESIDENT: I respectfully present my Thirteenth Annual Report, covering the work of the Department of Agriculture for the year 1909. A review of the agricultural production of 1909 is first given. Next, the results of a careful study of the prices of meat are offered, and this discussion is followed by a consideration of the extent to which the farmer has shared in the benefits of generally rising prices. The remainder of the report is taken up with an account, in greater or less detail, of the Department’s work during the year. AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTION OF 1909. VALUE MUCH HIGHER THAN FOR ANY PREVIOUS YEAR. MOST PROSPEROUS OF ALL YEARS. Most prosperous of all years is the place to which 1909 is entitled in agriculture. The yield has been bountiful with most crops, and prices have been high. Advantageously situated as he is in most respects, the farmer is less and less generally compelled to dump his crops on the market at time of harvest. He does not need to work for his board and clothes, as he often did in the former time when prices were so low as to be unprofitable. VALUE OF ALL PRODUCTS. The value of the farm products is so incomprehensibly large that it has become merely a row of figures. For this year it is $8,760,- 000,000; the gain of this year over the preceding one is $869,000,000. Ten years ago the value of the products of the farm was only five and one-half times the mere gain of this year over 1908; it was little more than one-half of the total value of this year. The value of the products has nearly doubled in ten years. If the total value of the farm products in 1899, as established by the census, is placed at 100, the value for 1903 is represented by 125, . 9 10 YEARBOOK OF THE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE, for 1904 by 130, for 1905 by 154, for 1906 by 143, for 1907 by 159, for 1908 by 167, and for 1909 by 186. Eleven years of agriculture, beginning with a production of $4,417,000,000 and ending with $8,760,000,000! A sum of $70,000,- 000,000 for the period ! It has paid off mortgages, it has established banks, it has made better homes, it has helped to make the farmer a citizen of the world, it has provided him with means for improving his soil and making it more productive. CHIEF CROPS. In the statement that follows concerning the crop quantities and values for 1909 no figures should be accepted as anticipating the final estimates of this Department to be made later. Only approxima- tions can be adopted, such as could be made by any competent person outside of this Department. CORN. The most striking fact in the world’s agriculture is the value of the corn crop of 1909 in this country. It is about $1,720,000,000. It nearly equals the value of the clothing and personal adornments of 76,000,000 people, according to the census of 1900. The gold and silver coin and bullion of the United States are not of greater value. This corn came up from the soil and out of the air in one hundred and twenty days—$14,000,000 a day for one crop, nearly enough for two dreadnoughts daily, for peace or war. The value of this corn crop is the highest of record and it is greater than the average of the five preceding years by 36 per cent, while the farm price per bushel is greater by 32 per cent. The price per bushel on November 1, 62.2 cents, has been exceeded in only two years in the records of the Department of Agriculture, beginning with 1866. In quantity of production this year’s corn crop stands second, with 2,767,000,000 bushels, being exceeded by the crop of 1906, but it is greater than the average crop of the five preceding years by 3.5 per cent. COTTON. Cotton is now by far the second crop in value, and this year’s crop is easily the most valuable one to the farmer that has been produced. With cotton lint selling at 13.7 cents at the farm November 1, and cotton seed selling for about $25 per ton, the lint and seed of this crop are worth about $850,000,000 to the farmer. No other cotton crop since 1873 has been sold by farmers for as high a price per pound as this one. , There have been three cotton crops of more than 13,500,000 bales of 500 pounds gross weight, the first one being in 1904, and commercial REPORT OF THE SECRETARY. ll expectations are that the crop of this year will be below the average of the five years preceding. WHEAT. Third in order of value among the crops is wheat, worth about $725,000,000 at the farm, and this exceeds all previous values by a large amount. The November farm price was almost an even $1 per bushel, and its equal can not be found until as long ago as 1881. The total value of this year’s crop is greater than the five-year average by 34.6 per cent. In 1901 and in 1906 slightly larger crops of wheat were produced, so that the yield of this year, 725,000,000 bushels, is third in size. HAY. For years hay and wheat disputed with each other the honor of the place next after cotton in value, but this year the separation is distinct, and hay, with its value of about $665,000,000, is considerably below wheat and far below cotton. Only in one year, 1907, has its value been overtopped, and it is 10 per cent above the five-year aver- age. The quantity of the hay crop, 64,000,000 tons, has several times been greater than it is this year, although it is now 2.6 per cent above the average of five years preceding. OATS. The fifth crop in order of value is oats, worth this year at the farm about $400,000,000, whichis considerably above high-water mark, and is greater than the five-year average by 28 per cent. The price of November 1, 41 cents, is high, and only in 1907 and 1908 has it been higher since 1890. In production this crop is very nearly a leader, with its 984,000,000 bushels, and would have been a leader had not the crop of 1902 been about 4,000,000 bushels larger. It is greater than the five-year average by over 12 per cent. POTATOES. This year’s crop of potatoes is more valuable than any one before produced and is worth about $212,000,000. It is above the five-year average by 25 per cent. The November price, 57.8 cents per bushel, has often been exceeded. The large production is what makes the crop so valuable, a produc- tion that has not been equaled; it is 367,000,000 bushels, or 24 per cent above the five-year average. TOBACCO. Tobacco is now marketed under circumstances that secure a higher price per pound than farmers have received since 1865, except in two 12 YEARBOOK OF THE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. or three years. Since 1905 the farm price has been 10 cents or better. The farm value of this year’s crop is a little under $100,000,000 and has not been equaled. It is nearly 50 per cent above the five-year av- erage. This great value is principally due to the fact that the crop is the largest ever raised, with about 900,000,000 pounds, or one-third greater than the average of five years. SUGAR. It is too early to foresee the amount of the beet sugar of this year’s campaign, but the indications are about 500,000 short tons, or. a greater crop than any before produced. The value of the sugar and of the beet pulp for feeding purposes is about $47,000,000, an amount that has not been reached in any earlier year. If the commercial estimate of 364,000 short tons for raw cane sugar is accepted, it is a little below the record of half a dozen years. The value of the cane sugar, molasses, and sirup is placed at $40,000,000. With fulfillment of expectations, the entire sugar crop will be about 864,000 tons (refined beet sugar and raw cane sugar), and the value of all sugar, molasses, and sirup, from farm and factory, will reach about $95,000,000, so that for quantity of total sugar and value of total sugar, molasses, and sirup, this year is a leading one. BARLEY. Barley has receded from its very high price of 1907, but still has a price, 53.3 cents per bushel November 1, which has not been equaled since 1890, except in 1907 and 1908. The farm value of this year’s crop is nearly $88,000,000, which has been exceeded only twice, and is 15 per cent over the average of the previous five years. The production, 165,000,000 bushels, is third in quantity, although, compared with five years before, it is 6 per cent higher. FLAXSEED. The production of flaxseed seems to be declining, and the crop of this year is estimated at 25,767,000 bushels, a trifle under the five-year average. But the value of the seed per bushel, $1.398, is the highest since the Bureau of Statistics began to ascertain the farm price in 1902, and the crop is worth $36,000,000, or considerably more than ever before, and 40 per cent over the average of the previous five years. RICE. The estimate of rough rice production this year is a little over 1,000,000,000 pounds, an amount considerably above the highest pre- REPORT OF THE SECRETARY. 13 vious crop. It is 21 per cent over the five-year average. The lead of the value is even more pronounced, since the price is high, and the total for the crop is about $25,000,000. RYE. Rye is a crop that remains at almost constant production, about 31,000,000 bushels, and the value this year is about $23,000,000, which has often been exceeded. HOPS. A shortage in the world’s crop of hops this year raised the price to a high figure, about 33 cents for New York and about 24 cents for the Pacific Northwest. It happened, however, that a large propor- tion of the Pacific coast crop had been contracted for last year at about 9 cents, so that the average price paid for the whole crop is not as high as market prices indicate. The quantity of the hop crop this year is below the five-year average, but the value is about $8,000,000, or next to the highest year. ALL CEREALS. Although a bushel of oats weighs less than a bushel of other cereals, yet there is considerable significance in comparing the total quantity of all cereals in recent years. The total for 1909 is 4,711,000,000 bushels, an amount considerably greater than that for any other year except 1906, when the total was 4,872,000,000 bushels. The average of five years is exceeded in 1909 by 6.5 per cent. The farm value of all cereals in 1909 has never been equaled in a previous year. It is almost exactly $3,000,000,000, or 34 per cent above the five-year average. SUMMARY OF COMPARISONS. Compared with the average of the preceding five years, every one of the crops particularized in the foregoing was larger, except cotton, flaxseed, hops, and cane sugar. Without exception every crop was worth more to the farmer than the five-year average. This is the year of highest production for potatoes, tobacco, beet sugar, all sugar, and rice; a year of next to the highest production for corn, oats, and all cereals; the crop third in size for wheat. For value, the amount has not been equaled in the case of corn, cotton, wheat, oats, all cereals, potatoes, beet sugar, all sugar, flax- seed, and rice; the year is next* to the highest for hay, cane sugar, and hops; and the barley crop is third in value. Compared with 1908, this year’s gains in value of farm products are found all along the line, the exceptions being barley, buckwheat, 14 YEARBOOK OF THE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. rye, and milk. The increase for cotton—lint and seed—is $208,- 000,000; wheat, $107,000,000; corn, $105,000,000; hay, $29,000,000; oats, $22,000,000; tobacco, $18,000,000 ; potatoes, $15,000,000. There were substantial gains in value of dairy and poultry prod- ucts and of animals sold and slaughtered. The price of butter has not been so high in many years, and the same is true for eggs and dressed poultry, and, except for the higher price of last year, is also true for milk. In the grand total, the farm products of 1909 are greater in value than those of 1908 by $869,000,000, or by enough to buy a new equip- ment of farm machinery for over 6,000,000 farms. All cereal crops of 1909 are worth $3,000,000,000 to the farmer, an amount that would pay for all of the machinery, tools, and imple- ments of the entire manufacturing industry in this country. All crops are worth $5,700,000,000, which would make a half pay- ment on the value of all steam railroads, according to the valuation of 1904. All animal products are worth over $3,000,000,000. The total of all items is $8,760,000,000. In eleven years of appli- cation of mind, muscle, and machine to this basic industry of man- kind, the wealth produced by farmers, estimated as previously de- scribed, is valued at $70,000,000,000. FOREIGN TRADE IN AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTS. The value of the agricultural exports of domestic products for the year ending June 30, 1909, has been exceeded in four years—in 1901, 1906, 1907, and 1908. The value for 1909 is $903,000,000, or $151,000,000 below the highest record in 1907, and $114,000,000 below the next highest in 1908. Compared with 1908, the prominent decreases were $11,500,000 for live animals, $26,000,000 for packing-house products, $20,000,000 for cotton, $55,000,000 for grain and grain products, and $3,800,000 for tobacco. On the other hand, there was an increase of over $7,000,000 in exports of oil cake, oil-cake meal, and vegetable oils. The domestic exports of beef and beef products declined from 579,000,000 pounds in 1908 to 419,000,000 pounds in 1909; of pork and pork products, from 1,237,000,000 to 1,053,000,000 pounds; of wheat, from 100,000,000 to 67,000,000 bushels; of wheat flour, from 14,000,000 to 10,500,000 barrels; of wheat and wheat flour in terms of wheat, from 163,000,000 bushels in 1908 to 114,000,000 bushels in 1909. The imports of agricultural products were never so high in value as they were in 1909, the amount being $637,000,000. Principal gains were $15,000,000 in silk, $21,500,000 in wool, $25,600,000 in packing- house products, mostly hides, $11,400,000 in coffee, and $16,500,000 in sugar. REPORT OF THE SECRETARY. 15 After allowing for the $10,000,000 in exports of foreign origin, the net balance of foreign trade in agricultural products in favor of this country is $256,000,000, the lowest amount since 1896. This was more because of increased imports than of decreased domestic exports. The balance of trade in favor of this country in products other than agricultural for 1909 is $46,000,000. In foreign trade in forest products the exports of domestic origin were valued at $72,000,000, an amount that has been exceeded in only three years; compared with 1908, there was a loss in all prominent items. The imports of forest prodticts had a value of $124,000,000 and were never before so large in value. India rubber gained $25,000,000, compared with 1908. With respect to the balance of trade in forest products, it was against this country by about $47,000,000. The agricultural production of 1909 must add much to the pros- perity of farmers. The record is unexampled in wealth produced and tells of abundance in quantity. Year by year the farmer is better and better prepared to provide the capital and make the expenditures needed to improve his agriculture and to educate his children for farm life and work. PRICES OF MEAT. INCREASE OF RETAIL PRICE OVER WHOLESALE. SPECIAL INVESTIGATION. High prices of fresh meats and of their products are of such con- cern to nearly every family that an examination of the subject is timely. With over two-fifths of the expenditures of the families of medium income devoted to food and with one-third of the national dietary composed of meat, the present situation is felt by the incomes of 19,000,000 families. The higher prices of meat in recent years do not bear the less heavily on the consumer because its purveyors at various points along the line of distribution may not have raised the price in a larger de- gree than the price of the animal has increased. There may be too large a net profit or gross profit, or the distributive processes may be too costly at some point. Little definite information has heretofore been extracted from the retail meat business concerning its cheapness or costliness in comparison with the amount of business done, and an acquaintance with the facts has become desirable. Through employees of the Bureau of Animal Industry inquiries were made in 50 cities—large, medium, and small—in all parts of the country. A schedule was provided to record the actual experience 16 YEARBOOK OF THE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE, of retailers in buying and selling the carcass or half carcass of beef. Among the facts ascertained were the weight and wholesale cost of a certain piece of beef, usually a half carcass. Then followed the weight and retail price of every cut for which a uniform price was charged. by the dealer. ‘Thus it became possible not only to compare high and low priced cuts, from the point of view of expense to con- sumer, but also to compute accurately the total retail price per pound and the total retail cost of the beef piece for which the wholesale price per pound and the total wholesale cost had been reported. FACTS DISCOVERED IN FIFTY CITIES. In the North Atlantic States the retail price of beef is 31.4 per cent higher than the wholesale price; and the percentage is usually lower in the larger cities than in the smaller ones, and higher in the case of beef that is cheap at wholesale than of high-priced beef. In Allentown, Pa., there is an immediate gross profit of 50 per cent—that is, the total amount charged at retail is 50 per cent above the wholesale cost. Such gross profits are noticed for the smaller places as 46 per cent for Canajoharie, N. Y.; 50 per cent for Cort- land, N. Y.; 47 per cent for Holyoke, Mass., and for Harrisburg, Pa. But for Olean, N. Y., the percentage is only 23 and for Springfield, Mass., 19, the low price being in strong contrast with the 47 per cent for Holyoke, its near neighbor, with a different sort of inhabitants. A gross profit of 20 per cent was found in New York, N. Y., and Philadelphia, Pa.; 28 per cent in Buffalo, N. Y., and 36 per cent in Boston, Mass. Everywhere appears the general fact that the lower the grade of beef the greater the percentage of gross profit. Allentown’s high percentage is based on wholesale prices of 74 and 8% cents. In Bos- ton the rate of gross profit is twice as great for 8-cent beef as for beef costing 11 and 114 cents. Indeed, the rule is quite general that low-priced beef is marked up twice as much relatively as high-priced beef is. In other words, perhaps it is a safe inference that the poorer people pay nearly twice the gross profit that the more well-to-do people pay. Baltimore, Md., in the South Atlantic States, is another large city with a low rate of gross profit, 17 per cent; but Washington, D. C., has a much higher rate, 42 per cent, and Takoma Park, D. C., 44 per cent. Richmond, Va., has the low rate of 21 per cent, and Augusta, Ga., the high one of 61 per cent. The amount for the South Atlantic States is 38 per cent. In the North Central States the mean is 38 per cent, ‘and the fore- going observations apply concerning the higher rate of gross profit for cheap beef. The Chicago, Il., returns are for cheap beef, and the REPORT OF THE SECRETARY. 17 gross retail profit is 46 per cent, but in Cincinnati, Ohio, it is only 25 per cent; Omaha, Nebr., 23 per cent; South Omaha, Nebr., 25 per cent. Kansas City, Kans., has a cheap-beef gross profit of 50 per cent, while Kansas City, Mo., reports only 28 per cent. For the twin cities, Minneapolis and St. Paul, Minn., the gross profit is reported at 27 and 35 per cent, respectively; for Detroit, Mich., and Milwaukee, Wis., 40 per cent; and for St. Louis, Mo., 39 per cent. In the smaller places the rates of gross profit in selling beef are 52 per cent for Alton, Ill.; 53 per cent for Cedar Rapids, Iowa; 43 per cent for East Liverpool, Ohio; 31 per cent for Port Huron, Mich.; 49 per cent for Wichita, Kans.; and 27 per cent for Winona, Minn. No other division of States stands as high in gross profit as the South Central States, with 54 per cent. The places with rates above this mean are Fort Smith, Ark., 57 per cent; Mobile, Ala., 64 per cent; Nashville, Tenn., 63 per cent; Natchez, Miss., 56 per cent; and Shreveport, La., 68 per cent. On the other hand, Fort Worth, Tex., reports only 38 per cent; Louisville, Ky., 52 per cent; and Memphis, Tenn., 32 per cent. The mean of 39.4 per cent of gross profit is derived from reports from the Western States. The highest rate is 62 per cent for Lewis- ton, Idaho; next, is 58 per cent for Spokane, Wash.; 50 per cent for Ogden, Utah; 39 per cent for San Francisco, Cal., and Cheyenne, Wyo.; 37 per cent for Denver, Colo.; 24 per cent for Seattle, Wash. ; and 16 per cent for Tacoma, Wash. For the 50 cities throughout the United States for which reports were received, the mean gross profit in selling beef, that is, the total retail cost charged to consumers above the wholesale cost paid by the retailers, is 38 per cent. In 5 cities the rate of increase is 20 per cent or under; in 10 cities, 21 to 30 per cent; in 12 cities, 31 to 40 per cent; in 12 cities, 41 to 50 per cent; and in 11 cities over 50 per cent. RETAIL COSTS. There are some services connected with a retail meat or meat and grocery business in a city that customers desire for their accommoda- tion which are costly to them. They want delivery of goods, per- haps by special trip, and this requires at least one man, horse, and wagon. They want the market man also to send a man to their dwellings to take orders. Much more productive of costliness to the retail distribution of meat is the overdoing of the retail business. The multiplication of small shops is a burden to consumers and no source of riches to the small shopkeepers. When twenty or more small shops divide the retail business within the area that could be served by one large shop, 19627—yrrs 1909——2 18 YEARBOOK OF THE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. the expenses of the many shops for labor, horses, rent, and other things that are in excess of what would be sufficient for the one shop must go into the retail prices of the meat sold. Furthermore, customers are disposed to focus their choice of cuts on certain ones, and these naturally bear the higher prices. If the porterhouse steak is really beyond the cash or credit of the customer, then a sirloin must be had, and a rib roast instead of another cut for roasting. Steaks and roasts are the preferences of beef customers, and the steaks and roasts must have names that are regarded as re- spectable. Consequently one-fifth of the carcass is bought at the highest prices—porterhouse steak at 25 to 30 cents a pound, sirloin at 20 to 25 cents, and rib roasts at 20 cents—these being some of the prices noted in the returns received from the 50 cities. CONDITIONS AFFECTING MEAT SUPPLY. PER CAPITA CONSUMPTION. Among the peoples of the earth, except those of Australasia, the inhabitants of the United States are the most liberal meat eaters. Investigations made by this Department have disclosed the fact that the per capita consumption of meat in this country, in terms of “ dressed ” meat, was 185.8 pounds in 1900. If the edible parts outside of that description are included, such as heart, liver, tongue, and so on, the consumption was 220.5 pounds. If all this is reduced to strictly edible meat by exclusion of bones and other nonedible parts, the per capita meat consumption of men, women, children, and babies—that is, the average for all inhabitants—was 182.6 pounds in 1900. The meat consumption of other countries is usually stated in terms of “dressed” meat, but may include some extraneous parts. As compared with 185.8 pounds of dressed weight of meat, stand- ing as the per capita consumption of the United States, Cuba follows next in order with 124 pounds; the United Kingdom, 121.8 pounds; Germany, 115.94 pounds; France, 78.9 pounds; Denmark, 76 pounds; Belgium, 70 pounds; Sweden, 62 pounds. The average for Australia is apparently 262.6 pounds, and for New Zealand, 212.5 pounds. The average meat consumption of the United States has long been declining. Primarily, the supply of meat in relation to population has declined since the first live-stock census in 1840. For cattle in that year, excluding calves, there was an average of 0.88 of an ani- mal on farms to each inhabitant, 0.81 of an animal in 1860, 0.79 of an animal in 1880, 0.92 of an animal in 1890, and 0.69 of an animal in 1900. To a considerable extent, at least, range cattle are included. Since 1900, cattle have probably hardly increased absolutely, while population has gained nearly 20 per cent. REPORT OF THE SECRETARY. 19 The comparison of sheep, excluding lambs, with population, shows that there were 1.13 animals on farms in 1840 to each inhabitant, 0.71 of an animal in 1860, 0.84 of an animal in 1880, 0.65 of an animal in 1890, and 0.52 of an animal in 1900. Range sheep are supposed to be included. The decline for swine is about as great as that for sheep, and has been uninterrupted. The ratio of swine on farms to population in 1840 was 1.54 animals; in 1860 it was 1.07 animals; in 1880 it was 0.99 of an animal; in 1890 it was 0.92 of an animal; and in 1900 it was 0.83 of an animal. MEAT EXPORTS. In the meantime all of the meat produced in this country has not been eaten here. Prodigious exports have gone to all the countries of the globe. The exports of cattle for slaughter rose to 593,000 in 1904, since which time there has been a decline to 208,000 in 1909. Most of the exports of meat and its products are stated in pounds in the foreign trade reports, and, as far as so stated, the exports of beef and beef products averaged 32,000,000 pounds yearly for 1851- 1855, 109,000,000 pounds for 1871-1875, 234,000,000 pounds for 1881- 1885, 340,000,000 pounds for 1886-1890, 521,000,000 pounds for 1891- 1895, 601,000,000 pounds for 1896-1900, 617,000,000 pounds for 1901- 1905, 733,000,000 pounds for 1906, 690,000,000 pounds for 1907, 579,000,000 pounds for 1908, and 419,000,000 pounds for 1909. The high-water mark of beef exports was in 1906, since which year the decline has been so sharp that the exports of 1909 were only 57 per cent of those of 1906. Notwithstanding industrial depression abroad, evidently this indicated a decline in the supply of beef animals dur- ing the last three years relative to consumption in this country, especially since there has been no increased severity in the restrictions of European countries against the importation of beef. The signif- icance of the foregoing is strengthened by the declining exports of beef cattle since 1904. Pork and its products have far exceeded beef in exports. As far as stated in pounds—and little is omitted—the exports of pork and pork products averaged 91,000,000 pounds yearly in 1851-1855; 496,000,000 pounds in 1871-1875; 826,000,000 pounds in 1881-1885; 1,061,000,000 pounds in 1891-1895; 1,462,000,000 pounds in 1896- 1900; 1.242,000,000 pounds in 1901-1905; 1,465,000,000 pounds in 1906; 1,268,000,000 pounds in 1907; 1,237,000,000 pounds in 1908; and for 1909 was 1,053,000,000 pounds. In less degree than beef, pork exports indicate relatively, if not absolutely, a decline in the national supply in the last three years. While the ratio of meat animals to population has been declining during the last seventy years, exports of meat have grown to the 20 YEARBOOK OF THE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. unexampled total of 2,198,000,000 pounds of beef and pork and their products in 1906, and 593,000 beef cattle in 1904. The cattle exports fell to 208,000 animals in 1909 and the combined beef and pork exports fell to 1,472,000,000 pounds, or about 67 per cent of the high-water mark of three years before. CHANGE IN DIETARY. For two reasons the consumption of meat has declined in this country. The stock of meat animals has not been maintained in rela- tion to population, and exports have increased to enormous propor- tions in a movement which culminated in 1906, to be followed by a sharp decline. Seventy years ago the per capita consumption of meat was about one-half of the national dietary; in 1900 it had declined to about one- third or a little more; it may now be less than one-third. If the entire stock of cattle, sheep, and swine are computed into meat pounds for the census years and the exports for those years are deducted, the remaining pounds may be regarded as the stock for national meat supply. Let per capita ratios be computed and let the ratio for 1840 be regarded as 100; then, by 1860, the per capita stock of meat animals declined to 82.5, by 1880 to 72.4, by 1890 to 79.4, and by 1900 to 59.8. In seventy years the per capita stock of animals for the national consumption of meat has declined to less than three- fifths of its former proportions. It may not be that the people have unwillingly adopted a diminish- ing meat consumption. The diversification of agriculture and the abundant products of the farm must have had their effects on food habits. Vegetables that are locally out of season are brought from places as far away as 3,000 miles; and so with fruits, and in less degree with berries. The luxuries of former boyhood have become common foods of the present. The canning factory places the veg- etable garden, the fruit orchard, and the berry field at the door of every household in the land during every day in the year. There are refrigerator cars for long-distance transportation and warehouses for cold storage. Eggs, dressed poultry, and butter are carried for- ward from a period of natural oversupply to a period of natural scarcity. There is general agreement that wheat consumption for food has increased from about 43 bushels to 54 bushels per capita during the last twenty-five years. Sugar, a concentrated energy-supplying food, increased in consumption per capita from 14.1 pounds in 1840 to 80.5 pounds in 1860, to 42.9 pounds in 1880, to 52.8 pounds in 1890, to 65.2 pounds in 1900, and to 75.4 pounds in 1908. The yearly consumption of sugar per family has increased since 1875 by 140 pounds. This has probably not fully displaced a nutri- REPORT OF THE SECRETARY. 91 tive equivalent in meat, but had it done so the displacement of meat in the annual family dietary would have been equal to 264.4 pounds of sirloin beef, or 349.5 pounds of round beef, or 155.9 pounds of cured ham, or 61.7 pounds of lard. For every 100 pounds of rolled oats added to the national dietary within less than a generation, if there was an equivalent displacement of meat, for protein there would be required 101.7 pounds of sirloin beef, or 87.7 pounds of round beef, or 183.1 pounds of cured bacon; and for energy the equivalent is 187.8 pounds of sirloin-beef, or 248.3 pounds of round beef, or 68.9 pounds of cured bacon. The needed dietary of a certain number of calories can not be extended considerably and continually with impunity to health; so that if more fruits, vegetables, cereals, and sugar are eaten, some meat must be displaced. Meat, however, still remains the most prominent and costly group of foods. ' REDUCTION OF RANGES. As previously stated, the exports for recent years indicate that something has happened to the production or supply of beef. For 1906 and a few years before, the exports had been much above former figures. That was a period of dumping upon the market great numbers of beef cattle on the breaking up of the big western and northwestern range herds consequent upon enforcement of the “no-fence ” law by the National Government. Half a dozen years of this abnormal movement of beef cattle to the great markets began to tell upon the supply in 1908, when the deliv- eries fell off in a marked degree and the decrease continued in 1909. Accompanying this drain upon the beef cattle of the country has been the encroachment of the settler upon the range. Former ranges, broad enough for an empire, have been broken by the farmer’s plow. The secret of “ dry farming” has been discovered, and one item of its achievements is a large proportion of a durum wheat crop of 50,000,000 bushels. EXTRA DEMAND FOR CORN FOR FEEDING. While ranges have been exhausted of their cattle, not all of the animals have gone directly to the slaughterhouses. A great propor- tion of them have found their way to farms for maturing and finish- ing, largely upon corn. The extra demand upon the corn crop is recorded in corn prices. From 1895 to 1900 the mean farm price of corn was 28 cents. The price of 60.5 cents in 1901 was due to a two- thirds crop because of drought. The price was quite uniform on a higher level from 1902 to 1906, and the mean was 41.6 cents per bushel. The following year it rose to 51.6 cents; in 1908, to 60.6 9° YEARBOOK OF THE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. cents; and in November, 1909, to 62.2 cents. Higher prices coincide with the breaking up of the range herds. There is no small difference between the cost of beef made on the free or cheap range and the beef fed on 60-cent corn. BEEF PRODUCED ON HIGH-PRICED LAND. There must be taken into the reckoning also the difference between the value of the range acre and the farm acre; also the increased value of the farm acre. Investigations by the Department of Agriculture have established a value per acre, including improvements, for farms of a medium sort in the North Central States in 1905, which was an increase of 35.3 per cent in five years. For the Western division of States the value per acre in 1905 was a gain of 40.2 per cent in five years. These are the groups of States that produce the bulk of the beef supply, and the value of farm land in them has subsequently risen above the figures given for 1905. The increase in the value per acre of medium farms from 1900 to 1905 was 37.4 per cent in Illinois; 42 per cent in Missouri; 70.6 per cent in North Dakota; 65.2 per cent in South Dakota; 54 per cent in Nebraska ; 54.7 per cent in Kansas; 44.5 per cent in Montana; and 81.3 per cent in Wyoming. More profitable crops have made more valuable land, and cheap beef is not the product of high-priced land. The settler on the dry farming and irrigated tracts where cattle once grazed is thus far not filling the gap in beef production on the range. The new settler must first give his attention to quick cash crops. DIMINISHED MARKETINGS OF CATTLE AND HOGS. The Bureau of Animal Industry gave post-mortem inspections to 7,621,717 cattle in the year ending June 30, 1907; to 7,230,272 cattle in 1908; and to 7,325,337 cattle in 1909, embracing all cattle killed for interstate shipment. Along with the shrinkage in the supply of beef cattle there has been an increased slaughter of calves, thus augmenting the decrease in cattle supply. The inspections of calves after slaughter numbered 1,763,574 in 1907, 1,995,595 in 1908, and 2,046,713 in 1909. HOGS AND PORK. With regard to hogs, high-priced corn must have its effect in high- priced pork. Added to this is the recent great reduction in the mar- keting of hogs. The inspections of 1907 were 31,815,900, of 1908 were 35,008,027, of 1909 were 35,427,321. These years ended June 30. But for the first nine months of the calendar year the receipts of hogs — REPORT OF THE SECRETARY. 23 at the great markets fell from 14,603,700 in 1908 to 12,593,200 in 1909, or 13.8 per cent. To the industrial disturbance of 1907 is ascribed one cause of the recent diminution in the hog supply. When the bottom fell out of the market late in that year farmers sold brood sows because they were regarded as unprofitable, and the breeding herds thus sacrificed have not been replaced. Rising prices of beef and pork have strengthened the demand for mutton. The sheep inspected by the Bureau of Animal Industry numbered 9,681,876 in 1907, 9,779,940 in 1908, and 10,802,908 in 1909. Even goats have been affected, since their inspections grew from 46,067 in 1908 to 69,193 in 1909. In view of the diminished supply of meat animals during the past year, as compared with the population, it is to be expected that stocks of what the commercial papers call “provisions” should be lower than they were a year ago. In 5 chief cities of large storage the stocks of pickled pork decreased from 48,038 barrels October 31, 1908, to 33,991 barrels a year later. Lard decreased from 84,193 to 31,973 tierces during the year and cut meats decreased from 140,853,793 to 89,472,276 pounds. SUMMARY OF CONCLUSIONS. The foregoing may now be concisely summarized in a few lines: (1) The production stock of cattle has been diminished by range abandonment; (2) new demands for corn on farms for beef produc- tion; (3) high price of corn; (4) high prices of all meat, partly be- cause of high corn prices; (5) the production stock of hogs was re- duced in 1907; (6) high farm-land values; (7) both supply and cost of meat production unite to raise meat prices; (8) for seventy years the production of meat has declined relative to population; (9) meat exports increased until 1906, after which they sharply declined; (10) there has been a decreasing meat consumption per capita; (11) increased per capita consumption of cereals, vegetables, fruits, and saccharine foods. MEAT PRICE MOVEMENTS. PLAN ADOPTED TO MAKE THEM COMPARABLE. High meat prices being sensibly felt in the experience of con- sumers, there is widespread conjecture as to the proportion of the increase received by the various parties from farmer to retail dealer. The foregoing statement concerning factors and conditions of meat production has prepared the way for a critical examination of the price movement of animals and meats. For the purpose of making all things comparable in price movement, a common base is adopted in the manner following. 94 YEARBOOK OF THE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. A period of years is determined upon, beginning with 1896, be- cause that year marks the beginning of the present period of upward movement of average prices of all commodities. The average annual price of the first five years, 1896-1900, is adopted as a base line, or price level, represented by 100, with which the price of each year may be compared upon conversion into a percentage of the price level. For instance, if the price level or mean annual price of fresh beef of a certain description during 1896-1900 is 7.5 cents and the mean price for 1908 is 9 cents, the price level, 7.5 cents, becomes 100, and the ratio of 9 cents to 7.5 cents is 120, so that the price of 1908 is 20 above the adopted price level. Whether this computation is made for prices or for other data for the same period of years, all results are comparable one with another, and it is possible to determine, approximately, for illustra- tion, whether the price of steers in Chicago has increased in greater or less degree than the price of fresh beef since 1896. BEEF PRICES. Before considering measures of comparative price movements in detail, it may be well to state and remember the measure for all com- modities combined. The series of comparative prices index numbers that is adopted for this purpose is one that is everywhere accepted. With the average of the five years 1896-1900 standing for 100, the prices of all commodities reached their highest subsequent point in 1906, when they stood at 126.7; they fell to 116.9 in 1908; and rose to 122.6 in 1909. NO INCREASE FOR CATTLE. For cattle other than dairy cows, the annual statistics of the De- partment of Agriculture show that the latest farm price has fallen below the price level of 1896-1900, that level being plaeed at 100. The price of cattle for January 1 rose to 110.4 in 1901, descended to 83.9 in 1905, and rose to 93.5 in 1908, and to 96.9 in 1909. Perhaps the price will be shown to have risen to 100 in the investigation of the Bureau of Statistics next January, or to the average with which it began in 1896-1900. To make certain that the import of the farm price of cattle as above stated is not a mistake for some unperceived reason, the prices of 2-year-old steers have been examined in the unpublished records of the Department of Agriculture. Beginning with a price level of 100 in the first five years of the present period of upward movement of prices, steers of this age reached the price represented by 135.9 in 1900, declined to 85.5 in 1905, and rose to 100.8 in 1909. This is for | January 1 and for the United States. REPORT OF THE SECRETARY. 25 Within the great cattle-feeding State of Iowa, closely related to the ranges, the price of 2-year-old steers reached as high a point as 133.8 in 1900, dropped to 87.2 in 1905, rose to 109.8 in 1907, again fell to 97.6 in 1908, and in the following year touched 103.7. West Virginia is somewhat of a cattle-feeding State, but, unlike Towa, depends more on grass than on corn. In this State the price of 2-year-old steers in 1908 is represented by 114.5, and in 1909 by 118.3; and in Tennessee, another grass State, by 105.7 in 1908, and 112.5 in 1909. The average for the United States as a whole is determined by the corn-feeding States, and for January 1, 1909, as above stated, had barely been able to rise from the trough of 1905 and reach the price level of 1896-1900. Without further examination it would thus appear that the farmer has not shared in the upward movement of beef prices, and in some degree this is true. The prices of cattle on the farm are ascertained by the Bureau of Statistics from reports from every township for January 1 of each year, and the averages are regarded as above suspicion. But this marks the beginning of the cattle-feeding period, before corn has been converted into beef. This sort of beef is the product of two raw materials—corn and an animal body in the “ raw ” state—and such is the animal represented in the farm prices of the Bureau of Statistics, an animal unprepared for Chicago. SOME RETURN FROM CORN-FED BEEF. With regard to the prices of beef cattle in the raw state, therefore, the farmer is in about the same position now that he occupied during the first five years of the present price movement. In the matured and finished state, however, his beef cattle have participated to some extent in the advancing prices, as the Chicago prices given below prove. In other words, the farmer has received some share of higher beef prices with respect to corn as a factor of beef making, but has failed to do so with regard to the raw animal. In Chicago, accord- ing to a financial authority, the price of the best native steers, ex- pressed comparatively, is 136.4 in 1908 and 139.9 in 1909, the mean for 1896-1900 being represented by 100. Upon the same base line the price of choice to extra steers in the Bureau of Labor’s annual reports on wholesale prices is 126.3 for 1908. Export beef cattle are in a class by themselves to meet interna- tional competition. During the fourteen years under review their price was highest in the fiscal year 1897, for which it is represented by 111.4; it declined to 85.6 in 1904; and advanced without interruption to 101 in 1908 and to 104.5 in 1909. 26 YEARBOOK OF THE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. The farm price of corn December 1, 1908, was 212.6, compared with the mean of the five years 1896-1900, and in 1909 the comparative number is 218.6. The matter may now be formally stated as follows: Prices index number. Item. 1908. | 1909. Two-year-old steers at the farm, not matured or finished, January 1.............-.--. 95. 6 100.8 eek neteun ethno Chine oe dc wn wamnmenese one pecans Piiuin aeiaed ene 136. 4 139.9 Choice to extra steers, Chicago...........-.....-. wets egies Saas aw an aaa ee See 196.3 il. wesaaee Gorn ‘at the farm, December Fs 2.222700. Aeon b i a ee o cere cencneennecuus were 212.6 218.6 — — —— ~ SE It is assumed that the farmer has received his due share of the advance in the Chicago prices of steers; but if so, still he has failed to receive a return corresponding to the increased price of corn in the more recent years, and in these years he has failed to get any in- crease whatever for his raw animal, except the trace of a gain in 1909. MARKET RECEIPTS OF CATTLE AND EXPORTS. The receipts of cattle at Chicago, Kansas City, Omaha, and St. Louis progressed from 5,856,000 in 1896 to 8,170,000 in 1907; then there was a fall to 7,524,000 in 1908, and the number for 1909 will be still lower. The comparative number for the cattle receipts of 1908 is 124.5; for the population of the United States it is 119.3. The year when the exports of beef were greatest in quantity was 1906, represented by the comparative number 122. Subsequently those exports declined, and the number representing 1909 is 69.7. The great decline in exports and the receipts of cattle at large markets in 1909 would seem to indicate a larger per capita consumption of beef following the industrial ‘depression of 1907-8. WHOLESALE PRICES OF BEEF. Pursuing the inquiry another step, wholesale beef prices are to be examined. Their comparison, for 1908, is to be with native steers, represented by 136.4, and with choice to extra steers, 126.3. One of the large packing-houses has favored the preparation of this matter by contributing the average price of fresh beef sold by it in New York for each of the ten years beginning with 1899. The average prices are between 7 and 8 cents a pound, except 8.52 cents for 1902, 6.97 cents for 1905, and 8.22 cents for 1908. A price level for 1896-1900 being obtained by comparison with prices obtained from other sources, the fresh beef of this packing-house was sold in New York in 1908 at an average price which is represented by 119.8, — >» REPORT OF THE SECRETARY. 97 a lower relative gain than was made by the classes of steers before mentioned. A trade paper devoted to the provision interests reports mean prices of common to fair native carcasses in New York for 1908, which are related to the price level of the first five years of the period as 129.7 to 100. For native steer carcasses in New York the compara- tive price for 1908 warranted by the reports of the Bureau of Labor is 120.1. The mean price of beef carcasses in 1908, reported by a commercial authority, is represented by the comparative number 123.7. While these numbers permit no fine comparisons with the relative price numbers for the classes of steers that are represented by 136.4 and 126.3, respectively, it is apparent that fresh-beef prices have not increased in greater degree than steer prices have at Chicago. The mean export price of fresh beef in 1908 stands relatively at 118.5; in 1909, at 120.9. The following statement brings together the foregoing comparisons °* in concise form: | Prices index number. Item, | 1908. 1909. eae rr rr LoS ane desw'ans ace or grsiee dene un dat lesga scone eae rt he aoc 136.4 139.9 REE A ROIS ooo oo boon nace Crewe nnct oe wetencscnSetonansccvscedadveves ye iy Prey All fresh beef sold in New York by large packing house .............-......2...2.+.-- /:3S9RB | St 1st Native carcasses, common to fair, New York.........--....-2-2ccseeeeeeeeeceeeecceees| 129.7 133. 6 mative mides, New York (another authority) . 20... 2222.2. s nescence cece enc nese nceneeee He ay gh pares NI Ns oe das raea yas Saat oh gba dae vomline cel seed eth ce ckcatzen atin ens ee Sk Pee en er eae oe ae a ee ee | 118.5} 120.9 CURED-BEEF PRICES. There is no obtainable comparative cattle price at Chicago with which the index numbers for cured beef are strictly comparable. The class of cattle for which a comparative number is obtainable nearest to the classes that contribute the cured beef is the class of choice to extra steers already mentioned as being represented by 126.3 for 1908, and these numbers are higher than they would be if they repre- sented the lower classes of cattle from which the cured beef is ob- tained. The Bureau of Labor’s mean wholesale prices for 1896-1900 being 100, the comparative price of extra mess salt beef for 1908 is 151.9; of western salt hams, 134; of tallow, 139.9. By the same process, with dependence on the reports of a commercial authority, salt family beef is 165 in 1908. 28 YEARBOOK OF THE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE, The general conclusion is warranted that cured beef has increased in price in greater degree than fresh beef has and greater than steers have. The items for cured beef in the following table may be comparea with steers and fresh beef in the preceding table: Wholesale prices index number. Item. 1908 1909 Meriva mans Deol. Wale oss woo we ds bois Sa daceae us bub ea bs dade binds se cbt ae cree 161.81. cvoeeee Women eat: hams (heat). «2.5. .dcncncn