Evening Republican, Volume 14, Number 197, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 19 August 1910 — King Hog Makes Lucky Farmer Glad [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

King Hog Makes Lucky Farmer Glad

KANSAS CITY.—The greatest moneymaker on the farm during the past year has been the hog. The farmer with of hogs was assured of an automobile, a trip to Europe, or more farm land. Never In modern history have hogs been sold at such high prices, on a strictly gold basis, of course, as during the past several months. Early in the present ydar there were reports of a “hog shortage” from many hog-raising districts. And market receipts bore out the reports. From January 1, 1910, to July 1, 1911), receipts at the five leading western market-a —Chicago, Kansas City, Oma-

ha, St. Louis and St. Joseph—were, in round numbers, two and one-fourth million head less than during the corresponding six months of 1909. Arrivals at the five big points in the first half of 1909 numbered 9,280,000. In the first half of 1910 receipts at the previously mentioned markets were 2,990,000. In other words, a growing population was fed on 75 per cent, of the hogs that were consumed in the first six months of 1909. The direct effect of the decrease in hog receipts, while the population was unquestionably Increasing, was a sharp advance in market value of swine. ’ At the Kansas City stockyards the average cost of hogs for the first six months of 1909 was $6.64’ per hundredweight. In the first half of 1910 the average cost at the same market was $9.31, showing a gain of $2.67 per hundredweight, or about 40 per cent. At all the other markets the advance in prices was practically equal to that at Kansas City.