Range of prices, per hundredweight, of hogs at Chicago in 1908, by months, and annual range, 1898-1908.

hogs sold in the auction Thursday,

Nine carloads of international exposition show December 3, 1908, at $6.10 to $7, or an average of $6.58 per 100 pounds for the nine loads.

Range of prices, per hundredweight, of sheep at Chicago in 1908, by months, and annual range, 1898-1908.

MEAT PRICES AT HOME AND ABROAD.

The series of tables which follow have been compiled with the view of showing how the prices of the different kinds of meat compare at the principal American and European markets. For this purpose five large cities have been selected-Chicago, New York, London, Paris, and Berlin-and the wholesale prices noted of a representative high grade of each class of meat at monthly intervals covering the last two years. It is intended that the grade for which the price is quoted shall be as nearly as possible the same in all cases, so as to effect as true a comparison as is practicable.

The quotations include the five classes of meats in common use, namely, beef, veal, mutton, lamb, and pork. The prices have been obtained from standard trade papers of the various cities, and the European data have been converted at authorized rates into the United States equivalents in pounds and cents. The prices for Berlin and Paris are for the first Saturday in each month; those for London are for the preceding Friday; those of New York for the preceding Thursday; and those of Chicago for the preceding Tuesday. No closer uniformity could be secured with the trade papers quoted from.

BEEF.

A sharp rise occurred in beef prices at Chicago and New York in the spring of 1908, and afterwards values were generally much higher throughout the year than they were in 1907. The high mark for 1908 was in May, when the price touched 12 cents a pound at Chicago, this being 4 cents higher than the corresponding price in 1907. The table shows the singular fact that the New York prices in 1908 were as a rule a shade lower than those of Chicago.

was,

Regarding the British prices it is significant that, taking the year through, the port-killed American beef has rated slightly higher than English beef. This speaks well for its quality. The high price, however, must be partly ascribed to scarcity. A comparison of the Chicago and London figures shows clearly that it did not pay to export beef during the greater part of the year. The October quotation, for instance, was actually higher for Chicago than for London. There in consequence, an enormous falling off in the exports, as is more fully explained in the section dealing with foreign trade (p. 402). Berlin beef prices were lower in 1908 than in 1907. They are nevertheless still much higher than those of the other cities in the table. Paris prices were also lower in the early part of 1908 than in the same period of 1907, but in the summer months the conditions were reversed. In the last three months of the year they dropped again to the same level as 1907. It will be noticed that the Paris quotations are for hind quarters, there being none for whole carcasses. Hind quarters usually

rate about 12 cents a pound above the price for the whole side, and this deduction should be made in comparing the French prices with the others.

Wholesale prices per pound of fresh carcass beef at home and foreign markets, 1907 and 1908, by months.

The Chicago veal market was steady throughout the year, and prices were generally a little lower than in 1907. New York veal also was as a rule slightly cheaper in 1908. The New York prices, it may be noticed, average 2 to 3 cents a pound higher than the Chicago prices.

London veal, on the contrary, was generally a little higher in 1908. The British prices were about on a par with those of New York toward the end of the year. Formerly they were usually from 1 to 2 cents higher.

The best Berlin veal is no doubt a choice article, but it is very expensive. In many instances the values are fully 100 per cent above those of Chicago. Compared with 1907, the Berlin prices in 1908 were lower in the early months, but appreciably higher in the summer and fall.

The Parisians are large consumers of veal. A much larger quantity comes into the market daily than of any other class of meat. Excepting the last three months, there was a considerable advance in

the prices of 1908 over those of 1907. The best French veal averages about 2 cents a pound lower than the Berlin price, but it is 2 to 4 cents higher than the London quotations.

Wholesale prices, per pound, of fresh carcass veal at home and foreign markets, 1907 and 1908, by months.

The prices for good sheep carcasses in Chicago were very high in the first half of 1908, touching 13 cents a pound in April. There was, however, a considerable slackening later on, the lowest figure for the year being 83 cents in October. New York mutton was usually onehalf to 1 cent higher than Chicago, although the November quotation was the same and that for December half a cent lower.

London mutton was higher from January to April, 1908, than in the corresponding period of 1907, but from May onward it was from one-half to 2 cents lower in 1908.

The Berlin mutton quotations were uniformly lower in 1908 with the exception of one month, January. The prices ran about even with those of London for a considerable portion of the year, but in the later months they exceeded the British figures by about 2 cents.

The Parisians evidently regard choice mutton as their best meat, as the prices, with a few exceptions, run higher than those of lamb and veal. The table shows, also, that the quotations for 1908 were generally higher than those of 1907.

Wholesale prices per pound of fresh carcass mutton at home and foreign markets, 1907 and 1908, by months.

Round-dressed lamb carcasses at Chicago brought 1 to 2 cents a pound more in the spring of 1908 than they did the year before, but from June on the price was one-half to 2 cents less. The high point on the list was 15 cents in April, the lowest figure being 11 cents in October. Choice spring lambs in New York ran pretty even with Chicago for most of the year. It is rather singular that the highest quotations for lamb in New York for the past two years occurred in June, when the price touched 16 cents in both years. This was two months later than the Chicago maximum and three months later than that of London.

The new season's lamb in England is a highly esteemed article of diet and commands very high prices. The table shows that it appears on the market from December to May. The highest prices are obtained in March, the top price in 1908-241 cents a pound-being the highest obtained for any class of meat at any of the markets quoted. It may be observed, however, that the London quotations for November and December, 1908, were but 1 cent higher than those of New York and Chicago.

Fat lambs at Berlin usually maintain a fairly even price throughout the year, and they average about 4 cents a pound higher than Chicago.

Choice lamb in Paris was somewhat higher in 1908 than in 1907. The highest prices are secured in the late fall and early winter, the