SWINE AND FOWL INDUSTRY OF MISSOURI, AND ANNUAL LOSS BY DISEASE.

Hon. NORMAN J. COLMAN,

Commissioner of Agriculture :

SIR: In accordance with the instructions accompanying my appointment as an inspector of the Bureau of Animal Industry, I have the honor to herewith transmit you a special report, by counties, of the hog and fowl industry in the State of Missouri; and also an estimate of the number and value of hogs annually lost by hog cholera or swine plague, and of fowls lost by fowl cholera.

The collection of these facts has been attended with much difficulty, and in many counties the report is not as satisfactory as I would have been pleased to have it. I find it no easy task to get correspondents who will manifest sufficient interest in gratuitous work to give carefully prepared statements of their respective counties. Circular after circular was sent out, to which I received no reply, but by unremitted efforts I finally secured sufficient information to form the nucleus of this report, which, I think, you will find approximately near the correct fig

ures.

HOGS.

The number of hogs and the average value per head, as shown in the following table, are perhaps much greater than will be shown by the assessment rolls, but it should be remembered that the whole number of hogs are never listed by county or township assessors, and that the assessed value is only from one-half to two-thirds of the real value. In the light of these facts, the estimates in this table, in these two instances, will be found rather below than above the true data.

The number of hogs produced is very much dependent upon the corn crop, and hence varies with the production of this cereal. Counties, the staple production of which is corn, will be found to have a propor tionately large number of hogs, and in such counties the average price per head is greater. Take, for example, the corn growing counties along the Missouri River and compare them with many of the counties in the southeastern part of the State, and a marked difference is seen, both in the number of hogs produced and the average value per head.

HOG CHOLERA.

To get the number of hogs annually lost by hog cholera or swine plague was a slow and laborious task, and at best is only an estimate, there being no data from which to reckon. Parties to whom circulars were addressed would send in reports, which varied widely as to the

per cent. of loss. This, no doubt, is due to the locality in which the writer chanced to live. Writers in one part of a county would report considerable loss, whilst others in another part of the same county would report a comparatively insignificant loss. There was not, however, a county in the State which did not report more or less loss from cholera, and the rate per cent. of loss contained in the annexed table is a carefully calculated average of the losses reported.

It is a fact worthy of notice that the amount of loss from this source is less in those counties where the hogs run at large and subsist mainly upon the forest mast than in those where they are kept in inclosures and fed during the entire year.

Table showing the number of hogs raised in the State, the average value per head, the number attacked and the value of those lost by disease.

Table showing the number of hogs raised in the State, &c.-Continued.

The fowl industry of Missouri is likely not so extensive as in many of the Eastern States, but is making material progress at this time. Within the last few years large purchases of fowls of all kinds have been made along the lines of the different railroads, for the purpose of supplying the New York and other eastern markets. The prices paid by these shippers are good, and considerably above those formerly paid by local buyers. Where these shippers have been doing their buying, for the last two years, farmers have been stimulated by the prices paid to give more attention to this much neglected industry, and, as a consequence, more and a better grade of fowls will be produced."

To ascertain the exact status of the fowl industry would, under existing circumstances, be a very difficult task. It is a species of property

which is never listed by assessors, and very few farmers can give an accurate statement of the number and value of the fowls produced upon their farms for any given year. The estimate, given in the accompanying table, may appear to some to be rather extravagant, but upon investigation will be found very reasonable, in fact rather low. The home consumption is very great, and must be considered as a part of the production. Many families during the summer and fall months use chickens and other fowls entirely, instead of other meats, in fact nearly all the poorer class do this. It would be safe to say that more than half the annual production is consumed at home by the producer.

The prices of fowls vary widely in the different counties, owing to the market facilities. In counties having railroads, populous towns, and a large element of non-producers, the prices are good, whilst in many other sections of the State, not having these advantages, the prices are low and the number produced limited. In such counties the number produced is measured by the home demand. The average price each, given in this table, is not intended for chickens alone, but for all kinds of poultry, and is probably a little lower than it should be. I am inclined to think that many of the correspondents reporting to this office labored under the impression that the inquiry related to chickens solely, and made their estimate accordingly.

CHICKEN CHOLERA.

Vast destruction has been done to the poultry interest of this State by this disease. There is hardly a neighborhood that has not suffered more or less from its ravages. In many localities more than half the production is thus lost. Many correspondents reported as high as 50 per cent. loss in their immediate vicinities. The per cent. of loss given in the table is an average of reports received, and is perhaps as near correct as can be obtained.

Table showing the number of fowls raised in the State, the average value per head, the number and value of those lost by disease.

Table showing the number of fowls raised in the State, &c.-Continued.