There can be no question but that the number of hogs in Holland has been seriously reduced. As the figures above indicate, there was an increase through 1915, and then a rapid decline began, which has continued up to the present. In 1917 the number had decreased more than 300,000 as compared with 1915, and were about 165,000 less than in the pre-war year of 1913. The number in 1918 is but slightly more than 50 per cent of the number in 1917, about 44 per cent as compared with 1913, and only 40 per cent of the number in the maximum year of 1915.

As might be expected, recent official reports regarding the hog industry are quite pessimistic. The fattening of hogs, according to these reports, was made practically impossible because of the lack of consistent feed. The available hogs could be brought to a light weight only, and regulation weight for Government hogs had to be reduced from time to time. The breeders also claimed that the price fixed by the Government was not sufficient to allow them to continue the industry with profit. As a result of these various factors, breeding as well as fattening of hogs has generally stopped, according to official reports. In the cheese districts, where a large number of hogs are fattened annually as a sort of by-product of the dairy industry, hog breeding and fattening have practically ceased, and farmers who formerly fattened from 100 to 200 head now have but enough for their own meat consumption. However, as mentioned before, these official reports of the past few years usually present the most pessimistic side to the public. That there has been, though, a serious depletion of the swine herds of Holland in the past couple of years can not be denied. The reduction in the number of hogs, however, is not in itself as serious a matter as would be the reduction of the dairy herds. Hogs can be bred much more rapidly and herds built up more quickly than in the case of cattle; also the loss is less serious, since valuable breeding stock is not being sacrificed, as would be the case with cattle.

SHEEP.

Holland normally breeds a very considerable number of sheep. The hills and heather lands of the southern and eastern part are particularly well adapted to raising sheep and goats. The Dutch use locally all the wool they can produce, but had not, up to the time of the war, developed any great habit of eating mutton. Most of the meat was exported, particularly to England.

The table on page 22 indicates the number of sheep imported and exported in recent years and the principal countries of origin and destination.

As in the case of hogs, Holland normally carried on a continuous foreign trade in live sheep, but this commerce was not so very large. The imports were negligible, and what few were brought into the country came from Belgium principally. The war stopped what small trade existed, and since 1914 there have been no imports.

The export trade was more important, and in normal times Holland exported from 75,000 to 100,000 head annually, the value being from 1 to 2 million florins. The war had an immediate effect on this commerce. In 1914 the exports were less than one-half the normal number, and in 1915 less than 13,000 head were sent from the country. After that year the export trade practically ceased.

Nearly all the sheep exported from Holland went to Belgium in normal times. The war had some effect on the trend of this trade, for in 1914 Germany secured more than her usual share, and in 1915, the last year of exports, Germany's receipts were relatively still greater. However, since Germany had overrun Belgium before this time, the shift of the trade is probably not particularly significant. The following statistics, taken from the table on page 27, show the number of sheep in Holland during recent years:

For some time before the war the number of sheep had increased slowly, the maximum number being reached in 1910, when the census figures showed 889,000; then a tendency to decrease began, and in 1913 the number was reduced to 842,000. The war accelerated the tendency toward reduction. In 1917 there were 321,000 less sheep than there were in the pre-war year of 1913, or a reduction of about 38 per cent. The 1918 census, however, shows a peculiar condition, as the number of sheep was actually greater than it was in the preceding year. The increase in 1918 was about 121,000 head, or 23 per cent, as compared with 1917. However, as compared with the pre-war year of 1913 there was a decrease of approximately 24 per

cent.

The official reports indicate a rather bad condition prevailing in the sheep business. In the spring of 1917 so many sheep in poor condition were slaughtered that the market was glutted. As a result prices fell and the growers lost money. Later in the summer, however, grass became abundant and the sheep were put on the market in better condition. Prices, keeping pace with other foodstuffs, rose, and the growers received enough for the sheep to compensate for the high prices they had been compelled to pay for feed.

MEAT.

In normal times Holland was a constant exporter of meats. The trade, however, was not so very large, as the amount produced does not greatly exceed the local consumption. The following tables show, respectively, the principal countries of origin and destination of the total fresh meat imports and exports and the net exports of all meat:

HOLLAND'S NET EXPORTATION OF MEAT, 1912-1918.

BEEF AND VEAL.

The imports of beef and veal are insignificant, and what small amounts there were brought into the country practically ceased coming at the outbreak of the war. The exports, however, were larger and in pre-war times averaged about 18,000 tons. The war produced. no material effect on the amount of these exports until after 1916. In 1917 the exports were negligible, and in 1918 they practically disappeared.

In normal times the exports were about equally divided between Germany and England. After the outbreak of the war, however, the trade shifted, and in 1915 Germany received about three-fourths of the rather heavy exports of that year. In 1916 the Germans secured nearly the entire output. After 1916 the export trade, as previously mentioned, almost disappeared.

There are no available data regarding the total production of beef and veal in Holland.

MUTTON.

The Dutch import very little mutton and export only small quantities. In normal times what exports there were went almost entirely to England. In 1915, however, the Germans received much the greater part; in 1916 the trade was about equally divided between the two countries; the amount, however, in the latter year was insignificant. The Dutch themselves, as previously mentioned, consumed but very little mutton until recently. In the past couple years, though, under war pressure, the Dutch have developed a new taste and consumed what mutton was available.

PORK.

Holland ordinarily imports practically no pork. More is exported, however, than any other one class of fresh meat, the usual amount being between 25,000 and 35,000 tons. Normally England secured the major portion of this surplus, but there was a shifting after the outbreak of hostilities. In 1915 the Germans received much the greater part of the relatively heavy exports for that year. In 1916 the exports were only about one-half of normal, and nearly all were sent to Germany. After 1916 the exports became negligible.

As will be seen from the table on page 32, Holland usually exports appreciable amounts of dried and cured meats. In normal times the exports of all meats exceed the imports by amounts ranging from 50,000 to 65,000 tons annually. The war stimulated the trade, and in both 1914 and 1915 the total net exports were over 90,000 tons. Then came the inevitable reaction. In 1916 the total amount exported was about normal. In 1917 about 20,000 tons were exported and in the following year the exports practically disappeared.

There are no available data regarding the total production of meat in Holland. If the Dutch Government has any reliable information on the subject, it has not been made public. However, as the tables mentioned above show, the Dutch produce enough for their own needs in normal times, with a moderate surplus for export. During the past couple of years, though slaughtering has increased to a considerable extent, it is claimed that the supply of meat has not in

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