About half the pork exported to England from Denmark is cured by the co-operative curing houses, established first in 1888 and since that date greatly increased in number. Enormous quantities of cheap Black Sea barley have been brought into Denmark the last few years, used principally for fodder. The principal advantage of the co-operative system, doing away with the middleman, applies to these establishments. Farmers who raise hogs in a given district of say ten to twenty miles' circumference, unite and furnish the money necessary for the construction and operation of the co-operative curing establishment. The farmers bind themselves to deliver all hogs that they raise to the curing house, and severe fines are collected when animals are sold elsewhere. At every curing house there is a shop for the sale of sausage, fat, etc., these as a rule paying well and forming an important part of the profits in this co-operation. HOG PRICES AT CHICAGO, PER 100 POUNDS. Heavy packing, Mixed packing, Light bacon. Year. 260 to 450 lbs. 200 to 250 lbs. 150 to 200 lbs. 1899 $3.10@4.75 $3.50@5.00 $3.75@5.00 1898 3.25@4.80 3.30@4.75 3.00@4.65 1897 3.00@4.50 3.20@4.60 3.20@4.65 1896 2.40@4.45 2.75@4.45 2.80@4.45 1895 3.25@5.45 3.25@5.55 3.25@5.70 1894 3.90@6.75 3.90@6.65 3.50@6.45 1893 3.80@8.75 4.25@8.65 4.40@8.50 1892 3.70@7.00 3.65@6.70 3.60@6.85 1891 3.25@5.70 3.25@5.75 3.15@5.95 TOTAL PACKING AND MARKETING OF HOGS. [Year Ended March 1--Cincinnati Price Current.] Receipts. Western Eastern N. Y., Phil. Packing. Packing. and Balto. Total. 1898-99 23,651,000 3,162,000 2,978,000 29,791,000 1897-98 20,201,000 3,072,000 2,861,000 26,134,000 1896-97 16,929,000 2,791,000 2,950,000 22,670,000 1895-96 15,010,000 2,603,000 2,867,000 20,480,000 1894-95 16,003,000 3,099,000 2,517,000 21,619,000 1893-94 11,605,000 2,701,000 2,483,000 16,789,000 1892-93 12,390,000 3,016,000 2,790,000 18,196,000 1892 14,457,000 2,771,000 3,684,000 20,912,000 1891 17,713,000 2,540,000 3,713,000 23,966,000 RECEIPTS OF HOGS AT LEADING POINTS BY YEARS. [Stated in thousands--From American Agriculturist Year Book for 1898.] 1897 1896 1895 1894 1893 1892 1891