I Hogs Look for some further improve ment in hog prices in the next couple of weeks. It looks now’ like ihe seasonal up trend into the summer months, as supply lessen?, will be in about three stages. Up some from now through the first part of April, then fluctuations through May. and then the final pickup into mid-summer Richmond yards last week were 25 cents lower at $17.50 to $18; Vir ginia auctions, unchanged at S17.80: while Western markets mproved 25 to 50 cents to S17.50-$17.75. and Baltimore picked up 50 eats at $18.75 to $19. Receipts in the 12 major markets last week were five Pm cent over the precedit s? week; 10 per cent below the same week last year. This year's price level is higher than last, so while the supply trend right now looks similar to ljist year, the price increase may npt be as big. The latest fallowing intentions for the nine corn belt states shows about the same size pig jcrop as last year for the December! to May

57.5%