THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. 



151 



rest satisfied that even low prices will not have the effect of 

 lessening the producing powers of the United Kingdom? 

 The present value of beasts in our markets— the general 

 top quotation being only 4s. per 8ibs. — maj' induce greater 

 moderation on the part of the breeders as to price ; certainly, 

 the graziers have lost very large sums of money on nearly 

 every head of stock sold during the last three or four weeks. 

 At one period, store animals were selling considerablj' above 

 their value; but the prosperous state of commerce, and the 

 enormous consumption, induced graziers to add largely to 

 their supplies, and the con3e(iuence is that a serious loss has 

 been sustained. In all dealings, it should be borne in 

 mind that there is a limit to consumption, consequently to 

 price — the latter, of course, being regulated by the former ; 

 hence, to speculate in stock beyond what may be considered 

 a fair sum — we here refer to the usual transactions only— is 

 a matter which frequently leads to disappointment and loss. 

 Had it not been that Franco has imported largely for some 

 considerable time— indeed, even now, both beasts and slieep 

 are drawn from Spain and Holland for immediate consump- 

 tion—we should have had a much larger influx of stock 

 from the continent, and, perhaps, even a greater fall in the 

 quotations. As it is, however, the importations have been 

 reduced to almost a nominal amount. But when we consider 

 that the production of live stock in France is increasing 

 under what may be termed good auspices, and that great 

 exertions are being made to improve the weight and quality 

 of the various breeds, by means of importations from this 

 country, it is by no means improbable but that, in the course 

 of a very few years, France will be wholly independent of 

 any other country for the supply of food : hence, the sur- 

 plus produce of Holland will again flow in upon us, and 

 prices may suffer in the general run of years. We must 

 not affect to despise the production of live stock in Holland, 

 because in that country a marked change has taken place in 

 the production, especially of sheep. On the passing of the 

 tariff, the arrivals of sheep from that country were, with the 

 exception of their carrying a full average quantity of inter- 

 nal fat, of an inferior class, and only suited for consumption 

 in very poor localities. Now, however, the case is different. 

 The legs of the animals have been shortened by extensive 

 crossings with English breeds, the tails have been well 

 cropped, and not a few of them have sold as high as 65s. 

 each. Thus, whenever France produces an adequate 

 amount of meat for home consumption— we will not say 

 that eventually she will be able to export much, thougii ex- 

 portations may be looked for, — our breeders acd feeders 

 must be prepared for additional weight in every head of 

 stock imported from the continent, and which, as a matter 

 of course, must have consider.ible influence upon value. For 

 some years we imported enormous members of both beasts 

 and sheep ; but they failed, owing to their light weighing 

 qualities, to have any depressing influence in our markets : 

 still, it is an open question, and one of no ordinary impor- 

 tance, whether we shall have a return to what may be 

 termed high periods for either beasts or sheep. 



We have already remarked that live stock has con- 

 siderably declined in value, and the fall will be better under- 

 stood, when we state that the best Scots have scarcely pro- 

 duced more than 43. 2d., against os. ia the corresponding 

 month in 1857, and that the difference in the price of the 

 best Downs in the wool has been nearly Is. 4d. pgr 8 lbs- 

 Lambs, calves, and pigs have fallen to nearly the same ex- 

 tent, and the increase in the supplies of the latter in nearly 

 every county in England, including Ireland, is very remark- 

 able. It will, however, be recollected that in April, last year, 



there was considerable excitement in the trade, aiising 

 from the publication of an order in council, prohibit- 

 ing the importation of stock from some parts of Germany, 

 owing to the discovery of an extensive murrain, which 

 happily did not extend itself; nevertheless, other months 

 might be selected to prove that production has increased? 

 and the mania for buying at almost any price has subsided 

 into what may be termed a more reasonable state of things. 



Verj' few complaints have reached us from any quarter 

 in reference to the health of the stock. Everywhere, about 

 an average supply of food is on hand ; but the grazier* 

 complain of the shortness of grass in the pastures, and of the 

 continuous changes in the atmosphere having had the 

 ett'ect of retarding the progress of the grass-crop. The 

 lambing season has progressed reoaarkablj' well. There 

 has been a strong and healthy fall, and the number of twins 

 is generally remarked upon by our correspondents. 



The following return shows the imports of foreign stock 

 into London during the montli : — 



Beasts l,0G3head. 



Sheep 4,082 „ 



Calves 830 „ 



Pigs 23 „ 



5.!)9f! 



Total 



Same time in 1857 4,814 „ 



„ 185G 1,924 „ 



„ 1855 4,253 „ 



1854 4,760 „ 



1853 14,787 „ 



1852 5,444 „ 



The total supplies shown in the Great Metropolitan 

 Market have been as under : — 



Beasts 17,950 head. 



Cows 400 „ 



Sheep and lambs 104,380 „ 



Calves 1,332 „ 



Pigs 2,097 „ 



lu April, 1857, there were exhibited 10,601 beasts, 460 

 cows, 92,810 sheep and lambs, 1,240 calves, and 2,025 pigs ; 

 hence, the principal difference in the supplies during the 

 past month is an increase of about 12,000 head of sheep. 



From Norfolk, Suffolk, Essex, and Cambridgeshire 

 11,700 Scots and shorthorns have come to hand. The re- 

 ceipts from other parts of Eugland have amounted to 2.260 

 of various breeds; from Scotland, 920 Scots; and from 

 Ireland, 910 oxen, &c. This is a large number to be drawn 

 from Ireland in one moutii ; but, no doubt, had tlie manu- 

 facturing districts been more active, a portion of the supply 

 would have been sent to Manchester. 



Beef has sold at from 2s. lOd. to 4s. 2d. ; mutton, 3s. to 

 5s. ; lamb, Cs. to 7s. ; veal, 4s. to 5s. 4d. ; and pork, 3s. to 

 4s. 4d. per 8 lbs. to sink the offal. 



Comparison of Prices. 

 April, 1855. April, 1856. April, 1857. 

 s. d. s. d. 8. d. s. d. s. d. s. d. 

 Beef, from 3 2 to 5 .. 3 2 to 4 10.. 3 4 to 5 

 Mutton.. 3 2-5 .. 3 6-5 8 .. 4 6 — C 2 

 Lamb.... 5 4 — 7 0.. 6 0-7 4.. 5 10—/ 4 

 Veal ... 3 8 — 5 0.. 4 — 5 8.. 3 8 — 5 10 

 Pork .... 3 4 — 4 4 .. 3 6 — 4 8 .. 3 8 — 5 



For the time of year, Newgate and Leadenhall have been 

 very extensively supplied with both town and country-killed 

 meat. The general demand has ruled heavy at drooping 

 prices. Beef, from 28. 8d. to 33. 8d.; mutton, 3s. to 48. 2d. ; 

 lamb, 5i. to 68. 4d. ; veal, 4s. to 5s.; pork, 2s. lOd. to 4s. 

 2d. per 81bs., by the carcase. 



