170 



THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. 



given by the Right Hon. the liOrJ Viscount Eversley, for the 

 best peu of ram lambs, of any breed, to ^Ir. George Edney, 

 Whitchurch. 



SALISBURY FAIR.— About 10,000 sheep were penned, 

 beiug about 2,000 more than the number shown last year. 

 Trade was dull, on inj; to the weather, but prices were fully 

 equal to those of Stockbridge fair. Ewes realized from 268. 

 to 4Gs. 6d. ; lambs, from 203. to 343.; and Wethers, 30s. to 

 408. per head. Noarly all the stock brought was disposed of. 



SHERBORNE FAIR was well attended by dealers and 

 agriculturists. There were about the usual number of sheep 

 penned ; the trade was exceedingly heavy. Mutton, 6id. per 

 lb.; Down lambs, in their wool. 2l3. to 233.; do., shorn, 143. 

 to 183. ; Down ewes, 253. to 288. per head. Tnere were about 

 80 Devon steers and oxen offered for sale, but very few were 

 sold. Cows and calves, £11 to JE15 each ; barren heifers, £9 

 to £11 each; yearling heifers, principally Irish, £5 to £6 each. 

 The pig trade was very dull. The best catt-horses were sold 

 at from £35 to £40 each. Wool was in demand at 15d. 

 per lb. 



ST. BOS WELL'S FAIR.— The buyers were more uumeroua 

 than for many years ; no doubt arising from the recent rains 

 having si much improved the turnips and grass. The fat 

 sheep were in demand for butchering purposes, and sold readily. 

 Mr. Johnstou, Marllield, sold his wether lambs at 2'Js. Mr. 

 Young, Cowdenknowes, sold his wethers at 26s. Several 

 other lots, from the same district of country, brought within 

 Is. to Is. 6 J. of the above quotations. Three-port bred 

 sheep suffered about the same reduction ; but the half-bred 

 sheep, in condition, brought equally good prices as last year. 

 A lot of three-quarters-breds from Dalcoue Mains sold at 363. 

 A lot sold by Mr, Dudgeon, Spylaw, of balf-breds, at 35s. 6d. 

 (eight score). A lot of half-bred ewes and wethers sold at 

 31 3., from uear Berwick-upon-Tweed. Mr. Ritchie, salesman, 

 Edinburgh, bought a lot of half-bred sheep at 16s. 6d. ; 

 another lot at 32s. ; and three other lota at 283., 31s., and 

 30s. 6d. At mid-day there were a few remained unsold. 



STRATFORD-ON-AVON FAIR. —There was a large 

 supply of stock, as well as some very fine cows with their 

 calves ; but, in consequence of there being few buyersi trade 

 was dull. Of sheep there were nearly 2,000 penned, besides 

 lambs, which hung heavily on hand, and the farmers and 

 dealers were obliged to accept lower prices ; therefore we may 

 quote beef about O^d. per lb. lower — also mutton. Lamb 

 sold quite as well as last fair. Both beef and mutton from 

 5^(1. to 6,^1. per lb. 



TEWKESBURY FAIR.— There was an average supply 

 of sheep, including some very good ones. There were not 

 many cattle, and but few of them were fat. Horses were 

 more numerous, and included some very good cart animals. 

 Trade was not brisk in any department, although a good many 

 farmers and dealers were present. Beef 7d., and muttoa 

 6id to "d. per lb. 



"WEDMORE FAIR was not largely supplied with stock. 

 To effect sales parties were obliged to come down considerably. 

 Beef, ranged from 8s. 9d. to 93. 9d., some of extra quality 

 may be quoted at at lOs. per score, top figure ; wether mut- 

 ton realized from 6d. to 6}ii. per lb.; ewe ditto from 5d. to 

 5 Jd. per lb. ; some ci.oice lambs fetched from 7d. to 7^d. per 

 lb. In store pigs there was a material reduction in price. 



YETHOLM LAMB FAIR.— The number of lambs was 

 very small, and few buyers being present, only a portion of 

 lambs were disposed of. 



YORK FORTNIGHT MARKET.— Calving and dairy 

 cows were in supply and demand about equal to last market, 

 and prices the same. A large number of grazing beasts had 

 a very slow sale, many remaining on hand, yet prices were 

 much lower. Fat beasts were in fair supply and demand, at 

 7s. 6d. per stone ; and some of super quality exceeded that 

 quotation. A moderate quantity of mutton sheep sold at ^d. 

 per lb. advance. Grazing sheep and lambs were plentiful, at 

 average prices. We had some very prime lots of foreign sheep, 

 which were much admired for their size and quality, and par- 

 ticularly for the quality of their wool. 



REVIEW OF THE CORN TRADE 



DURING THE PAST MONTH. 



The month of July has been far less sultry than 

 its predecessor, there having been a fair fall of rain, 

 with some thunder storms, which somewhat laid 

 the wheat and impeded harvest, though the month 

 has not closed without some new appearing at mar- 

 ket. As to yield, the prospect diminished as 

 the crop was inspected, a good deal of blight being 

 found in some pieces, while all the light land pro- 

 mises to be short ; but should the weather be favour- 

 able, though last year's plenty cannot generally 

 be looked for, we anticipate a full average yield, 

 the deficiency in the number of grains to the ear 

 being in many places quite made up by their feeing 

 more numerous than in 1857. The hay harvest, 

 though at one time threatened, has been concluded 

 favourably, but a good portion of the late-cut grass 

 has lost colour. All the root crops have been greatly 

 benefited, and potatoes especially, as the quantity 

 of rain has not been too great for them to bear. 

 Spring corn, particularly barley and oats, have im- 

 proved, but the rain came too late to be of use to 

 pulse, so that beans, peas, and tares will be very 

 deficient ; the former may be made up by arrivals 

 from Egypt, but the latter must find substitutes. 



If in this humid climate the heat was too great 

 in some places for the wheat plant, it has been 

 found still more so in other parts of Europe ; Hol- 

 land, Belgium, the borders of the Rhine, France, 

 Spain, and Italy, not being so well reported ; while 

 America, though favoured with a set- in of forcing 

 weather after much wet, does not seem likely to 

 gather so much as last year. In Canada about an 

 average is expected. The previous abundatice will, 

 therefore, not only be serviceable for mixing, but 

 as a reserve against any deficiency in the present 

 yield, and serve to keep prices at a moderate range. 

 In America the maize crop is yet in jeopardy from 

 the lateness of its being sown, in consequence of 

 floods; but Southern Europe has lost the fears 

 which at one time prevailed for its safety. The 

 apprehension of very low prices, which at one time 

 began to jirevail, has now disappeared, the rapidly 

 increasing population having made good account 

 of the liberal imports since last harvest, as foreign 

 stocks still ajjpear moderate. Prices during 

 the month have not fluctuated more than 2s., 

 leaving rates little altered. Though stocks of 

 English in the country are held to be good, the 



