2C2 



THK FARMER'S MAGAZINE. 



REVIEW OF THE CATTLE TRADE DURING 

 THE PAST MONTH. 



Nearly the whole of the various markets liave been ex- 

 tensively supplied with both beasts and sheep as to num- 

 ber ; but their general quality has shown a great falling-off 

 when compared with some former corresponding seasons. 

 This deficiency in quality, consequently in weight, is chiefly 

 owing to the small supplies of pasture food in the leading 

 grazing districts in the north, and also to many graziers having 

 been compelled to send awa}' large supplies of stock in a half- 

 fat state. The same state of things having prevailed in the 

 North of Europe, we have imported large numbers of beasts 

 from Denmark considerably less than half-fat, and which 

 have sold at miserably low prices. The deficiency in the 

 supply of meat has led to some activity in the trade, and to 

 rather an important rise in the quotations, very prime Scots 

 and the best old Downs having in some instances sold at 5s. 

 per a lbs. in the Metropolitan Market. Lambs have also 

 produced more money, aad the value of other kinds of stock 

 lias had an upward tendency. Fortunately, of late, rather 

 abundant quantities of rain have fallen in some parts of the 

 north, and pasture food has rather increased ; hence, luture 

 supplies will, we imagine, show more weight and a better 

 qualit}'. Certainly, the graziers will not be compelled to 

 send away stock in miserably low condition. 



On the whole there is a fair prospect of an average growth 

 of turnips and swedes for winter consumption ; but this re- 

 mark applies more particularly to districts south of the 

 Huniber, where the quantity of hay, now that the second 

 crop has been secured, is nearly or quite equal to last season. 

 The total supplies of stock shown in the Great Metro- 

 politan Market during the month, have been as follows : — 



Beasts 2(),9ir)head. 



Cows 517 „ 



Sheep and lambs 151,530 „ 



Calves 3,1-27 „ 



Pigs 3,510 „ 



Comparison of Supplies. 

 Sheep and 

 Aug. Beasts, Lambs. Calves. Pigs. 



18i4 21,.3!J4 164,920 4,286 3,870 



1855 20,816 151,870 3,356 4,272 



1856 21,271 147,2,50 3,354 2,875 



1857 20,695 143,758 3,173 2,450 



During the month just concluded 13,000 beasts arrived 

 from Lincolnshire, Leicestershire, and Northamptonshire ; 

 2,800 from other parts of England; 370 from Scotland; 

 250 from Norfolk; and 1,280 from Ireland. 



The annexed figures represent the importations of foreign 

 stock into London : — 



Beasts 8,293 head. 



Sheep 1 9,500 „ 



Lambs 2,764 „ 



Calves 3,512 „ 



Pigs 2,935 „ 



Comparison of Lmports. 

 Aug. Beasts, Sheep. Lambs. Calves. Piwg 



1854 .5,.507 19,7/0 1,178 2,495 2,176 



1855 5,941 22,605 984 2,484 3 476 



1856 5,677 17,801 1,271 2,301 l'901 



1857 4,692 23,215 1,760 2,661 2,322 



Beef has sold at from 2s. lOd. to Ss. ; Mutton, 3a. to 5s. 5 

 Lamb, 48. 8d. to 6s. ; Veal, 3s. 6d. to 5s. ; Pork, 33. to 4V 

 2d. per Bibs, to sink the oilal. 



Comparison op Prices. 

 Aug., 1855. Aug., 1856. Aug., 1857. 



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

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

 Mutton., 3 6 — 5 2,. 3 4 — 5 2.. 2 10 — 5 4 



Lamb 4 8 — 6 0.. 4 8 — C 0..4 8 — 6 



Veal .... 4 4 — 5 4., 3 C — 5 0.. 3 6 — 5 Q 

 Pork ,...3 6—4 6,. 3 4 — 4 8.. 3 8 — 4 }! 

 Newgate and Leadenhall markets have been fairly sup- 

 plied with meat, which has sold steadily, on rather higher 

 terms. 



THE ISLE OF ELY. 



Absence from home prevented our report appearing ast 

 month ; we must therefore now seek to repair that omiasiou, 

 and briefly review tlie proceediugs of the last two months. 

 After the intense heat of June, we had a change to cool and 

 showery weather, which continued till nearly the end of July, 

 when fine harvest weather set in, and continued for several 

 days, interrupted only by the gale of wind which blew so furi- 

 ously on Sunday, the 25th ult., and which in this locality was 

 unaccompanied by rain. On our hot gravelly soils the high 

 temperature of June had evidently done mischief to the^heat 

 crop, and July presented signs of premature ripening ; and as 

 harvest approached the symptoms of blight were unmistake- 

 able, and on all these soils the sample will be irregular. The 

 storm of wind to which we have referred occasioned the stand- 

 ing crops where the grain was ripe to shake a good deal ; we 

 estimate the loss at from cue to four bushels per acre : but, 

 fortunately, many of our wheats were laid, and consequently 

 escaped injury. Harvest on our forward soils began pretty 

 generally on the 23rd and 24th ult. The crop of wheat has 

 cut up bulky, but we are not sanguine as to either yield or 

 quality : we thiuk both will be very various, especially the 

 latter. On some of our beat-farmed black soils the crop has 

 ripened brighter thau on the gravel, and will yield a better 

 sample. Should this week continue fair, the bulk of our 

 wheats will be secured iu fine condition. Although last week 

 we had some iuterruptious, in some parts of the Fens the 

 showe.'s falling very heavily, they were extremely partial, until 

 Saturday aftcraoou, when we bad a teaming rain ou all sides 

 of US, but the fiue day ou Sunday enabled our farmers to re- 

 sume their carting again yesterday morning. We have had a 

 feiv samples of new wheat iu the market : they have generally 

 been coarse-lookiug, but have deceived us exceedingly iu the 

 weight ; indeed, we never remember to have seen samples 

 with such looks yield such heavy weights, and the condition is 

 unprecedenteilly fiue. The oat crop is various ; it has im- 

 proved a good deal, but will be below an average. A few of 

 the earliest beans may yield a fair crop, but generally both this 

 and the pea crop are decidedly bad, aud in some instances not 

 worth harvesting. Coleseed is generally a bad crop, being in- 

 jured by fly aud wireworra, and blown away by the storm of 

 the 25th ult. in many instances. Grass-keeping is short, and 

 pastures require more rain before they can afl'ord much food. 

 Mangels look well, and promise to be a good crop, — Aug. 17. 



CUMBERLAND. 



Harvest has come, and at something like railway speed. 

 Where the harvest was calculated a few weeks ago to become 

 general towards the latter end of the present month, it is at 

 least a fortnight or more earlier thau in an average of years. 

 The wheat crop, of which a considerable portion is already in 

 stock, turns out a bulky one, and on rich loamy soils rai.ch of 

 it was lodged early, indeed some of it before it was well in ear, 

 and will consequently be ill-fed, with a deficient yield. The 

 quality will generally be inferior to that of last year, but in 

 point of quantity, takiug the aggregate, it will perhaps be 

 above an average. No part of the wheat crop has as yet been 

 secured, and should the weather continue for some time, as it has 

 been the last few days, the operation of cartini; from the field 

 will necessarily be slow and tedious : there will also be a risk 

 of the grain suffering damage, the weather having been wet 

 aud unfavourable for harvest work, and at present has a very 

 unfavourable appearance. Barley is a good crop, and a part of 

 it has already been secured in the more early districts, Oats 

 are a good crop on rich dry and loamy soils, but on cold thin 

 soils are deficient, and on the aggregate the crop will scarcely 

 come up to an avcrsge one. Potatoes looked well and very 

 thriving during summer, but unmistakable symptoms of 

 disease are apparent in the stems, and the tubers also show 

 disease, but not yet to a very great extent. Turnips got badly 

 on from the beginning, with the exception of the early sown 

 swedes, which were got in about the first week in May, These 

 came well, and got away without much injury from the fly, 

 and will make out a very good crop; on the contrary, those 

 put in about the 20th of the month] auflered severely from the 

 fly, many fields having to be resown, and are not yet doing 

 well : aud to add to the'miachief produced by the fly, the black 



