446 



THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE, 



tained. lu France, however, the epidemic appears to have 

 increased ; but whilst on this subject, we may state that the 

 cowkeepers of London have lost fully twenty per cent, of their 

 stock ; the cows have suddenly lost their milk, and very large 

 numbers have been disposed of for slaughtering purposes. 



The following return shows the imports of foreign stock 

 into London during the month : — 



Beasts 4,600 head. 



Sheep 24,145 „ 



Lambs 179 ,, 



Calves 1,581 „ 



Pigs 553 „ 



Total „ 31,058 



I.MPORTS AT Corresponding Seasons. 

 Oct. Beasts. Sheep. Calves, Pirrg. 



1«57 5,819 24.102 1,990 1,233 



1 855 8,87 1 1 0,502 1 ,280 895 



1855 8,136 21, 137 1,358 1,501 



1854 6.894 16,328 1,009 1 ,063 



1853 8,190 30,643 1,797 1,585 



i^^-2 7,792 26,672 1,350 1,624 



ITrom the above comparison it appears that the arrivals of 

 foreijjn stock have fallen short of some previous years j ani 

 we may fairly assume that, had it not been for the want of 

 food on the Continent, the importations, iiace our last, would 

 have exhibited a further great deficiency. 



The total suppliea of stock exhibited in tbe Metropolitan 

 Market have been — ' 



Beasts 26,910 head. 



Cows 516 „ 



Sheep 120,300 „ 



Calves 1,738 „ 



Pigs 2,940 „ 



Of the above supplies of beasts, 14,040 shorthorns came to 

 hand from Lincolnshire, Leicestershire, and Northamptonshire ; 

 2,700 various breeds from other parts of England ; 273 Scots 

 from Scotland; and 3,720 oxen, &c., from Ireland. 



Comparison of Supplies. 

 Oct. Beasts. Cows. Sheep. Calves. Pigs. 



1857 26,833 497 115,409 1,572 2,580 



1856 24,941 4.57 103,870 1.956 3,918 



1855 24,666 490 118,.578 2,748 3.558 



1854 26,456 510 146,048 1,900 3,620 



1853, 27,327 545 14.5,400 2,.517 3,112 



1852 26,134 525 132,430 2,556 2,770 



The price of beef, last month, ranf^ed from 2s. 8d. to 48. 

 lOcl.; mutton, 2s. lOd. to Sa. ; veal, Ss. 4d. to 5s. ; and pork, 

 23. 10(1. to 4s. 4d. per Slhs. to sink the offil. These quota- 

 tions show a very wide r.iuge between the lowest and highest 

 figures. 



Comparison of Pricks. 



Oct., 18.54. Oct, 1855. 



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



Beef, from 32 to 50 32 to 50 



Mutton 32 — 50 34 — 50 



Veal 3 — 4 8 3 6 — 5 4 



Pork 3 4 — 5 310 — 5 2 



Oct., 1856. Oct., 1857. 



E. d. s. d. s. d. s. d. 



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



Mutton 3 6 — 5 2 3 4 — 5 6 



Veal 3 6 — 5 4 3 4 — 5 4 



Pork 3 6 — 5 2 3 6 — 5 4 



The supplies of both town and country-killed meat on ofifer 

 in Newgate and Leadeohall markets have been very extensive. 

 Tiiose of pork have been unusually large. Generally speaking, 

 tbe trade has ruled heavy, at very low prices. Beef has sold at 

 from 2s. 6d. to 43. 4d.; mutton, 23. 6d. to 48. 4d.; veal, 3a. 

 4d. to 43, 4d. ; pork, 23. 4d. to 43, 4d. per 81b. by the carcass. 



ISLE OF ELY. 

 Since our last report, with the exception of one or two 

 days, the weather has been uniformly dry and parching. 

 We have also had one or two severe frosts, and a few foggy 

 mornings. Wheat-seeding has been considerably retarded. 

 Some of our farmers have been busily engaged putting in 

 the wheat, and in some instances have sown it on far too 

 dry a seed-bed, and are in danger of realizing a weak and 

 irregular plant. Others have selected those fields where 

 the greatest amount of moisture prevailed, and where there 

 was a prospect of the wheat vegetating properly, and have 

 sown these, leaving all those other fields, where the soil 

 was too dry and dusty, until the fertilizing rain should drop 

 down its fatness upon them. And yesterday this long- 

 looked-for and anxiously-desired blessing came. The wind 

 blew from the N.E, and the barometer was low; and 

 during the greater part of the day and evening the rain 

 fell steadily, and at intervals heavily. The soil was too 

 dry to be thoroughly saturated with one day's rain ; but 

 there has been sufficient to enable our farmers to recom- 

 mence sowing, and there are indications that more is at 

 hand ; and more is certainly needed. The long-continued 

 drought has not only interrupted the wheat-seeding, but has 

 also ha^ a prejudicial effect upon the pastures, the man- 

 golds, and the coleseed. The pastures were beginning to 

 look bare ; and water was becoming scarce. The mangolds 

 have not increased so much in size and weight as they 

 would otherwise have done, and, although a good full crop, 

 are by no means so heavj- as we were led to anticipate a 

 month ajo they would be. The coleseeds on the dry, gra- 

 velly soils began to show yellow leaves, and were seriously 

 injuied for want ot moisture. Potatoes have turned out 

 well : the crop is heavj', but not free from disease. On the 

 dry S'lils it is generally sound ; but on those lands where 

 tbe subsoil is damp and cool, it is a good deal affected by 

 disease. Beef and mutton have continued steady in price ; 

 but store cattle and sheep have been a slow sale, arising 

 from the shortness of grass keeping. The corn markets 

 during the last fortnight have evinced more tone and firm- 

 ness, and prices for the best wheats have slightly ad- 

 vanced ; but the tr.-ide has not generally been animated. 

 Supplies will probably continue shorter, as the first thrash 

 is over, and farmers will scarcely rush to market with all 

 their corn before Christmas, with a no more tempting and 

 remunerative price than 40s. per qr. — Oct. 19. 



MONTHLY RETURN. 



An Account shewing tiik Quantities op Corn 

 Grain, Meal, and Flour, imported into thk 

 United Kingdom, and admitted to Home Con- 

 sumption, in the month of September, 1858. 



Species of Corn, Grait;, 

 Meal, and Flour. 



Wheat,.... 



Barley 



Oats 



Kye 



PL'as 



Beans 



Maize or Indian Corn 



Buck Wheat 



Beer or Bigg 



Imported . I"'l'°1^^ 



fro„/forei,nfpX,esJio::s 

 Countries. ZZtTope 



Total of Corn and Grain 



Wheat Meal ami Flour 



Barley Meal 



Out Meal , 



R/eMeal 



Pea M eal 



Indian Meal 



Buck Wheal Meal 



Tutal of Meal and Flour. 



qrs. bush. 



295945 6 



105744 7 I 



243 18J 



27til 7 



13112 7 



36293 4 



141606 5 



5 



qrs. bush, 

 10857 



6 

 C4S 4 



Total. 



qrs. bush. 



306812 6 



105744 7 



24311-9 



27(i7 7 



13761 3 



36298 4 



141606 .S 



5 



838604 4 



850186 



cwfs. qr.lb.j 

 186497 3 12 



cwts. qr.ll). ewts. qr.lb; 

 SC8G 1 13 196184 24 



II 



530 







220 



11 



3 1| 



1 171 



2 

 2 18 

 lOl 



187292 1 2 086? 3 12 197160 14 



