418 



THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. 



The prices of cattle were similar to those realized at recen 

 markets. 



HEREFORD FAIR.— The supply of stock was not so 

 large as we have seen at corresponding fairs in former years, 

 but tlie quality was excellent, and the attendance of buyers 

 from a distance was very large. The gradual and general de- 

 crease in the price of feeding stock which has pervaded other 

 larf;e markets for the last few weeks made itself felt here, and 

 there was a depression upon active business, unless transacted 

 at a lower fi:,'iire than has lately ruled in the stock market. 

 Fat beasts were worth barely 6s. 6d. per atone, and many were 

 sold in lots at a less price than that. The price of lean stock 

 was of course regulated by this standard, and some large lots 

 changed hands for transmission to a distance. But if a com- 

 parative amount of dulness prevailed in the trade for feeding 

 stock, tha same could not be said of the transaction for 

 breeding animals of both sexes. Some exceedingly high prices 

 were obtained for pure-bred beasts belonging to breeders who 

 have achieved a name for their prime cattle, and a iew in- 

 stances will prove this beyond a general statement. Mr. Rea, 

 of Monachty, sold one of the magnilicent 2-year-old prize 

 heifers exhibited in class 7 of the show, for £100; and Mr. 

 Thomas Rea, of VVestonbury, son of the former, obtained £100 

 for his seven months old bull. Mr. Perry, of Cholstrey, real- 

 ised £105 for his young bull which gained the first prize ; and 

 £50 for the own sister — to go to Melbourne, Australia; the prize 

 bull of Mr. Monkhouse, of The Stow, was also sold for £100 

 to go to Australia. The sheep fair was very far from large, but 

 some very floe ewes and wethers were sold at prices ranging 

 from 6d. to 7d. per lb., in proportion to their fatness for the 

 butcher's knife. There very few pens of breeding sheep. The 

 business in the pig market requires no special remark. Stores 

 and suckers went very cheap, but a superior price was gained 

 for those which exhibited the nearest approach to "good 

 breeding."' The show of useful draught horses and mares was 

 unusually numerous, and there was a considerable number of 

 promisiug foals of a heavy character. The business done in 

 this department was both brisk and extensive ; but the value 

 of cart colts, especially suckers, was raore than fifty per cent, 

 lower than they readily realised at our last October and Can- 

 dlemas fairs. There was the same absence of a goodly muster 

 of cariia;;e and hack horses which we have noticed and deplored 

 on many previous occasions; ouly a few good animals of this 

 kind were otTered for sale, and even those with difficulty found 

 purchasers, for people have almost left off looking for first-rate 

 hacks at Hereford. 



ISLEY FAIR. — The .supply of lambs was short, and 

 there being a good demand an advance of Is. per head took 

 place. In sheep the supply was larger, and the trade not so 

 good, but prices underwent scarcely any alteration. 



LEOMINSIER FAIR was tolerably well attended, the 

 state of the weather considered. Prices of all kinds of stock 

 were lower. 



MARKET IIARBOROUGH FAIR.— Unbroken young 

 horses were but little sought after, but those ready for work 

 met with a better sale Good useful horses were bought on 

 easier term?, being £1 or £5 per head less than formerly. 

 There was a great number of beasts for sale, especially stores. 

 The trade was not over brisk, though many were sold. The 

 aheep fair was a very lar.i^e one, there being more than 2,000 

 penned. The trade was very dull, and many were token out 

 of the pens again unsold. The very unfavourable state of the 

 weather no doubt cause 1 the fair to be duller than usual. 



MELTHAM FAIR.— The stock of horned cattle exhibited 

 was moderately large, and a few exchanged hands at rather de- 

 clining prices. Sheep were plentiful, and a tolerable number 

 were sold. 



MITCHELL FAIR was very well supplied with sheep, 

 which in the early part of the day met a dull sale, but ulti- 

 mately nearly all were disposed of, though at prices considera- 

 bly lower than at the same fair last year, and from 3s. to -Is. 

 per head less than at Summercourt, on the 27th ult. There 

 was a good ehow ol cattle, principally in the hands of the 

 dealers, the demand for which was dull, and those sold were on 

 easier terms than at late fairs. 



MUCH WENLOCK FAIR.— The quantity of store stock 

 sent was large ; but the at'.cndnnce of buyers, though not small, 

 especially considering the weather and the number of fairs held 

 iu other places, did not correspond, and a great deal was in 

 consequence sent back. Fat stock, however, was not very large. 



Beasts sold at 6d. and a shade higher, and sheep 6^d. to 7d. 

 Cows and calves were moderate, £14, £15, and £16, or a shade 

 or 30 higher, for good animals. It is seldom that a finer stock 

 of pigs has been sent to this fair; prices continued very low. 



MUIR OF ORD MARKET was a very dull one, and few 

 transactions occurred. Some lots of the latter order were sold 

 at fair prices ; but the amount of business done was compa- 

 ratively small, and there was little desire to come to the terms 

 offered by buyer or seller. Many lots were unsold, the farmers 

 hoping for better bids. A lot of very fine Cheviot wedders 

 were sold by Mr. John Davidson, Comer Muir, Stratbglass, at 

 278. ; ;Mr. Ross, Kinnahaird, sold half-bred clipped hogs at 

 283. £-head, ani two-year-olJ dinmonta (shots) ato2s. ; Mr. 

 Valantyue Macrae, Carnoch, sold a lot of Cheviot ewes at 

 143. 9d. ; Mr. Macrae, Conchra, sold to Mr. Tait, Keppoch, 

 Kintail, a lot of Cheviot ewe lambs at £11 per clad score ; a 

 fine lot of 300 lambs were purchased by Mr. Maclennan, 

 Tomich, at a price stated at lOs. or lis. The market was 

 dull for ordinary cattle, though good cattle fetched fair prices. 

 The price of stock was allowed to he 10 per cent. down. 

 Many lots of Caithness and other cattle were unsold, some 

 never having had a bid. Mr. Forsyth, Dingwall, sold a lot of 

 three- year-old Skye crosses at £9 lOs., also a lot at £9 ; Mr. 

 Anderson, Kildrummie, bought a lot of six-quarter-old crosses 

 ati'7; Jlr. Maclennan, Tomich, a lot three-year-old crosses 

 at £14 14s.; Mr. France bought a lot of two-year-old crosses, 

 at £9 73. 6d. ; the manager for the Duke of Portland bought 

 a lot of Highland stots at £6 15s. ; Mr. Chisholm, Auchua- 

 cloigh, sold a lot of queys at £6 12s. Cd.; Mr. Robertson, 

 Ercliles?, sold six-quarter-old stots, crosses, at £8; Mr. Colvin, 

 Easich, bought a prime lot of six quarter old Highlanders at 

 £7 7s. 



NORWICH: ST. FAITH'S FAIR. — At this important 

 fair the show of Scots was good, both in condition and quality, 

 some lots being nearly fit for the butchers. The numbers were 

 about 800. Sales commenced slowly ; the high prices, com- 

 bined with the low price of wheat and the general deficiency 

 of the turnip crop, prevented many from purchasing ; but be- 

 fore the close of the fair more than half were sold, at from 

 53. to 5s. 6fl., the primest lots 63., per stone of 141bs, Of 

 shorthorns, Devons, and Irish, there was a good falling off ia 

 quality and condition ; although the number exceeded last year ; 

 still it must be remarked that the preference throughout the 

 day was in favour of the Scots, considerably more than half 

 the shorthorns being left unsold at the following prices : 4s. to 

 49, 6J,; forward iu condition, 5s. per stone, We have great 

 reason to fear that the sales throughout the day leave no 

 profits to the owners and dealers. In the horse fair there was 

 so little business done amongst the dealers, in consequence of 

 the few good ones on offer, that prices were at a considerable 

 reduction. On Thursday there v. as a tolerably good show, but 

 few buyers. Prices equal to the fair day. 



SALISBURY FORTNIGHTLY MARKET,— We had an 

 abundant supply of all descriptions of stock. The beef trade 

 was very dull; good serviceable brought lOs. to lis, per score. 

 The demand for prime mutton was good, and 7id, per lb. wsb 

 realized for the best quality. There was a fair supply of In e 

 pigs, with no alteration iu vs'ue; dead pigs from 83. 9d. to 9s. 

 3d. per score. 



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

 show of beasts, but of stores a large number, which met with 

 a dull sale owing to the wet weather, yet there were many 

 buyeis. Beef fetched 5iJ, to e^d. per lb. Not more than 

 1,000 sheep were penned : ewes brought 5^d. to 6|d., best 

 wethers G^d. to 7^d. per lb. ; lanibs 18b. to 243. each; pigs, 

 fat for bacon, 9s. to 9a. 6d. per score. There were some fine 

 horses shown, few changed hands at high prices. 



WELSHPOOL FAIR, — There was a very good attendance 

 of dealers, many of whom came in on the previous evening, 

 and a good show of cattle. Beef sold readily at 5iJ. and 6d., 

 mutton 6^d, to 7d per lb. There were some very good draught 

 hor es, which sold at very good prices. At the pig fair, all 

 that could soon be converted into bacon were bought up di- 

 rectly, but no one seemed to want little pigs. 



WINCHESTER FAIR,— The supply was very short, being 

 about 8,000 less than last year, when the numbers were some- 

 what in excess of an average ; but the present deficiency was 

 nearly one-fourth of the usual quantity penned. Business 

 commenced by sellers asking high prices, which the buyers 

 would not entertain, and fales for lambs were particularly 



