THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. 



277 



ance of early spring food, which gives hopes of a lessened con- 

 sumption. Grazing stock has decreased in value, and there is 

 not that quick sale for sheep, a good many half fat being 

 thrown ou the market for fear of food getting short ; for 

 really good fat mutton there has been a good demand at high 

 prices ; fat sheep have been less scarce than was expected, and 

 have barely maintained hi^ch prices ; mutton a little higher, 

 8d. to 9d., beef 6§d. to 7d. per Ih. Fat pigs have rather 

 advanced, there being very little to fat them with except corn : 

 the prices are 9s. to lOs. per score, aud not a large supply. 

 The lambing season has commenced, and it is spoken rather 

 favourably of, and not such great losses as some years, but is 

 short for couples, and not favourable for early fat lambs. 

 Cheese has been stationary, but there is not that eagerness to 

 buy cows and calves aa last year, and the prices are rather 

 lower : to wean calves there is more disposition, aud those fit 

 sold at fair prices. Our wheat on ground is backward, but 

 looking well set yet, except on the low land, where it has been 

 under water, and injured by the season. Winter beans look on 

 the whole well. Our prices for wheat have been stationary, 

 bat the quality is now much improved : for six weeks they 

 were very damp, and a much larger quantity of the white is 

 grown and damaged by the wet than was expected, and when 

 the old is exhausted the best sound new will be in a small 

 compass, and will be sought after. The yield of the new is 

 bad, and the weight nearly 21b. per bushel less than last year. 

 Fine old white wheat 68. to 63. 3d., new 5s. lOd. to 63. l^d. 

 63 to 64lbs. per bush., red 5s. 3d. to 5s. 9d. 60 to 631bs. per 

 bush. ; grinding barley 3a. 9d. to 43., malting do. 4s. 3d. to 

 53. per bush. ; oats, 20s, to 21s. per qr. ; beans, 21s. to 22s. 

 per sack ; flour with a good demand, 338. to 33s. 6d. per 

 2801bs.— Feb. 24. 



SUFFOLK AGRICULTUKAL REPORT. 



At the present changeable and dull season of the year there 

 is but little in the agricultural operations of the county to 

 call for comment. Com generally may be a shade dearer, 

 beef and mutton aie both selling well, the turnips are much 

 injured by frost, the mangel wurtzel partially rotting, and the 

 labour of the farm progresses slowly. This is a summary of 

 all that is literally important in the passing current events of 

 prices, labour, &c., in the agriculture of the county ; but in 

 the agricultural political arena the scene is far more stirring 

 Even Suffolk is aroused. The proposition of the Chancellor 

 of the Exchequer to reduce materially the amount of duty upon 

 the importation of wine and spirits, and yet leave the malt tax, 

 with all its glaring injustice, untouched, has awakened the 

 agricultural classes to political earnestness. At every market- 

 hall, in market rooms, railway- carriages, and around the 

 friendly board, the repeal of the malt tax has been the leading 

 topic of earnest conversations. Farmers have again becorce 

 conscious of a political existence, and they are aroused to the 

 fact that it is for them, by a combined expression of opinion, 

 to strengthen the hands of their representatives iu the Com- 

 mons House of Parliament — and the movement is general in 

 every district in Suffolk — to make a powerful petitioning de- 

 monstration. Lavenham, Ipswich, Halesworth, and other far- 

 mer's clubs, have taken t he lead, and we hear as from one voice 

 the sentiment, thoagh uttered by 1,000 tongues — " Unfetter 

 English Agriculture I knock off her manacles ! let hetbefree ! 

 and then encourage France and her farming if you will." 

 Again. — " No Malt Tax ! cheap beer for the poor man I 

 then cheap wines for the rich if you will." Farmers, according 

 to the Manchester school, are such dull people, such noodles, 

 that they can't even comprehend that it is better for them to 

 have cheap kid gloves, cheap wines, and cheap artificial flowers 

 (which they don't use), instead of cheap beer, cheap tea, and 

 cheap sugar (which they do). We hope the deep feeling of the 

 county, and the agricultural community throughout the king- 

 dom at large, will find an exponent of their sentiments during 

 the present debate, and we look longingly for a notice upon 

 the notice-paper of the House for a partial repeal of the malt- 

 tax. Mr. Gladstone makes it appear that, because the rental 

 return under schedule B has increased 19 per cent., such an 

 increase is indicative of great prosperity on the part of the 

 farmer. Can any argument be more fallacious? His income-tax 

 is based not upon profits made.but upon rental paid ; and hun- 

 dredsof raenthisyearwill pay a heavyincometax.not upon large 

 profits, but with a serious deficit. Our friend Mechi (we 



respect him and esteem him — he is one of the best fellow^ 

 under the sun — but we don't like to hear him make assertions 

 which no number of men really believe in) asserts his profits 

 have been neatly £700 per annum upon 170 acres of land, for 

 the past six years. It would afford us much pleasure to see 

 the entire accounts of Tiptree, from the payment of the 

 purchase-money to the present time. We waut, for the cause 

 of agricultural progression, to have those accounts analyzed 

 by three competent men, and it is our opinion they would re- 

 veal important facts, exciting landlords to judicious outlays, 

 but warning tenants, as tenants, from following ]\Ir. Mechi's 

 example. We want to see Mechi's position as landlord and 

 his position as tenant. We anxiously hope Mr. Mechi will 

 consider our suggestion, and accede to it.— Feb. 24. 



AGRICULTURAL INTELLIGENCE, 

 FAIRS, &c. 



BALA FAIR. — There was but a very limited number of 

 animals, but the demand of purchasers exceeded general ex- 

 pectations. Horses fetched from £30 to £40 per head. There 

 was but a very thin supply of pigs, which were a shade lower. 

 So also were the cattle, of which a very small number were ex- 

 hibited, and mostly of inferior quality. 



BARNSLEY FAIR.— There was a pretty fair show of 

 horses, but fewer buyers than there have been on former oc- 

 casions. Milch cows were in reasonable demand, and drapes 

 very dear. There was a good show of store pigs. 



BEVERLEY FAIR.— Good attendance of metropolitan 

 and provincial dealers. Hunters, coach horses, and roadsters, 

 of good quality, had ready sale at high prices, but inferior 

 animals were a drug. 



CARLISLE FAIR.— The number of draught horses shown 

 was pretty large ; business slack. There were a good many 

 jobbers iu attendance, but very few dealers, and many left the 

 market without having effected a sale. Cart horses from 

 £20 to £50, cart colts and fillies £18 to £30, ponies £7 

 to £17. 



CHESTER FAIR.— In the cattle fair very little business 

 doing, and prices about the tame. Sheep and pigs scarce, and 

 very dear. Of horses a large number were shown, but few 

 first class ones were to be found. Business was not at all brisk, 

 and long strings left unsold 



CRIEFF ANNUAL MARKET.— The horses were nu- 

 merous, but there was a large display of inferior and low- 

 priced animals. The best draught horses sold from £35 to 

 £40, and others at prices varying from £10 to se25. The 

 market was remarkably dull. The shoiv of cattle was limited. 

 Few of the beasts could be called prime fat. The best beef 

 brought about 9?. per Dutch stone, inferior 83. Several lots 

 of two-year-olds sold from £11 to £12 each. Milch cows 

 were scarce, and chiefly aged animals. The best cows sold 

 from £12 to £13, others were down to £7, according to 

 quality. 



DUNSTABLE FAIR.— There was a plentiful supply of 

 stock ; a good show of horses ; small supply of sheep, and 

 many pigs, with a large concourse of persons. Cows of best 

 breeds, either down-calving or in full profit, kept their price, 

 as did first-rate heifers and cow-calves for rearing. Best cows 

 £20 to £22, second-rate £17 to £18, ordinary £13 to £14, 

 heifers £12 to £14 each; store l.reeds, best 3 years old 

 Devons, Herefords, and shorthorns £12 to £14, smaller Scotch, 

 Welsh, and Irish from £7 to £8 ; calves 20s. to 40s. ; best fat 

 beasts 4s. 4d. to 4s. 8d., second quality 4s., fat calves 4s. 6d. 

 to 48. 8d. per 81b3. Sheep were not so readily disposed 

 of as at Leighton last fair, owing to the scantiness of 

 sheep feed. Best tegs and ewes were offered at 2s. each less 

 money, and then all were not sold. Some few lots of couples 

 were sold at a decline of full 3s. each. Fat sheep went freely 

 at 4s, 8d. to 53. per 81bs. Dealers from London se- 

 lected some best nag-horses, and those fit for draywork on the 

 stones of the metropolis: best 4-years-old, warranted, 15 

 hands high, made from £30 to £40 each, smaller kinds from 

 £25 to £30, cobs and poaies£15 to £20; best heavy Suffolk 

 horses sold at from £30 to £40 each, others £20 to £30. A 

 large supply of pigs, both fat and lean, for which sales were 

 firm, at the top prices of other late faiia aud markets. 



