THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. 



367 



value of tallow — 59s. percwt. — and the extreme quotations 

 at which rough fat has been selling — 3s. 5d. and 3s. 2Jd. 

 per i) lbs. — have no doubt exercised great influence upon the 

 graziers and feeders of both beasts and sh'eep. Very few 

 lambs have made their appearance, yet the whole on offer 

 have changed hands at very high figures — 6s. 4d. per 8 lbs. 

 having been paid for Down qualities. Calves, too, as well 

 as pigs, have sold brisklj- at enhanced currencies. 



Much discussion has sprung up in various quarters 

 in reference to the future value of live stock in this 

 country. AVe can hardly anticipate much higher prices 

 than those now current, because a further rise would check 

 consumption and produce a falling-off in the demand ; but 

 our impression is that there is no ri'ason to look forward to 

 a serious fall in the quotations of either beasts or sheep. 



On most stock farms there is now an abundance of food. 

 The turnip and beet crops are looking well, and there ap- 

 pears to be no prospect of anything like scarcitj'. 



Our advices from Holland are to the effect that the pro- 

 duction of stock is progressing steadily, yet it is wholly in- 

 adequate to meet the demand. In the general weight and 

 coiulition of the Dutch sheep lately received in London, we 

 have observed a great improvement, and we may state that 

 numbers of thera have sold as high as £3 each. The fol- 

 lowing return shows the imports into London in the course 

 of the month : — 



Beasts 7,346head. 



Sheep 24,090 „ 



Lambs 198 „ 



Calves 1,953 „ 



Pigs 2,007 „ 



Imports at Corresponding Periods. 

 Sept. Beasts. Sheep. Lambs. Calves. Pigs. 

 1851,... 6,177 28,550 2,075 2,518 1,994 



1852.... 6,619 34,759 1,132 2,.388 1,847 



1853.... 8,372 28,845 273 2,535 l,4f'8 



1854.... 7,805 26,230 748 1,894 2,231 



1855... 7,161 22,744 613 1,646 2,266 



1856.... 7,084 20,605 3,000 2,772 1,559 



The value of meat still rules very high in France, ardthe 

 abolition of the butchers' monopoly in Paris is likely to in- 

 crease the competition for live stock, which continues to be 

 drawn in large numbers both from Holland and Belgium. 



The total supplies of stock shown in the London market 

 have been as follows : — 



Beasts 25,734 hetd. 



Cows _522 , 



Sheep and lambs 127,715 „ 



Calves 2,220 ., 



Pigs 2,585 , 



Comparison of Supplies. 



Sept. Beasts. Cows. Sheep Calvffl. Pigs. 



and Lambs. 



1851.... 23,007 600 169,390 2,2f0 3,447 



1852... 24,911 490 148,080 2,914 2,980 



1853.... 27,063 518 157,750 3,0)7 3,170 



1854.... 24,796 542 174,171 2,7>0 3,465 



1855.... 24,667 540 152,120 2,^77 3,921 



1856.... 24,002 485 132,014 2,52 2,800 



From Lincolnshire, Leicestershire, and Iforthampton- 

 shire 11,500 shorthorns have come to banc'; the receipts 

 Irom other parts of England have amount<d to 2,000 of 

 various breeds ; from Scotland, under 100 Scos have reached 

 us; but from Ireland, 1,758 oxen have cone to hand via 

 Liverpool. 



Beef has sold at from 33. 2d. to 5s. ; mitton, 3s. 4d. to 

 5s. 6d. ; veal, 33. 4d. to 5s. 2d. ; pork, 4s to 5s. 2d. per 8 

 lbs., to sink the oflal. 



Comparison of Price'. 



Sept., 1856. Sept., 1855. 



s. d. s. d. B. d. 3. d. 



Beef, from 3 to 4 10... 34 to 5 



Mutton 3 8— 5 2. ..3 4 — 5 



Veal 3 8 — 4 10 ... 3 10 — 5 2 



Pork... 36— 48... 36— .46 



Sept., 1854. Sept., 1853. 



s. d. s. d. F. d. s. d. 



Beef, from 3 to 5 0.... 2 10 to 4 6 



Mutton 3 — 5 0.... 3 2 — 5 2 



Veal 2 10 —4 4.... 3 6 — 4 8 



Pork 3 4—48 .... 34 — 52 



The supplies of each kind of meat on sale in Newgate 

 and Leadenhall markets have been tolerably good, and the 

 trade genercilly has ruled steady on higher terms. Beef 

 has realizc'd 3s. 2d. to 4s. Gd. ; mutton, 3s. 4d. to 4s. lOd. ; 

 veal, 3s. 4d. to 4s. Od. ; pork, 33. 6d. to Ss. 4d. per olbs. by 

 the carcase. 



M I D - K E N T , 



As we are now drawing towards the close of summer, it is 

 only fair to take a retrospect of the past ; and in the first 

 place we may say that we have had the season earlier through- 

 out than for some years past. We have also had it warmer 

 and drier than the average — the months of Juue aud August 

 being especisliy hot months, February a remarkably dry ouc, 

 and May and July more thau usually so, thou-sh not so dry aa 

 February. The result has been that wheat, especially autumu- 

 sown, hns been vcy good, oats and barley only a'l avtrage, aud 

 peas indifferent ; but the quautitiea grown of the last-named 

 are snail — that wheat, hopa, and green crops are of more 

 importance to us. Hops are now in the course of being picked, 

 and are generally good in quality where there are any; but the 

 crop is so variable that it is difficult to come to any conclurion 

 beyond that the quality may be expected good, and those who 

 have a crop at all, in many instances, have a good one. The 

 weather, however, has been against the picking, slthough the 

 hops have not taken any serious harm ; but where thtre arc 

 many, and the picking wdl be necessarily prolonged to the be- 

 ginning of October, there is every likelihood of much losa 

 arising from the delay. In a general way the first pickings 

 have been at the rate of from 70 to 80 bushels to the cwt., 

 but as the season advances a less quantity will do. We shall, 

 however, most likely meet wiih some reverse during that pe- 

 riod. A high wind is most to fee feared. 0( fruit, filberts are 

 the only things we hf.ve in any quantity, and they fetch but 

 little money. Apples seem more plentiful in other neighbour- 

 hoods than with us. Pears are better, but plums have been 

 thin. Most of the growers of these have hurried them 

 on the market, prior to commencing hop picking, which ab- 

 sorbs the attention of all. Turnips, owing to the dry weather 

 at the time of sowing, will bo scarce, and where they have 

 grown they are uneven. Potatoes, we are sorry to say, have 

 become very mur:h diseased the last three weeks, more espe- 

 cially the Kegents and other late kinds. And we have been 

 very short of feed in our meadows until the last few days : the 

 ample rains we have had, will, it is thought, carry us through 

 the season in that respect ; but the lack of rain and consequent 

 shortcomings of all our after-grass, even clover being almost 

 scorched, have been a sad drawback to all our young 

 stock and out-door fattening bullocks ; that we shall have 

 plenty for the time to come will in no way compensate for 

 what we have been deficient. Taking altogether, perhaps 

 we havejio particuhr reason to complain. Onr neighbours in 

 Sussex and the Weald of Kent will, we fear, have more cause 

 to do so, as we are told their hops are very bad ; and with them, 

 as with us, these are the all-important crop. 



WEST GLOUCESTERSHIRE. 

 The bulk of the grain in this district has been now har- 

 vested fully three weeks, and, with few exceptions, in 

 admirable condition. A more glorious summer than the 

 past has not been known for many years. With fine 

 weather for the hay harvest, there were intervals of rain, 

 in sufficient quantities to impart vigour to all the earth's 

 productions; but its continuance was never so protracted 

 as to occasion injury. And so the weather continued 

 throughout the ingathering of the corn. With every 

 allowance for the variations of rain-fall throughout the 

 kingdom, representations of damaged grain fall upon the 

 ear of the inhabitants of Gloucestershire with impressions 

 bordering upon incredulity. Finer samples of wheat than 

 the bulk of those which are offered in the markets of thia 

 connty, were never known. The weight is above the ave- 



