70 



THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. 



A mere estimate of the meat consumption of the me- 

 tropolis by the quantity of live stock sold, would be a 

 very erroneous and unsafe criterion ; but it may be 

 worth wliile, nevertheless, to compare the present and 

 past metropolitan consumption by this test. In 1836, 

 the sales in Smithfiekl Market would give the follow- 

 ing proportions : — 



Average 



Total weight. 



weight, 



lbs, lbs. 



Cattle 150,907 GoG 104,898,992 



Sheep and lambs 1,287,070 90 115,836,300 



Pigs 254,672 96 24,448,-512 



Calves ,."" 22,500 144 3,240.000 



Pounds of meat consumed 248,423,804 



Now, if wo divide this gross number of pounds by 

 the population at that period (say 1,800,000), the quo- 

 tient will be 1381bs. for each person per annum. But 

 it should be borne in mind that this includes the bones 

 and offal. If we next take the present supply, and cal- 

 culate upon similar data, we have the following 

 figures : — 



Beasts , 

 Calves 

 Sheep 

 Pigs.., 



Cattle soli* in 1857. 



lbs. lbs. 



272,843 900 245,558,700 



29,706 150 4,455,900 



,. 1,391,960 90 125,276,400 



25,030 160 4,004,800 



379,295,800 



Dividing this gross amount again by the actual popula- 

 tion, it gives only a proportionate allowance of lOIlbs. 

 per head. It is thus far quite clear, as was 

 shown in our columns three or four years ago, that the 

 carcase trade is fast superseding the live stock sales in 

 the metropolis. Tlie farmers and stock-breeders have 

 found out that there is a better demand for the fore- 

 quarters and offal in the provinces than in London ; 

 and moreover, that there is a considerable loss in the 

 expense and trouble of transport of live stock, and the 

 waste on the animal system, and the uncertain mode of 

 sale by lunp, as compared with the actual weight of 

 dead meat. 



THE SMITHFIELD CLUB CATTLE SHOW. 



Dear Sir, — The annual return of the above festival (for 

 such I consider it) is an event that cannot fail to interest 

 every one who haa the improvement of agriculture and the ad- 

 vancement of the country in material prosperity at heart. This 

 interest has been greatly heightened and extended since the 

 acknowledgment of the relationship between the cultivation of 

 the soil and the physical sciences has been made by men 

 ■whose pursuits in other respects might be supposed to be 

 inimical to those of agriculture, but who now recognise it as 

 at least eq'ial in importance to any of the industrial interests 

 of the country ; and this consideration haa imparted an impe- 

 tus to the practice of husbandry amongst a class who formerly 

 had little to do with the land, except to receive the rent, but who 

 now take a real and personal share in the profession itself. 

 It would be lowering to the character of agriculture to say 

 that it has become fashionable with thia class. Their acces- 

 sion to the caujc as practical men has arisen from a principle 

 far more correct and permanent than the mere frivolities of a 

 passing fancy ; it is rather instigated by a deep-seated convic- 

 tion of the vast importance of the subject in a country like 

 England, where all the different industrial employments of 

 the people depend in a great measure for their success on the 

 price and abundance of the first necessaries of life. It is to 

 men of the last generation that we are indebted for this high 

 and permanent standing that agriculture has taken amongst 

 the great interests of the country, and which has raised it to 

 that pitch of excellence we now behold. Gathering around 

 them men of eminence in science, art, and general intelligence, 

 they encouraged and promoted those investigations into the 

 once-mysterious arcana of animal and vegetable life, which are 

 now bearing such splendid fruits, and the results of which 

 have been exhibited at Baker-street during the past week. 



It is satisfactory to see, by the manner iu which the 

 character of the Smithfield Club Cattle Show is sus- 

 tained this year, that the recurrence of a low price of wheat 

 haa not in any degree damped the spirit of the English 



farmers, or induced them to relax in the path of improvement 

 and competition. Thia is as it should be ; for assuredly the 

 passing cloud under which the agriculturists are now suffering 

 should produce anything rather than a resolve to relax in their 

 efforts to carry out the great measures of improvement in 

 the cultivation of the soil now in progress. Far from any 

 felling off in the quality of the various animal and vegetable 

 productions exhibited at the late show, there is, if anything, a 

 higher degree of perfection in most of the specimens. Amongst 

 the cattle I thought there were fewer inferior or croaa-made 

 animals than usual. The show of Devoas and Shorthorns was 

 good ; and many of those which were net considered 

 equal to the prize cattle, did infinite credit to both breeders 

 and feeders. Indeed, it appeared to me that the several 

 breeds were, on the whole, quite as well sustained in their 

 distinctive characteristics this year as last, and that there was 

 a greater equality of excellence, and consequently less supe- 

 riority. There were some splendid specimens of Herefords 

 and Sussex ; but I confess I am not very partial to the long- 

 horned breeds, probably owing to early associations. 



Amongst the sheep, there were some specimens of South- 

 downs equal to any I ever beheld. Those of the Duke of 

 Richmond (Nos. 241 ;ind 2().'^) were perfect models, and 

 displayed as high breeding as I can conceive possible to be 

 produced. Lord Walsingham, W. Rigden, G. S. Foljambe 

 and many other of the old exhibitors, fully sustained their 

 previous character. I missed Overman, of Wcasen- 

 ham, and therefore conclude that, having sold off his 

 whole stock of Southdowns, he haa left the field to other 

 competitors, being satisfied with the substantial honours he 

 has heretofore obtained. The stock, however, exliibited by 

 his relative from Burnham, Mr. IIow, did ample credit to 

 the reput^ation which that farm has enjoyed for more 

 than half a century, under the management of his progeni- 

 tors, as flockmasters. Of West-country and Hampshire 

 Downs, I fancied the show was inferior in number, if not in 



