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THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. 



Iq a cDmparative sense, the great market held in Ix)ndoii was 

 a most superior one, and it was a general subject of remark 

 that the fchort-horned breed of beasts in this country is rapidly 

 increasing in strength, both as regards number and in the 

 crossings. This is a point of great interest at this moment, 

 and it would appear that apprehensions are current iu some 

 quarters that eventually we shall have very few of the old- 

 fjishioned, or what are termed pure, breeds — euch as Herefords, 

 Devons, Scots, &c. — left in the country. The aim of the 

 breeders of late years appears to have been, to combine weight 

 with improved quality, and the result of the experiment thus 

 far appears to have been successful. It will, however, be 

 watched with more than usual attention, as many persons have 

 long since condemned the system of extensive crossing as 

 fraught with danger to the general stamina of the stock. 



A scarcity of winter-food has continued to be felt in some 

 quarters, more especially in our midland counties, and rather 

 large quantities of hay have been purchased from a distance to 

 make good the deficiency. 



We have now arrived at the close of the Lincolnshire season 

 for beasts as regards London, and we shall be chiefly supplied 

 from Norfolk during the next six months. In that county the 

 number of beasts iu process of stall-feeding is large ; and we 

 may fairly anticipate heavy arrivals from that quarter. With 

 average supplies from the Continent, therefore, we see no 

 reason to anticipate higher quotations than those now current. 

 The total supplies of atock exhibited in the Great Metropolitan 

 Market have been as follows : — 



Beasts 



Cows 



Sheep 



Calves 



Pigs 



20,523 head. 

 490 „ 



74,274 „ 

 1,412 „ 

 2,450 „ 



Comparison of Supplies. 

 Dec. Beasts. Cows. Sheep. Calves. Pigs. 



3fi57 19,830 375 69,132 1,209 1,915 



1856 23,995 475 73,200 1,526 2,3!;0 



1»55 22,412 .590 94,030 1,376 3,lfl4 



1854 20,298 120 88,880 1,573 2,746 



1853 23,314 484 88,480 1,143 2,403 



Beef lias sold at from "Ss. to 53. 4d. ; mutton, 3s. to 5s. 

 4d. ; veal, 3s. 4d. to 5s. ; and pork, 3s. 2d. to 4s. 2d. per 

 81b3,, to sink the offal. 



Comparison of Prices. 

 Dec., 1857. Dec, 1856. Dec, 1855. 

 s. d. s d. s. d. s. d. s. d. s. d. 

 Beef, from ..3 0to5 3 10 to 5 3 4 to 5 4 



Mutton 3 2 — 5 04 — 5 6 3 4—5 



Veal 3 10 — 5 6 3 8 — 5 6 3 10—6 



Pork 3 6 — 5 4 3 8 — 6 4 3 6—5 



The above comparison shows that pork has sold at ruinously 

 low rates during the past month ; but the fact is, that the high 

 quotations realized for them in the three previous years have 

 had the effect of producing a wonderful increase in the total 

 supply of pigs in the United Kingdom. The excess in the sup. 

 ply has been so enormous that the greatest difficulty has been 

 experienced in effecting sales of the immense supplies of pork 

 forwarded to Newgate and Leadenhall markets, at almost any 

 price. Apparently, as much money has been lost this season 

 iu the production of pork as was gained in the two previous 

 years. 



The imports of foreign stock into London have been on an 

 extensive scale for the time of year, or as follows : — 



Beasts 1 ,980 head. 



Sheep 16,029 „ 



Calves 1,037 „ 



Pigs 53 „ 



Total 19,0.99 



In the corresponding mouth in 1857, the total imports were 



6,608; in 1*56. 11,079; iu 1855, 19,515 ; iu 1854, 18,349 ; 

 in 1853, 21,918; and in 1852, 11,870 head. 



The arrivals of beasts from Lincolnshire, Leicestershire, and 

 Northamptonshire have comprised about 9,000 thorthorus ; 

 from the West Country, 2,300 Herefords, Devons, Runts, 

 &c. ; from other parts of England, 2,450 of various breeds; 

 from Norfolk, 720 Scots and Shorthorns; from Scotland, 

 1,161 Scots ; and from Ireland, 1,450 oxeu, &c. 



Unusually large supplies of Scotch and country-killed meat 

 have been received up to Newgate and Leadenhall markets, iu 

 which an extensive business has been transacted as follows : — 



Beef, from 33. to 4s. 8d.; mutton, 3s. 2d. to 4s. 8d. ; 

 veal, 3i. 2d. to 4s. 8d. -, pork, 2s. 6d. to 4s. 4d. per Bibs. 

 by the carcase. 



WEST GLOUCESTERSHIRE. 

 Another year hss nearly run its course — a year replete with 

 agricultural interest. Prom the commencement to the pre- 

 sent time the weather has been more than usually favourable 

 for farming operations. ' A fine winter, succeeded by sharp 

 frosts in Maich, rendered the soil most remarkably fit for 

 spring cultivation ; and it also checked the precocious growth 

 of the autumn-sown wheat. A tine and early spring brought 

 forth the fruits of the earth iu great perfection, and a dry sum- 

 mer enabled the careful husbandman to clean his laud most 

 satisfactorily. Then came the harvest, with abundant crops, 

 and splendid weather for the ingathering. All the farming 

 operations of the season have proceeded with unusual regularity 

 and promptitude; there has been nothing to impede them. The 

 early harvest has allowed much time for tillage, and a man 

 must have been culpably negligent who did not embrace the 

 advantages of autumnal cultivation. The very small propor- 

 tion of rain that has fallen on an average during the year, 

 although suitable for most soils, occasioned considerable incon- 

 venience in many parts, from the imperative necessity of pro- 

 curing it from a distance to supply the stock, involving in 

 many instances considerable expenditures of money. The 

 quantity-of cheese made in this district is below an average; 

 it commenced with prospects highly flattering. The grass 

 came luxuriantly and early in the spring, but the dry weather 

 of the summer occasioned a great falling off. The fruit may 

 be estimated at a trifle under two-thirds of a crop, but the de- 

 ficiency is made up by the quantity of the cider. The 

 root crops are fair, not first-rate ; yet there is not much 

 cause for complaint. The dry weather which prevailed during 

 the summer and autumn prevented Inxuiiaut growth, and the 

 mangels have superiority over the swides. They were nearly, 

 if not all, housed during fine weather ; therefore there is every 

 reason to expect they will keep well. We now come to the 

 all-important provision for another year — the wheat crop. In 

 many places the planting of it was delayed, iu consequence of 

 the extreme hardness of the soil ; and in some places where it 

 was planted early, it lay in the ground without vegetating, 

 which must be prejudicial to its growth ; but we are not ap- 

 prehensive that this failing is extensive. The artilicial-manure 

 mania has come to a crisis, and many intelligent fanners have 

 decided that they can produce good crops without guano. 

 The introduction of lime is extending with yood effect, and 

 although it may be pronounced an old-fashioned application, 

 it is nevertheless a good one. The decline in the value of all 

 kinds of agricultural productions can scarcely be said to have 

 occasioned surprise — perhaps we may except the great reduc- 

 tion iu the price of wheat ; but considering the abundant 

 crops, not merely in the United Kingdom but all over the 

 world, and the extra breadth of land planted with that grain 

 in England, whatever it might have been elsewhere, there 

 could be no reason for supposing it could have maintained the 

 rates of preceding years. 



WEST RIDING OF YORKSHIRE. 

 The month which above all others is characterised by ex- 

 cessive cheerless and gloom has now run its course, and 

 we are now close on the festive season, anniversary of the time 

 when " Peace on earth, good-will to man," was heralded forth 

 by angelic tongues ; and how many generations of earth's 

 proud SOBS, big with the poinpotities of vanity, since that 



