572 



Improved Value of Scotch Sfieej}. 



satisfied. Of the Inverness July fair, no^\- the most important 

 in Scotland, v,e were then told that business was very slack, many 

 farmers leaving the market without having sold a single animal ; 

 yet for Cheviot wethers an advance of Qs. to 85. per head over 

 the prices of the previous year was asked ; ewes and ewe lambs 

 made 8s. or 10^. more, and wether lambs 35. to 5s. above the 

 prices of 1865, this, too, in spite of a fall of 20 per cent, in the 

 value of wool. The price of Cheviot wethers was from dOs. to 

 50s., Cheviot ewes 335. to 425., wether lambs I85. to 235., ewe 

 lambs 175. to 245. : Black-faced wethers made from 275. to 405., 

 ewes from 275. to 365., lambs from I65. to 22s., half-bred hogs 

 made from 425. to SOs., and lambs from 25s. to 32s. 



At the Julv fair of 1867 prices had greatly receded. Cheviot 

 wethers were from 10s. to 125. per head lower. Ewes from 12s. 

 to 14s., lambs from 6s. to 7s., half-bred lambs from 45. to 6s. 

 The stockmasters, however, are on the whole well satisfied, the 

 general feeling amongst them being that prices will not be lower 

 for Cheviot sheep. 



I have before me a list of the prices at this Inverness fair from 

 its commencement in 1818, down to the present date. I will 

 onlv make a selection from this long column of figures, adding a 

 few remarks on the different periods. 



From 1818 to 1830 prices fluctuated much, but the average 

 was low. For instance the prices of 1825 were nearly double of 

 thoseof 1822 and 1823. 



From 1830 to 1850 prices were remarkably steady, with an 

 upward tendency, but in 1853, and again in 1860, trade received 

 a new impulse, which attained its height in 1866. The follow- 

 ing selection from this table will illustrate the course of events 

 pointing out some of the years of highest and lowest prices : — 



Prices of Cheviot Sheep at Inverness Fair. 



