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XIII. — Statistics of Live Stock and Dead Meat for Consumption 

 in the Metropolis. By Robert Herbert. 



Although the Metropolitan Cattle Market was extensively 

 supplied with most breeds of beasts during the last six months 

 of 18G4, there was a great deficiency in the weight of meat 

 disposed of — indeed, fully half of the stock on offer was beneath 

 the middle quality. The severe drought experienced during the 

 summer months, and the consequent want of grass, and the serious 

 deficiency in the turnip-crop over the whole of our grazing 

 districts, compelled the graziers to purchase large additional 

 quantities of linseed and cake, and had great influence upon 

 prices. At one period really prime Scots and crosses produced as 

 much as G.s. per 8 lbs. ; and even the more general range in their 

 value was 5.s-. Gd. and 5s. Sd. per 8 lbs. These high rates fully 

 justified our anticipations. From the circumstance that beasts 

 have fattened slowly during the last three or four months, and 

 that the numbers in the stalls in our leading counties are very 

 moderate for the time of year, it is evident that there is little or 

 no prospect of any important decline in current rates between 

 this and the close of the Norfolk " season." During the six 

 months only 60,350 beasts arrived in the Metropolitan Market 

 from Lincolnshire, Leicestershire, and Northamptonshire, against 

 66,510 head in 1863, and 74,570 in 1862. The deficiency in 

 the arrivals from the above districts was not confined to numbers 

 only, since fully one-third of them were only fit for second and 

 third class consumption. From the eastern districts an increased 

 number of beasts was reported ; but the comparative excess in 

 the supply arose solely from many of the graziers being com- 

 pelled to dispose of a portion of their stock much earlier than 

 usual. Other parts of England furnished a very middling show 

 of stock, both as to number and quality. From Scotland, how- 

 ever, the arrivals were a full average, and in wonderfully fine 

 condition ; indeed, scarcely an inferior bullock arrived from that 

 quarter. The drought in Scotland was much less severely felt 

 than in England ; the turnip and potato crops have turned out 

 well, and of good quality; and stock generally has fattened quite 

 as rapidly as in the most favoured seasons. Ireland furnished 

 only 7079 beasts, against 11,280 in 1863, and 14,820 in 1862. 

 As the Irish stock has shown no improvement, sales have pro- 

 gressed slowly, at moderate rates. 



The annexed return shows the quarters from whence the 

 supplies of beasts were derived in the last six months of the last 

 five years ; — 



