80 AN AGRICULTURAL FAGGOT. 



displayed to the introduction of the system of selling 

 stock by live weight. This practice, of course, is one which 

 may be fairly argued upon its merits ; but, whatever 

 view may be taken of the desirability of its general 

 adoption, no one will deny that every owner of stock 

 ought to have the power, if he so desires, of selling his 

 animals in such a way as he deems best. 



Just as wheat is the typical farm crop of the kingdom, 

 so bread is the typical food of the people. It is, perhaps, 

 for this reason that, although nowadays the item of bread 

 is by no means the most important in the cost of living 

 of the average inhabitant, 1 yet the market price of that 

 commodity excites a degree of interest which is far 

 greater than is displayed with regard to other articles 

 of food. 



The millers and bakers are perhaps to some extent to be 

 commiserated on their occupancy of so prominent a posi- 

 tion. It seems sometimes as if the butcher might charge 

 50 and the greengrocer 100 per cent, profit without 

 exciting any particular amount of public indignation, 

 while the baker brings down upon his devoted head a 

 torrent of indignation if he gets as much as a modest 

 25 or 30 per cent. 



It must be admitted that on the face of it the bakers 

 seem to stand in need of vindication. At the very least 

 the prices at which bread is sold involve what appear to 

 be anomalies. It seems curious that the 4-lb. loaf should 



1 The following is an extract from a letter received from a 

 working man : " When I went to school in 1842 we had a 4-lb. 

 loaf for 6d., and at the present time I am paying $d. We use 

 eight loaves, which is 35. qd., but we got good beef at qd. Now I 

 have to give 8d., which would be : — 



In 1842. In 1892. 



s. d. s. d. 



8 loaves at 6d. . .408 loaves at $d. . .34 



Beef, 6 lbs. at <\d. .20 Beef, 6 lbs. at 8d. . .40 



60 74 



So I am is. 4<2. out." 



