SELLING STOCK BY LIVE WEIGHT. 



149 



extent they possess the habit of under-estimating weights, 

 which obviously tends to their favour in driving a bargain. 



It was recently the good fortune of the present writer, 

 on the occasion of a visit to Rothamsted, to hear from 

 Sir John Lawes the views which he holds on this subject. 

 It chanced that Mr. Westley Richards was present. This 

 gentleman, who is well known as a prominent advocate 

 of the scales in stock-dealing, has taken up the subject 

 in a strong belief that the farmer is losing money very 

 largely by his practical dependence on the judgment of 

 the butcher. He has indeed gone so far as to estimate 

 the average loss to the farmer at 45s. per head on fat 

 stock sold, and at 20s. per head on store stock purchased. 

 Now, Sir James Caird estimates the annual slaughter 

 of cattle for the butcher at 2,100,000 head. At 45s. per 

 head the loss would amount annually to the sum of 

 £4,725,000, and to this Mr. Westley Richards adds 

 £2,000,000 as the loss on stores purchased, making a 

 total annual loss to the British farmer of £6,725,000. 



Mr. Westley Richards has analysed the results of the 

 Rothamsted investigations, and has based all his calcu- 

 lations as to the live and dead weight of stock upon them. 

 That he is able to get very near the mark, the following 

 account of eight bullocks, which he sold to butchers by 

 weight in October, 1884 indicates : — 



