13 



stand confessed, attested by the despair of some, 

 the alarm of many, and the apprehension of all. 



It is not thought necessary to exhibit in de- 

 tail, the situation of the occupier of a grass-land 

 farm in the same manner as that of a farmer of 

 arable land. It would, however, upon examina- 

 tion be found to be generally very similar. Per- 

 haps, indeed, the dairy farmer may have suffered 

 in a somewhat less degree ; but the grazier, 

 whether of oxen or sheep, can rarely show any 

 exemption from losses of an equally ruinous 

 amount. The progress of depreciation may, 

 however, be correctly illustrated by the following 

 statement of the prices obtained by the owner of 

 a breeding flock of Southdown sheep in the last 

 three years. He has an annual sale of his draught 

 stock by auction in small lots ; the sales have 

 been always well attended ; the stock has been 

 in each year of the same quality ; and he has 

 had reason to believe, after comparison made 

 with the prices obtained at the great sheep fairs 

 held about the same time, that he has fully ob- 

 tained the best prices of the day. 



In 1819 the number of head sold was 200 



In 1820 189 



In 1821 280 



The average prices obtained were as follows: 

 1819. 1820. 1821. 



.s.d. sg.s.d. .*.d. 



For the ewes ., I 19 S 1142 125 



For the wether lambs 1 10 1 146 14 8 



