OF THE COUNTY OJ DOWN. 261. 



SECT. 14. Prices of fame Articles of landed produce. 



THE price of cattle has been gradually rifing for 

 half a century, as I am well informed by perfons, who 

 have been converfant in the bufmefs for the greateft 

 part of that time; but the mofl rapid rife in their price 

 has been within the laft ten years; fometimes, previous 

 to that period, a cow, that when fat would weigh from 

 three to four hundred pounds weight, was bought in 

 when lean at from three guineas and a half to five 

 guineas, according to her fhape and condition; a cow 

 of that fize would now coft double that fum. Many 

 caufes have combined to produce this effect; the prin- 

 cipal feem tp be, the great demand for beef to fupply 

 the navy and army, and the conftant exportation of 

 live cattle to fupply the Englifh markets; the confe- 

 quence of this has been a greater anxiety to rear N as 

 many calves as poffible, and more attention paid to the 

 breed; another reafon may be added alfo, the increafed 

 prices of hides and tallow; the former were fold this 

 year from forty-five {hillings to fifty {hillings per cwt.; 

 the latter from eight to nine {hillings per ftone of fix- 

 tecn pounds. The rife on butter has alfo contributed 

 to the price of cattle, being doubled within the laft 

 fifteen years. 



The 



