CATTLE AND DAIRY FARMING. 



the countries from which the cattle were drawn at the beginning and 

 end of the decade, are shown in the following statement : 



Statement showing the number of oxen imported into the United Kingdom during the years 



1875 and 1884. 



[The countries from whence imported are given in the order of their importance in 1884, the figures 

 in parentheses showing their relative order in 1875.] 



It will here be seen that of all the European countries which contrib- 

 uted in 1875 to the British cattle trade, Denmark and Sweden only 

 show an increase in 1884. Germany, which held a good first place in 

 1875, has fallen to the sixth place in 1884, its exports in the latter year 

 being not much over one-third what they were in 1875, while Belgium 

 and France have fallen out of the trade altogether. It follows that were 

 the United Kingdom dependent upon Europe to-day for its foreign meat 

 supplies, the British people would have to eat less beef or pay far more 

 for what they consume than they now pay. One principle seems to be 

 established in the foregoing showing, viz, that the United Kingdom 

 can rely no longer upon Europe for its foreign-cattle wants, and that 

 the United States must, for some years at least, be looked to for the 

 greater portion of such supplies. 



THE FRESH-BEEF TRADE. 



As the trade in fresh beef is so closely connected with the trade in 

 live cattle, and as the former has so much bearing upon the latter as to 

 make it impossible to discuss umlerstandingly the one without taking 

 the other into consideration, the following statistics concerning the 

 fresh-beef importations into the United Kingdom, are given : 



Statement showing the quantities and value of the fresh beef imported into the United King- 

 dom from the several countries during the year 1884. 



This statement shows that we virtually monopolize the trade of the 

 United Kingdom in foreign fresh beef. 



The imports of fresh beef into the United Kingdom in 1874 amounted 

 to about 3,773,464 pounds, of which 3,630,784 pounds were imported 



