No. 4.] SHEEP HUSBANDRY. 123 



The Chairman. Thank you very much. That shows, 

 gentlemen, that the demand for mutton is not on the decrease. 

 Will Mr. Hollis kindly tell us about what price mutton has 

 averaged for the last eight or ten months ? 



Mr. Hollis. I do not think that I could. It varies from 

 month to month. 



The Chairman. But for good fair mutton you usually 

 get from 5 to 6 cents a pound for the carcass dressed, do 

 you not? 



Mr. Hollis. I think it will vary from 6 to 10 cents a 

 pound, and lambs from 6 to 12^ cents. 



Mr. Grinnell. What proportion of the carcasses are 

 exported from Boston ? 



Mr. Hollis. There has not been any exported for the 

 last two or three years. I do not think there is any mutton 

 exported from the United States now. 



Mr. Grinnell. Then of course all the sheep that come 

 into the Brighton and Watertown markets are slaughtered 

 there ? 



Mr. Hollis. Yes, sir. 



Mr. Grinnell. Is there any reason for the variation in 

 the amounts in one year and another ? 



Mr. Hollis. That is owing to the supply and demand. 

 There is no particular reason for it, that I know of. 



Governor Hoard. I would like to ask the gentleman 

 from what territory those sheep are mostly obtained ? 



Mr. Hollis. You might say from Halifax down to 

 Virginia. From the first of June until the first of Septem- 

 ber we get our supply from Kentucky, Tennessee and Vir- 

 ginia. 



Governor Hoard. Have you noticed any particular 

 improvement in the mutton character of the sheep you have 

 received during this year ? 



Mr. Hollis. From some sections there is, others not. 



Governor Hoard. From what sections do you find an 

 improvement ? 



Mr. Hollis. From some parts of the West and some 

 sections in Canada. 



Governor Hoard. I mean, of course, in the eating quality. 



Mr. Hollis. Yes, sir ; we see quite an improvement in 

 the sheep coming from Virginia and Tennessee. 



