AYR TO DUMFRIES. 329* 



embrj'o are sold off, and porkers in esse sold and 

 AYeiglied_, and paid for as well, long before 12 o'clock. 



At least twenty pork markets are held at Dumfries 

 during tlie season. We find from The Dumfries 

 Courier that the quantity and value of pork sold 

 during the Dumfriesshire and Galloway season of 

 1864-65 was, as nearly as could he ascertained, 

 22,050 carcases, or 313,002 imperial stones of the 

 value of £108,321 Is. Compared with the previous 

 year, this shows a decrease of 1,715 carcases, or 

 37,505 stones of pork, and (although prices ranged 

 from lid. to 2d. per stone higher) of £7,113. There 

 is probably no season on record during which pota- 

 toes and oatmeal have been so cheap, and yet pork 

 so dear. 



A 17-stone pig furnishes hams of from 25 lbs. to 

 261bs., which wonH fetch the top price. From about 

 lOst. to 13st. is the favourite size, and 161bs. to 201bs. 

 is quite big enough for hams. Eor the London 

 market they vary from 121bs. to 181bs. ; but they 

 have gone as high as 801bs., and those of Mr. Wain- 

 man's sow Fresh Hope weighed 951bs., and were quite 

 " sandwich ham." During the past season, if hams 

 were between 121bs. and 20lbs. they made from 80s. 

 up to 100s. a cwt., and if they were between 201bs. 

 and 301bs. at least 8s. to 10s. less.. 



Cumberland hams between 161bs. and 181bs. weight 

 have been sold at 112s. and 114s. in October. The 

 bacon rise began in 1834, and the stone of 161bs. in- 

 creased suddenly in value from 3s. to 6s. In '35^ 



