1867. 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



169 



Five years ago the range of prices on beef 1 

 cattle at Brighton, as stated by our present re- ' 

 porter, was $4.50 to $6.50 per 100 lbs. ; last ' 

 week it was stated by the same individual at 

 $10.50 to 14.00 — the average price being now , 

 more than twice as much as it was five years 

 ago. It may also be remarked that the pres- I 

 ent high rates have been firmly maintained for 

 about a year and a half. 



Five years ago mutton sheep were reported 

 by the same authority at $4.25 to $5.75 per 

 100 lbs.; last week $4.00 to $7.25— a com-; 

 paratively small advance. I 



In England, previous to the great disturb- 

 ance of prices by the sad effects of the cattle 

 plague, beef had been gradually but steadily 

 advancing for a series of years, while wheat 

 has been as steadily declining in price, during 

 the same period. 



Statistics which we need not hunt up, as the 

 fact is obvious to the most careless observer, 

 show that in the Eastern portion of the United 

 States, cattle are decreasing nearly as fast as 

 population is increasing. In 1862 there were 

 35,405 head of cattle from the Western States 

 sold in Brighton market ; in 1866 the number 



