SUPPLEMENT. 785 



masters in both countries try to make as much as possible out of the popular taste for 

 early lamb and green peas. 



The prevalence of foot-and-mouth disease and the restrictions in force respecting the 

 movement of cattle contributed to make mutton dear. The trade in store-stock was. 

 almost entirely stopped, as the movement orders in some districts were very stringent, 

 and in others quite the reverse. Various representations were made to the Government 

 without any appreciable effect. 



At the wool sales in the west of England there was great competition, especially in 

 the month of July. Daring that month nearly half a million fleeces of Southdown and 

 Dorset-horn wool were sold at the public sales in Wilts, Hants, and Dorset. 



One Irish tirm spent over £2,000 at one of the Wiltshire sales, and within a fortnight 

 it was estimated that over £30,000 had been spent on Wiltshire wool alone. The gen- 

 eral average was a little less than last year, and the competition keen. At Devizes the- 

 general range was from 30s. id. to 333. lOd. per tod. The figures last year were 3,3s. 

 lOd. — the highest price fetched there this year — to 36s. 2d., and ten years ago 42s. 6d. 

 to 47s. 6d. were the prices realized. The September sales were rather quiet, the best 

 Down fleeces fetching from lid. to 15d. and medium from 12d. to 13d. The tendency 

 of these sales, however, was to favor buyers. 



The sales were very successful, if we take them all round. Several of the Down 

 breeds were fiincied by German and French connoisseurs, and numerous purchases were- 

 made of Oxfordshire, Hampshire, and Shropshire Downs. Time was when there' was a 

 great demand from Australia for English sheep and cattle. The policy of closing the 

 ports against all importations, however, prevents AustralidH breeders visiting or buy- 

 ing in OUT markets. Our Australian cousins were never afraid of a price, and time 

 was when Messrs. Duddington, of Panton, got a check for 200 guineas for one of the- 

 rams of that famous flock. Nowadays the Australians do not come to Old England for 

 their stock, but according to the report of recent sales 3, 150 guineas were paid for an im- , 

 proved Lincolnshire ram. These prices have not been reached in England, although it 

 is highly probable that the famous Robert Bakewell, of Dishley, fingered a few guineas,, 

 both for his rams and ewes, and also for service. We must, however, take the market 

 as we find it, and therefore direct attention to the fortunes of the various breeds in th& 

 sale ring during the season of 1883. Naturally Bakewell's Dishley breed takes the; 

 pride of place. 



LBIOBSTBES. 



This famous breed owe a great deal of their excellence and popularity to the efforts of 

 Robert Bakewell, of Dishley. It also obtains the foremost place in the royal catalogue, 

 and its popularity is still maintained by breeders, such as Messrs. T. H. Hutchinson, 

 Geo. Turner, Brown, Linton, Jordan, &c. The value of the breed, however, is gener- 

 ally indicat&i at the autumn sales, which are confined to a few English counties and to 

 Scotland. 



At Forres, over 70 rams were offered. Mr. Maekessack, of Cloves, gave the highesti 

 price of £20 for a strong well-brought sheep, belonging to Mr. Hunter, of Depple, whose 

 average was £7 higher than last year. At the Muir of Ord fair, Mr. Gorran, of, Arabella,, 

 sold 40 at an average of £6. 



BOEDBB LBICBSTBE. 



This breed is a great favorite in the north of England, and also in Scotland. At th& 

 Edinburgh sales the prices, owing to foot-and-mouth disease, were 25 per cent, be- 

 low those current at the Lothian sales in 1 882. At Kelso, the rams, which were forward 

 in fine condition, numbered 1,867, being an increase of 365 over last year's total. Lord 

 Polwarth's famous Mertoun rams secured the highest price — £125 — for a grand ram. 

 From the same flock Lord Arthur Cecil purchased one at £61; the Hon. K. Bailie Ham- 

 ilton, one at £51; and Mr. Dodds, Cothill, oi},e at £50. The Mertoun average was £26 

 148. 8d. Lord Polwarth also headed the sales last year, when the highest-priced ram, 

 made £78. Mr. Thompson, Baillieknowe, got £66 for a ram; the average price being 

 £20 38. Miss Stark, Mellendean, secured £61 for the best lot in her pen, the lot mak- 

 ing an average of £18 38. 3d. 



At Edinburgh, the Craigend rams met with the best demand, und made the highest 

 average, £13 13s., although this was £3 128. 3d. less than last year. The highest-priced; 

 ram was bought by Mr. Milroy, Torrance, for £30; and Mr. Alexander, Easter Dean, 

 secured the second-prize Lauder ram at £29; Mr. Balfour, of Whittinghame, M. P., ob- 

 tained the good average of £11 5s. id., his first-prize Inverness ram being purchased by 

 Mr. Ainsle, HUlend, for £31. The highest price last year was £94 lOs. , given for a fine 

 ram from the celebrated Oldhamstocks flock. Messrs. Clark, Oldhamstocks, have for fif- 

 teen years had the highest average for Border Leicesters, but they had only the third 

 place on this occasion. Their average was £12 58. Id., as compared with £20 lis. 3d... 



