150 Market Prices. [may, 



Most of the markets were dull for sheep, especially for clipped 

 sheep, and the majority were rather lower in price, while 

 scarcely one claimed any improvement. At several places 

 both fat lambs and calves sold better than in London, the 

 former fetching up to 13d. per lb. It is long since London has 

 experienced such a poor demand for veal at Easter. Bacon 

 pigs and porkers were a very irregular trade, but the tendency 

 for the latter was downwards. Still, a few markets were poorly 

 supplied, and prices were a trifle better in consequence. 



The dead-meat market at Smithfield ruled very firm for 

 beef, but considerable difference was observable in the demand 

 for the various classes. Scotch and English were fully as dear 

 as before Easter, but Birkenhead and Deptford killed showed 

 a moderate decline. There has been a rather curious move- 

 ment of late amongst the regular buyers of port-killed beef. 

 Without attempting to account for it I may say that there has 

 been a strong tendency during the last two or three weeks io 

 prefer English bred and fed animals, when well-finished, to 

 those imported alive ; and this supports the argument, often 

 forced on the writer in certain quarters, that British farmers 

 would withstand the competition of the foreigner better if 

 they would pay more attention to the skilful finishing of their 

 cattle before marketing. 



The exceptionally high value of chilled beef from the States and 

 Argentina was perhaps the leading feature of the middle weeks 

 of April, the moderate supplies of which have strengthened the 

 whole trade in every branch. Best x\merican hind quarters have 

 touched 4s. yd. per 8 lb. and fore quarters 3s. id. When it is 

 recalled that in December last these prices were 3s. 8d. and 

 2s. 6d. respectively, much of the general firmness of the meat 

 trade is explained. Mutton was a very quiet trade all the week. 

 Even small Scotch tegs which for weeks together have been 

 fetching fancy prices, receded id. per lb. from the highest quoted 

 figure, viz. : —6s. per 8 lb. The exceptional value of these small 

 carcasses (no heavier than average New Zealand lamb) has been 

 a puzzle to some country readers, who fail to understand why 

 there should be id. per lb. difference in value between the 

 carcase of a prime English Down teg weighing about 72 lb. and 

 that of a Scotch weighing 48 lb. The fact is that there is a 

 limited but very insistent demand for these small joints in the 



