1908.] Provision Trade in June 



309 



seemed as if the raising of the retail price to the consumer had taken 

 immediate effect on the demand, for the buyers for the Central Market who 

 had cleared the market in recent weeks were conspicuous by their absence. 

 Trade was therefore slow, but prices remained firm and sellers would make 

 no concession. Grass-fed bullocks fetched Id. per lb. and prime yard-fed 

 j^d. No less than twenty of the country markets were quoted higher 

 during the week, eleven were unchanged and firm, and only two or three 

 were lower, the highest price for Shorthorns being recorded at Newcastle, 

 where 9^. per 14-lb. stone was reached. 



The shortage and consequent comparative dearness of meat is on this 

 occasion entirely confined to beef, for sheep have shown no further advance 

 in London and were decidedly lower in the country during the last days ot 

 the month. At Islington on the 22nd the sheep trade was decidedly dull 

 and lifeless, and late prices were maintained with difficulty, while at no 

 country markets was any advance made ; in fact most of them showed a 

 decline. 



The position of the beef trade in the dead-meat market the same week 

 was peculiar. Prices were undoubtedly higher, but the demand was plainly 

 checked and business was very slow. In London Scotch long sides 

 advanced \d. per lb., and the same may be said of English. Port-killed 

 was \d. to %d. higher, but American chilled hind quarters went up \\d. with 

 a bound and Argentine \d. There was a visible tendency in some quarters 

 to fall back on frozen beef, and this article accordingly showed a total rise 

 in London of \d. per lb. in the fortnight. The leading country carcase 

 markets exhibited the same features, and therefore call for no comment. 



As might have been expected, the trade for store stock, especially cattle, 

 has remained very firm throughout the month, yet the demand has not been 

 particularly keen, prices being too high for the hope of profit. Cattle have 

 frequently realized as much per cwt. in store condition as the current rates 

 for beef. The low price of wool, which has declined something like 25 per 

 cent, since last year's clipping, has been against the trade for store sheep. 



Latest. — The market at Islington on the 29th was fairly supplied with 

 beef cattle, but the bulk of them were grass-fed. There were 960 on offer, 

 and amongst them a lot of very good Herefords. Trade was slow, and 

 prices receded at least \d. per lb. all round. The best Herefords made j^d. 

 and the finest Norfolks J^d. The reduction might be fairly accounted 

 for by the decline in quality, or rather, finish, of the animals. Sheep were 

 1,000 more in numbers than the previous week, and prices were fully %d~ 

 per lb. in buyers' favour. The latest news from the dead-meat market is to 

 the effect that prices are falling. 



REVIEW OF THE PROVISION TRADE IN 



JUNE. 



Hedley Stevens. 



Bacon. — During the early days of June, the demand was disappointingly 

 slow, and prices favoured buyers. Later, as the weather became more settled 

 and warmer, the demand for both bacon and hams increased, and prices 

 became gradually firmer. The arrivals of Danish bacon are still in excess of 

 last year, and the receipts in London alone were 8,000 bales above the 



