1908.] Market Prices. 389 



country markets during the week was decidedly upwards for beef, the 

 following quoting higher prices : — Darlington, Hull, Leicester, Peterborough, 

 Shrewsbury, Ayr, Dundee, Aberdeen, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Inverness and 

 Stirling, the sharpest advance being made in Scotland. Against these, 

 lower prices were recorded at Norwich, Liverpool, Crewe, Leeds and 

 York, the latter falling is. 3d. per live cwt. for first quality. It was generally 

 thought that there would have been a slight rally in sheep at Islington 

 on the 13th if the weather had been propitious, but the rain not only 

 kept away buyers, but the drenching of the wool was much against the 

 appearance of the sheep. As it was, a clearance, for the first time in 

 three weeks, was made, and prices were'fully maintained, Scotch half-breds 

 realizing up to Z\d. per lb. The large majority of the country markets were 

 more or less firm, with certainly a better general tone. Darlington, Derby, 

 Shrewsbury, Ipswich, Dundee and Glasgow were a little higher, while Carlisle 

 and Castle Douglas quoted a reduction. London was one of the lowest markets, 

 higher prices for first quality Downs being paid at Chichester, Dorchester, 

 Bristol, Shrewsbury, Derby, Leicester, Peterborough, Salford, Liverpool, 

 Newcastle, Wolverhampton and Crewe, being .lower only at Wakefield and 

 York. It is seldom that London has to take such a low place in the list ot 

 prices for best mutton. The country trade for lambs was also considerably 

 better than in London. The latter was also one of the lowest markets for 

 veal calves. 



The Smithfield Market for dead-meat was firm for Scotch and English 

 sides, Scotch short sides fetching j\d. per lb., long sides 6f<f., English 6^d., 

 and Deptford-killed b\d. It frequently happens that Deptford-killed beef 

 makes a little more in Smithfield Market than English, and this seems to 

 call for some explanation. It seems that the demand for all meat in the 

 London Central and Leadenhall Markets runs very much in grooves. 

 Generally speaking, retailers have got into the way of dealing in certain 

 classes, and for some years the supply of port-killed (or town-killed, as it is 

 called) from Deptford has been regular and of excellent appearance, if not 

 quite equal to English m flavour. This regularity has attracted and retains a 

 certain number of buyers, few of whom will leave it on account of a 

 temporary scarceness and some slight rise in price. It is the same thing all 

 through the trade, and the recent extraordinary advance in American chilled 

 is a good illustration of a common occurrence. By watching the markets, it 

 will be seen that English beef is sometimes worth a little more than Deptford- 

 killed, although the latter is generally shown in better condition. In other 

 words, prices are ruled more by the fluctuations of supply than by relative 

 quality and flavour. 



Carcase mutton, both fresh and frozen, maintained its value at the decline 

 of the previous week. Small Scotch fetched ^s. id. and English 4.?. Sd. per 

 8 lb. stone. English lamb was cheap, the best not exceeding ^s. Sd., but 

 some prime small Scotch began to arrive, and this was worth 6s. Sd. and 

 even js. in some cases. There was no change in veal or pork, but the trade 

 in both was very quiet. 



Third Week. — There was a remarkably small market at Islington on the , 

 20th instant, there being only 580 fat cattle on offer, so small a number being 

 Umost unprecedented except on a Bank Holiday. Under these circumstances, 

 it was not surprising that prices should advance \d. per lb., but this movement 

 >vas more or less general during the following three days. The weekly official 

 eport of market prices (on which, together with the writer's own observa- 



