1908.] 



Market Prices. 



55i 



quoted at 8^d., as representing the best "Down" mutton, thus marking, in 

 act, the beginning of a new season. 



In the dead-meat market the peculiar character of the season is shown in 

 the relative values of the different classes of beef. Scotland has been able 

 to continue sending a certain number of sides to Smithfield, of the usual 

 standard of quality, and this class has maintained its price far better than either 

 English or port-killed beef. During the second week in September, Scotch 

 sides were firm at 6\d. per lb., while the best English on offer was only 

 fetching S^d., and first quality Deptford killed, the same price, and some of 

 the Canadian Ranch beef sold as low as $\d. Home grown mutton was 

 still declining in demand, and values for English again tended downward, 

 the best wether carcases of about 72 lb. in weight only realizing 6\d. per lb. 

 Good veal maintained its top price at *]\d. and small pork advanced to b\d. 

 per lb. 



Third Week. — During this week there was a sudden change in the 

 weather, several days in succession being close and warm, and when this 

 occurs at this time of year with its greater humidity, the meat trade is always 

 adversely affected, such conditions being worse than those of the height of 

 summer for danger of tainting. There is no doubt that this had its effect on 

 all markets, and that of Islington on the 21st was considerably depressed. 

 There was no improvement in the general quality of either cattle or sheep, 

 nor is there likely to be any in that of cattle until the season for stall-fed 

 beasts arrives. The value of the few fairly ripe steers was maintained with 

 difficulty, but Shorthorns were very poorly represented and so declined a 

 further \d. per lb. 



Sheep were in very moderate supply, numbering only 4,620, but even these 

 were not nearly all sold, so poor was the demand. English Down tegs from 

 Hampshire, the choicest English mutton on offer, weighing about 64 lb., 

 declined 4d. per 8 lb., and had to be quoted at Sd. per lb. On the other 

 hand Scotch tegs'were scarce and a few of the best made a little more money, 

 but the Irish Roscommons declined \d. and were not all sold. 



There was a strong note of depression in the reporters' notes which came 

 from nearly all the markets during the week, complaints of the condition of 

 the animals being almost uniform. Inverness stood almost alone, in report- 

 ing any animation in the trade, with an actual advance in prices for both 

 cattle and sheep. A decline in beef was noted at Ashford, Carlisle, Crewe, 

 Darlington, Leeds, Leicester, Peterborough, Wakefield and York. The 

 Scotch markets, as a whole, were rather less weak than the English. 

 Perhaps the most striking feature was the very low relative price of cattle in 

 London. Out of 15 markets quoted by the 14-lb. stone in the official returns, 

 Islington was the lowest of all for cattle described as Shorthorns. The top 

 price there for this class of cattle was ys. 3d., while at Ipswich it was 8s. 6d., 

 at Norwich and Newcastle 8 s., at Ashford, Chichester, Dorchester, Newport 

 and Derby js. iod., at Peterborough js. Sd., at Leicester, Lincoln and 

 Wakefield ys. 6d., and at Leeds ys. \d. It is evident that there must be 

 more than one cause for such an unusual state of things, and it may be that 

 for some reason the best cattle were retained for the local markets, added to 

 which the second-rate animals sent to London were undersold by the very 

 cheap Canadians. 



As regards the country trade for fat sheep there is no doubt it was worse 

 than that for cattle. It was reported lower at about 17 markets, while prices 

 were maintained at only about half that number. The highest quotation for 



