1909.] The Live and Dead Meat Trade. 163 



per ton. Despite the advance of the season and the growth of grass, 

 the by-products of the mill have rather risen in price than declined. At 

 the end of April the finest middlings were held for £y 10s. per ton, 

 pollards fetched ^"5, and the best broad bran £6 per ton. The good 

 inquiry for meal, in its different grades of fineness, is a decided support 

 to modern milling. 



THE LIVE AND DEAD MEAT TRADE IN APRIL. 

 A. T, Matthews. 



Fat Cattle. — The trade for fat cattle throughout the month was again 

 remarkably steady, with only very moderate fluctuations in prices. 

 Supplies have been good, but by no means unduly heavy, and the 

 general quality and condition fully up to the average. Especially has 

 this been the case at the Metropolitan cattle market, where the supply 

 of Norfolk-fed bullocks has been excellent. With regard to this class 

 of cattle, it may be permissible to remark that their good " quality " 

 is, in a very great degree, derived from the first-rate feeding and 

 management bestowed upon them. They are largely composed of Irish 

 shorthorns, decently well bred, but by no means boasting of pedigree 

 or even purity of descent, and the way in which they are turned out 

 by the Norfolk farmers speaks volumes for the skilful handling of such 

 very ordinary raw material as they appear to be when they come over 

 in poor store condition. 



The markets in the first week were more or less affected by special 

 supplies for Easter, which largely consist of lamb and veal, and 

 beef suffered a temporary eclipse. In some markets cattle were spar- 

 ingly offered, and at Darlington, Dorchester, Exeter, Norwich, and 

 Castle Douglas there was a slight decline. On the whole, however, it 

 ,may be said that the prices prevailing in March were fairly maintained. 

 The average of 26 markets for prime Shorthorns was 85. i\d. per 14-lb. 

 stone. 



The following week included the Easter holidays, and Easter 

 Monday's market at Islington afforded another instance of the want of 

 appreciation by consignors in the country of the way in which the 

 holiday is regarded in London. No less than 840 head of fat cattle were 

 on offer, and less than half that number would have been ample to 

 meet the requirements of the few butchers present. Some business was 

 done in the early morning at \d. per lb. reduction on the previous week, 

 and yd. per lb. was, according to the ordinary reports, the current top 

 price of the day. Later, however, much lower prices were accepted 

 in order to clear, and many excellent cattle were sacrificed at 6%d. 

 per lb. 



That this exceptional absence of buyers was the cause of lower prices 

 is shown by the fact that trade in the country markets was 

 relatively much better than in London. The prices of the week 

 ranged from 85. gd. per stone at Basingstoke, to ys. gd. at Hull, Lincoln, 

 and Norwich. This is a wide range, but the tone of the country markets 

 as a whole was firm. There was very little change in cattle values in 

 the third week, but, if anything, the tendency was towards improve- 



