164 The Live and Dead Meat Trade. [may, 



merit, nearly all the recorded markets showing- a fractional advance 

 amounting to an average of about ^d. per 14 lb. 



There was again an excellent supply of well-finished shorthorn cattle 

 at Islington on the 26th, but trade ruled slow, and prices would prob- 

 ably have given way had it not been for large buying for the dead-meat 

 market. One firm alone purchased no less than 200 head. This support 

 was the most important feature of the trade, and, of course, had a 

 very steadying - effect. According to a circular issued by the Markets 

 Committee of the London Corporation, there exists a very large demand 

 for genuine home-grown produce in the metropolis, and that authority 

 expresses a wish to encourage larger supplies. There has certainly been 

 observable of late a much better attendance of City buyers of cattle at 

 Islington, but whether this really denotes an augmented demand for 

 British beef in preference to, foreign it is impossible to say. 



The month closed with a steady trade for beef cattle, the best quality 

 of Shorthorns being worth about yd. per lb. 



Fat Sheep. — The slight improvement in the sheep trade at the end 

 of March was by no means general, but during the first week in April 

 there was an unmistakable revival in the demand, and a much more 

 cheerful tone. Taking first quality " Downs " as an example, we find 

 quotations advanced at Basingstoke, Hereford, Ipswich, London, New- 

 castle, Norwich, Shrewsbury, and Wellington, while there was virtually 

 no record of lower prices at any market, and, almost everywhere, sales 

 were more easily effected. The average price at 17 leading markets 

 for first quality " Downs " in the wool was within a very small fraction 

 of Sd. per lb. Clipped sheep began to be fairly numerous, and sold 

 well in proportion to those in the wool, fetching yd. per lb. at Hereford 

 and Newcastle. 



The adverse effect of the Bank Holiday on the trade for sheep at 

 Islington was quite as marked as on that for cattle. There was quite 

 a large supply of over 5,000 head, and prices declined fully J d. per lb. 

 As so large a proportion of the sheep at most markets were shorn, the 

 exact extent of fluctuations was difficult to arrive at, but it seems 

 that a further advance was reported in no less than 17 leading markets, 

 while only four, including London, were quoted lower ; it is plain that 

 the general upward movement was continued during the second week. 

 At Nottingham and Preston, some clipped cross-bred hoggets fetched 

 y\d. per lb. This price was equal to those for woolled sheep only 

 a few weeks before, so that up to this time the improvement may 

 be estimated by the value of the fleece. The advance thus estab- 

 lished was continued in the following week, and in every way the 

 trade showed signs of revival. At 28 markets out of 37 there was 

 an upward tendency in values, and most of the remainder were 

 firm, and maintained the advance already established. Clipped Down 

 tegs realised up to y\d. per lb. at Peterborough and Salford, and y\d. 

 at Leicester. But perhaps the most satisfactory feature was the fact 

 that these enhanced prices were realised in the face of considerably 

 increased supplies, owing to the end of the turnip season and the arrival 

 of the time for clipping. There could scarcely be a stronger proof that 

 demand must have revived very considerably than that an enlarged supply 

 has met with a better trade at increased rates, and that it should 

 have done so throws a somewhat curious light on the causes of the 



