252 The Live and Dead Meat Trades in May. [june, 



wools " averaged 6§d. per lb. for first quality shorn tegs, and second 

 quality a fraction over 6d. in 15 markets. Shorn Cheviots were 

 recorded as fetching an average of 8 Id. per lb. at five English markets. 



The following week a slightly weaker demand became evident, and 

 some markets reported a worse trade, especially for heavier weights. 

 On taking the average of 15 markets, " Downs " showed a further 

 decline of about per lb., reducing the general average to J^d. per lb. 

 The month closed with fat sheep once more at a discount. At Islington, 

 on the 24th, heavy sheep could hardly be moved at all, and the market 

 quite failed to clear. The comparatively small number of Down tegs 

 weighing not more than 64 lb. found customers at J^d. per lb., but large 

 numbers of fine tegs exceeding 80 lb. could not have been sold without 

 a heavy sacrifice, and were therefore reserved for other markets. Out 

 of 17 English markets two quoted \d. per lb. advance for " Downs," 

 but the general average for best quality was *]\d. only, and 6\d. for 

 second. In 15 markets sheep classed as Longwools averaged 6§d. per lb. 



Fat Lambs. — The lamb trade was fairly steady throughout the month. 

 Choice small ones were not very plentiful the first week and made nd. 

 per lb. at Islington, and as much as 15. id. at Carlisle and Leeds. The 

 great Northern markets continued firm in the following week, and is. 

 per lb. was still occasionally touched at Hull, Newcastle, 'and Preston. 

 In the third week, supplies considerably increased and prices fell in 

 many places to the extent of id. per lb. At the close of the month 

 Whitsuntide gave the trade a certain stimulus, but nd. was the top 

 price in England, and the average for first quality at 30 markets was 

 iold. per lb. 



Fat Pigs. — The month commenced with a good demand for both 

 bacon pigs and porkers, and weak markets were the exception through- 

 out. In some places the supply was insufficient for requirements. The 

 average price of bacon pigs in 30 markets of Great Britain the first week 

 was 6s. gd. per 14 lb. stone, and in the last week it had advanced to 

 6s. io\d., prime pigs at Birmingham reaching 11s. per score. 



Carcase Beef. — The remarkable steadiness of the trade in Scotch, 

 English, and port-killed beef which characterised the April markets was 

 continued throughout May, the fluctuations in those classes being very 

 small. The best Scotch short sides advanced to yd. per lb. on the 20th at 

 the London dead-meat market, but this was the highest point touched. 

 Scotch long sides fetched 6§<2. on the same day, but fell back to the old 

 level of 6\d. at the end of the month. The highest point reached for 

 first quality English sides in London was 6d. per lb., but they failed 

 to maintain that price, falling to 5fd. at the end, American port-killed 

 being quoted virtually the same as English throughout. There was 

 much more fluctuation in the value of chilled, both American and Argen- 

 tine, especially as regards the laUer. American hind quarters started 

 at 6^d., advanced to 6fd., and finished as low as 6d. Argentine rose 

 from 4!<2. to 5fd., but fell back to 4^., per lb. This fall at the end of 

 the month was attributed to the sudden change of the weather, and 

 many descriptions of meat fell heavily from that temporary cause. 

 Frozen beef somewhat improved in value, first quality hind quarters 

 advancing \d. per lb. during the month, and reaching 3§<2. Fore-quar- 

 ters were purchasable in any quantity at 2\d. per lb. On the whole, it 

 may be said that there was some shortage during May in the supply of 



