34-0 The Live and Dead Meat Trade in June, [july, 



several at £2.1 per head. There was no weakness displayed in the cattle 

 trade during the closing days of the month. At Norwich on the 26th there 

 was a shorter supply and a very firm trade at a rather sharp advance of 

 about 6d. per stone, while at Islington on the 28th Norfolk stall-feds were 

 few, and the grass-fed Here fords were the chief feature of the market. 

 Many of these showed some want of finish, but they realised up to y%d. 

 per lb. for the best, and the choicest Norfolks up to y\d. One nice lot 

 of six of the latter were sold at ^25 each, and when weighed after sale 

 were found to have realised 415. qd. per live cwt. 



The net result of the country's trade in fat cattle during June may be 

 safely estimated at an advance in values of about 2d. per 14 lb. stone, 

 while at Islington prices were almost the same as last year at the 

 corresponding period. 



Fat Calves. — There was a moderately good demand for veal calves 

 throughout the month, and the average price varied but little from week 

 to week. Taking the week ending on the 10th, the price of first 

 quality averaged 8^d. per lb. at 26 markets in Great Britain. The 

 only place where gd. was exceeded was Wellington (Salop), the best 

 making g^d., while the highest price at Norwich was only yd. Later 

 in the month the average slightly declined, being only S^d. for the 

 week ending the 24th, Dorchester being the lowest at y\d., while at 

 Norwich the price was Sd. per lb. 



Fat Sheep. — Reports of the sheep trade were of a gloomy character 

 nearly all the month, and after the rally which had recently taken place 

 and given rise to hopes of lasting improvement, the disappointment 

 was keenly felt. Accounts of so many markets failing to clear and the 

 want of life in the trade gave, however, a rather exaggerated idea of 

 the actual decline in values, and when the reports were more carefully 

 examined they failed to show any serious reduction from the prices 

 prevailing in May. Still, when the figures are compared with those, of 

 corresponding dates in 1908, we find that they are about %d. per lb, 

 below those then current in the Metropolitan market. The average 

 price of Downs in 15 markets held during the first three days was 

 y\d. per lb. for first quality. In the course of the following week the 

 trade was certainly weaker, especially for heavy weights and second 

 quality sheep. Yet the average of the top quotations in 17 markets 

 for prime small Downs was no lower, being still a fraction over y\d. 

 per lb. for first, and nearly yd. for second quality. Best small Long- 

 wools in the 16 markets quoted averaged yd. per lb., and at Newcastle 

 Longwools were quoted at the relatively high figure of 8d. against 

 6\d. at Lincoln and Peterborough. The explanation of this great 

 discrepancy must be in the superior breed of sheep classed as 

 " Longwools " at Newcastle, they being, presumably, chiefly Border 

 Leicesters. The following week no less than 26 out of 37 markets 

 were described as being worse for fat sheep, and no doubt trade was 

 very slow and heavy sheep very difficult to cash, yet the records showed 

 a very small, if any, reduction on either class of sheep. The course of 

 trade in the week ending on the 24th may be described in the same 

 words, values, on the average, being extremely little changed, except, 

 perhaps, at Norwich, where " Downs " declined fcZ. per lb., and at 

 Leicester, where a fall of ^d. was reported. At the last Monday's 



