1909.] The Live and Dead Meat Trade in June. 341 



market at Islington there were fewer sheep on offer by about 1,000, 

 and butchers seemed more inclined to buy at first, but later trade again 

 relapsed and there was no real improvement in prices, which remained 

 much as they were four weeks before, viz., with prime Downs fetching 

 7^d. and Longwools 6fd. 



Fat Lambs. — Lambs appear to have been rather freely marketed 

 during the month, and with their increased size and weight their value 

 per lb. would naturally fall. Large numbers were, in fact, sold at 

 about the same price as small tegs and passed into consumption as such. 

 Towards the end of the month a number of forward Hampshire Down 

 lambs were shorn and sold at Islington as tegs at 7|d. per lb. Up 

 to the 10th, prime small lambs averaged io^d. per lb. in 39 British 

 markets and g\d. for second quality. In three Scotch markets is. per 

 lb. was reached, but nd. was the highest quotation in any English 

 market. The following week there was a considerable fall, owing to 

 larger supplies, and the average for prime small lambs not exceeding, 

 say, 40 lb., was only g^d. per lb., this price being about maintained 

 to the end of the month. At Islington on the 28th the top price was yd. 



Fat Pigs. — The trade in fat pigs remained exceedingly firm, and was 

 doubtless strengthened by the remarkably cool weather which prevailed 

 throughout the month. During the first half of June the average price 

 of small bacon pigs was 75. id., and 6s. $d. per stone for second 

 quality or large pigs. Later there was a very slight average decline, 

 but the price still stood well over 6d. per lb. for prime quality, and at 

 Birmingham they were quoted at us. 3d. per score. 



Carcass Beef. — Set- cch and English beef at the London Central 

 Market remained unchanged on the 2nd from the values current the 

 last week in May, but were moving upwards by the 9th. Scotch short 

 sides sold at 7|d., and in extreme cases at J-^d., per lb., while long sides 

 were fetching 6fd. and English 5fd. Port killed was then steady at 

 about the same price as English, and American chilled hind quarters 

 were worth from 53d. to 6\d. Argentine chilled, however, advanced 

 suddenly by no less than fd. per lb., and was fetching 5^d. per lb. for 

 best hind quarters. Another striking feature was the advance in frozen, 

 which amounted to fd. per lb. since the end of May, hind quarters being 

 worth 4^d. per lb. At the corresponding period last year the very best 

 New Zealand was only making 3fd. The alleged reason for this 

 advance was u scarcity." The following week Scotch was firm and 

 English fd. dearer. Deptford killed advanced fd., but Argentine chilled 

 met with a temporary check, falling \d. per lb. Frozen was also a 

 trifle easier on the week. 



On the 23rd, home killed was stationary in values, except that Scotch 

 long sides were fd. dearer, Deptford and Birkenhead killed going up 

 another Jd. per lb. Deptford killed then touched 6|d. per lb. American 

 chilled hind quarters advanced |d., and Argentine regained the ground 

 lost the previous week. As the month closed in, these prices were still 

 further advanced, and latest reports state that Argentine beef has been 

 sold as high as 6|d. per lb. The most striking features of the carcass- 

 beef trade were the near approach of the value of port killed to that of 

 the finest Scotch, and the relatively high price of frozen. 



Carcass Mutton. — Fresh killed mutton fairly maintained the prices 



