426 The Live and Dead Meat Trade in July, [aug., 



which is the price of Turkish and Argentine. At equal value buyers 

 generally prefer the English. If a fair crop, say three quarters to the 

 acre, could be depended upon, canaryseed should pay to grow in Eastern 

 and South-eastern England. Lentils at 40s. per qr. are regarded as 

 dear by the average buyer. During July there was a steady sale for 

 poultry mixtures at 21s. to 245. per 336 lb., for barleymeal at a guinea 

 per 336 lb., and for the leading by-products of the mill. Most districts 

 quoted about 75. 6d. per cwt. for the finest middlings, and 55. per cwt. 

 for the commonest bran, other rough grists ranging in price between 

 these two points. 



THE LIVE AND DEAD MEAT TRADE IN JULY. 

 A. T. Matthews. 



Fat Cattle. — The month began with a very good week, for, not- 

 withstanding the difference in the condition peculiar to the time when 

 all the supplies are grass-fed, the demand continued so brisk that 

 prices showed a further advance. First quality Shorthorns in 22 English 

 markets averaged, practically, 85. yd. per stone, which was about id. 

 per stone more than the last week in June, and second quality 75. 9^. 

 The rise in values up to this point had been remarkably steady for many 

 weeks, never pausing, but moving very slowly and gradually upwards. 

 At Newcastle the quotation of gs. 3d. for Shorthorns was, I believe, a 

 record price for many years, and this was nearly equalled at Basing- 

 stoke, where 95. 2d. was recorded. There was, however, a very wide 

 range of values over the country, and at Dorchester the price was 15. 

 lower than at Newcastle, London being well above the average at 

 Ss. gd. As regards other breeds, Herefords started at 85. lod. for first 

 and 75. lod. for second quality; Devons 8s. 6d. and 75. 8d., and Scots 

 Ss. lod. and Ss. $d. 



There was a slackening in the cattle trade the next week, or, more 

 correctly, a slight relaxation in prices, for the demand continued good, 

 and the difference in the value of the offal, sometimes called the " fifth 

 quarter," more than accounted for the falling off in quotations. In 

 six markets prime Shorthorns still fetched 85. gd. per stone, or y\d. 

 per lb., but in 22 English markets the average fell to Ss. 5^d., a drop 

 of about i^d. on the week. There was a somewhat heavier fall on 

 the second quality, amounting to nearly 2d. per stone. The dearest 

 markets in the week were Basingstoke, gs. 2d. ; Newcastle, 95. ; Ashford, 

 London, Nottingham, and Preston, 8s. 9d., Lincoln being the lowest 

 at Ss. 



So far as the English markets are concerned, a rather similar state 

 of things prevailed in the week ending July 22nd. There were the 

 usual complaints in many places of scarcity of first quality, and the 

 average of the quotations for prime Shorthorns again slightly declined 

 to the extent of id. per stone. But as there was no corresponding 

 fall in second quality, it is plain that there was no diminution in the 

 demand or decline in intrinsic value, but only a slight reduction in 

 the quotations for first quality. There was a considerably heavier 



