778 Live and Dead Meat Trade in November, [dec, 



ness. Last year at this time Down sheep were fetching about id. per lb. 

 more than they are now doing, and, going back another year, we find 

 the fall to be nearly 2d. per lb., or about 10s. per head on sheep of handy 

 weights. It has been remarked ttfat sheep are not being so well 

 fed as usual, and this is attributed to the discouragement of farmers by 

 the long-continud low prices which fail to repay the cost of fattening. 

 During the first week, in nineteen markets, Downs averaged y\d. for 

 first, and 6|d. for second quality, showing no change from the last 

 week in October. The average for Longwools was 6\d. per lb. for 

 first and 6d. for second quality, while ewes averaged q^d. Young 

 Down tegs made Sd. per lb. at London, Ipswich and Chichester. 



The second week brought very little change in the trade, but that 

 little was in sellers' favour. Prime Downs still averaged y\d. per lb., 

 but there was an advance of |cZ. in second quality. In the case 

 of Longwools, first quality was again quoted at an average of 6|d. 

 The highest quotation even for young Down tegs was y\d. per lb. 

 There was no improvement whatever in the third week, indeed the 

 advance of Jd. per lb. on second quality was lost. The last week 

 brought no change in the average price of Downs. The character of 

 the reports was, however, more chequered, and reports from Hull, Leeds, 

 Liverpool, Norwich, Preston, Salford, Shrewsbury, Wolverhampton and 

 York were all couched in a more cheerful tone. Notably at Shrewsbury 

 it was stated that the best wethers advanced about 55. per head. At 

 Derby the price advanced Id. per lb. for prime Downs, which place 

 stood alone in quoting them as high as Sd. per lb. Cheviots were 

 quoted in eleven markets, and the average of first quality was y\d. — • 

 the same as that for Downs. The Black-faced Mountain breed first 

 quality averaged 6\d. " Cross-Breds " were quoted in thirty-one 

 markets, but these include varieties differing widely in character. Still 

 their average was only a small fraction lower than that of the Downs 

 or Cheviots. 



Fat Pigs. — All through the month the trade for pigs was excellent. 

 There was an advance on October prices in the first week, and prime 

 small pigs averaged js. 6d. per stone, and second quality 6s. nd. The 

 second week there was no diminution in the demand, but prices were 

 stationary. They again moved upwards in the third week, both firsts 

 and seconds advancing i\d. per stone on the average of thirty-one 

 British markets. In the last week the trade might almost be described 

 as excited. Supplies fell short of demand almost everywhere, and the 

 average for first quality in thirty markets went up to ys. Sd., and that 

 of second in twenty-six markets to 75. ifd. per 14 lb. In Birmingham, 

 first quality bacon pigs touched ys. nd., and porkers sold as high as 

 8s. gd. per stone. 



Carcass Beef.—- Scotch beef maintained even values throughout the 

 month in London market for both short and long sides, the former 

 being steadily quoted at y\d. to yd., and the latter at 6\d. to 6fd. 

 per lb. English sides were of poor quality and only second was quoted 

 during the month. It seems scarcely credible that only occasionally is any 

 prime English beef seen in Smithfield market, but such is undoubtedly 

 the fact. Unlike the Scotch, which is consigned in train loads, and 

 includes some carcasses of unsurpassed quality, the best English passes 



