ySo The Provision Trade in November. [dec, 



6\d. for prime small sheep, a few weighing - only 44 lb. occasionally- 

 touching 6\d. No English has been worth more than 6d. in the London 

 dead-meat market, and the very best has been as low as 5^. per lb. 



Pork. — The constant supply of Dutch arriving in the port of London 

 moderates values at Smithfield, where prices have been lower than in 

 Midland markets. London values have been very steady all the month, 

 prime small English fetching from y\d. to J^d. per lb. 



THE PROVISION TRADE IN NOVEMBER. 

 Hedley Stevens. 



Bacon. — The abnormal conditions in this trade still continue, and 

 on account of the extreme scarcity, and consequent high prices, both 

 wholesale and retail dealers find it most difficult to make a profit; but 

 the producers of the raw material must be realising handsome profits. 



The London market has been receiving smaller consignments of both 

 Danish and Dutch, for which a ready outlet has been found at from 

 2s. to 45. per cwt. advance on the month. There have been complaints 

 as to the quality of the recent arrivals of Danish, which increased the 

 London demand for Irish sides. 



During the latter half of the month arrivals from the United States 

 of America were a little freer, which somewhat checked the further 

 advances which had been established earlier in the month. The 

 receipts of hogs at all American packing-house centres have increased, 

 but are still considerably below last year's quantities. Packers have 

 been free buyers, paying up to $8.20, against $6.15, the top figure 

 for the corresponding month last year, and $5.30 in 1907. The latest 

 cable advices report that there is no accumulation of stock, and all meats 

 are required as soon as cured, the home consumption being good. 



Canada is sending us a little more bacon. At the end of the month 

 a shipment reached Liverpool from a packing house which had been 

 closed for the previous seven months : this points, of course, to more 

 hogs being available. Their home trade continues good. 



Further experiments are being made in shipping carcasses in steamer 

 refrigerators from Australia, to be cured on arrival in England. We 

 are also receiving small experimental consignments of cured bacon from 

 Mexico. 



Throughout the month English and Irish bacon was in good demand. 

 The curers still complain of the continued difficulty in obtaining sufficient 

 pigs to fill their requirements. 



Cheese. — The demand has again been disappointingly slow for all 

 traders. Although prices are lower than last year, the retailer seems 

 determined to buy only as required ; also, as is usual during the month 

 of November, the grocer is inclined to give more attention to the buying 

 of Christmas specialities. Where merchants found it necessary to cut 

 prices to force business, they have done it on the summer-made lots, 

 as they preferred to hold the autumn makes for an improved market. 



At the end of the month the estimated stocks at the three principal 

 distributing centres (London, Liverpool, and Bristol) were 419,000, 

 against 397,000 last year and 386,000 two years ago. 



