266 Live and Dead Meat Trade in May. [june, 



figures are: — 1911, 2,360,000 qr. ; 1910, 3,115,000 qr. ; 1909, 4,070,000 

 qr. While this percentage of difference prevails it is manifestly un- 

 reasonable to look for anything like cheap linseed, nor while the chief 

 oilseed is dear is there much chance of other kinds being other than 

 dear also. At the present moment the best' bargains, based 'on the 

 analyst's tables of oil and other contents in proportion to the price, are 

 sunflowerseed and sunflowerseed cake; 14s. per cwt. is being asked 

 for the seed. Sunflowerseed cake is not much known in England, but 

 is largely used in Russia. The British farmer with stock to fatten 

 might apparently do well to study the possibilities of this cake. Linseed 

 at the close of May was quoted at 175. to 18s. per cwt., Egyptian cotton- 

 seed at 8s. 3d. to 8s. 6d. per cwt. 



Various. — Of the staples usually referred to under this heading soy 

 beans are rather cheaper on the month, beet-sugar, rice, and canary- 

 seed unchanged. Indian chick peas at 5s. per cental are excellent feed- 

 ing value. Many prefer to buy them in the split form at 85. 6d. per 

 160 lb. bag. 



THE LIVE AND DEAD MEAT TRADE IN MAY. 

 A. T. Matthews. 



Fat Cattle. — It was fully expected that, as the end of the stall- 

 feeding season approached, there would be a considerable advance in 

 the value of British beef, but these hopes have thus far been dis- 

 appointed. There has indeed been a small improvement, but only to 

 the extent of id. to i\d. per stone of 14 lb., while it would require 

 as much as that per lb. to meet the views of feeders, and to justify 

 the present cost of stores. The following list of average prices in the 

 English markets shows at a glance the extent of the upward movement 

 that has taken place as compared with April values : — Shorthorns, for 

 the three qualities as classified in the official returns : — Ss. ^\d., 

 75. S\d. y and 6s. Sd. per stone, against 8s. 3^., 7s. jd., and 6s. 6|d. ; 

 Herefords, first quality, 8s. 6\d., second, 7s. nd., against 8s. 6d. and 

 7s. nd. ; Devons, 8s. yd. and 7s. g^d., against 8s. ^d. and 7s. S\d.\ 

 and Scots, 8s. 6d. and 7s. n^d., against 8s. ^\d. and 8s. 



One noteworthy feature of the month's trading was the higher prices 

 prevailing in several of the southern markets compared with those of the 

 north. In the week ending the i8th, 8s. gd. per stone was made for prime 

 Shorthorns at Basingstoke, Dorchester, and Newport, while at Shrews- 

 bury the top price was 7s. yd., and at Leeds and Liverpool, 8s. 2d. 

 London also, in that week, only quoted 8s. 2d. Islington prices have 

 been well above the average during the spring months prior to May, 

 but are now considerably below it. Scottish markets have been less 

 strong than the English, for cattle, for the last few weeks. 



Veal Calves. — There has been a fair demand for first quality fat 

 calves, but more of the second class have been on offer as usual at 

 this season, and the average price of both in about twenty British 

 markets declined id. per lb., as against that of April. Prices were 

 fairly even, and the average was yd. and Sd. per lb. 



