i9i i.] Live and Dead Meat Trade in May. 267 



Fat Sheep. — Sheep sold in the wo6l during May were comparatively 

 very few, and may be ignored in the quotations of prices. The follow- 

 ing averages are therefore confined to clipped sheep : — Downs, in about 

 twenty English markets, averaged J^d. per lb., and a fraction over for 

 first quality ; 6fd. for second, and $%d. for third quality. This was fully 

 Id. per lb. more than the April average. Prime small Longwools 

 averaged 6fd., 6d., and $d., also showing a farthing advance on first 

 and third quality. In the last week there were very variable prices 

 quoted in different markets. The best Downs fetched S^d. per lb. at 

 Derby, and 8%d. at Islington, while at Leeds and York they were quoted 

 at 6fd. At Hull, Longwoolled ewes (clipped) were sold at the very 

 low figure of 3!^. per lb. In the same week Cheviots, also , clipped, 

 made 8fd. per lb. at Preston, Liverpool, and Salford. At the end of 

 the month there was a rather sharp advance in lightweight sheep, first 

 quality advancing fully \d. per lb. at London, but this did not extend 

 to heavier sheep, which were difficult of sale. 



Fat Lambs.-— The trade in fat lambs forms a very important section 

 of the business in live stock at this season, and official quotations were 

 given in May for nearly forty British markets. The decline in the 

 average price of id. per lb. in May means little, as naturally the size of 

 the lambs has greatly increased. The general British average was 

 n\d. and lod. per lb., against i2^d. and nd. in April. The London 

 trade showed a slight relative improvement, but still remained about \d. 

 per lb. below the general average price. Newcastle and Preston were 

 quoted up to is. per lb. at the last May markets, while the highest 

 London price was io^d. 



Fat Pigs. — The value of fat pigs gradually and steadily declined all 

 the month, and the average prices were only 6s. nd. and 6s. 3^<i. per 

 stone, against 75. 3^. and 6s. J^d. in April. As in August last the 

 average for prime bacon pigs once touched 8s. 3d., it can scarcely 

 be said that the fall is due to the time of year and warm weather. 



Carcass Beef — British.- — In the London Central Market Scotch beef 

 was fairly supplied, and trade was firm, except in the third week, when 

 prices declined \d. per lb. The average value of both Scotch and 

 English beef differed very slightly from that of April. It was 6\d. to 

 6%d. for Scotch whole sides, and $\d. to 6\d. for English. The latter 

 beef was very poorly supplied. 



Port-Killed Beef. — There were rather larger supplies, and average 

 prices for Deptford-killed beef were a shade better than in April, and at 

 5fd. to 6d. per lb. very nearly equalled those of English. 



Chilled Beef. — States beef was rather more in evidence than in 

 April, and best hindquarters fetched an average of about 6\d. per lb., 

 and best fores from 3fd to ^\d. Argentine chilled was very abundant, 

 and, as usual, the trade in it was fluctuating and uncertain. On some 

 days vendors quoted very variably, and fair averages were difficult to 

 obtain. As near as can be calculated, best hindquarters averaged 

 during the month ^\d., and best fores 3d. per lb. The changes in the 

 weather greatly influenced the trade in this article. 



Frozen Beef. — A very quiet trade was passing in "hard" beef, and 

 •at times transactions were little more than nominal. Best hindquarters 

 averaged about 3!^., and forequarters 2fd. per lb. 



Carcass Mutton — Fresh-Killed. — There were very good supplies of 



