882 Live and Dead Meat Trade in December, [jan., 



Oilseeds. — The United States are not only buying Canadian linseed, 

 happily a good crop, but are entering the field as buyers of the new 

 crop in La Plata. The latter is now put at 3,500,000 qr. available 

 for exportation, which is considerably less than was estimated a month 

 ago. India has added some 350,000 acres to her area under linseed, 

 which should add as many quarters at least to the export surplus 

 available from April. The prices ruling in linseed at the end of 191 1 

 were 715. per 410 lb. for Indian on spot, 675. per 416 lb. for La Plata 

 on spot, 625. for February shipment of La Plata, and 615. gd. for 

 May shipment of Indian. Speculation promises to be active for some 

 months to come. There are only 46,000 qr. on passage. Cottonseed 

 in December varied for fine Egyptian between Ss. 3d. and 85. yd. per 

 cwt. It closed at the lower figure, and with 740,000 cwt, on passage. 



Various. — Among prices asked for fair average quality samples on 

 December 30th, last trading day of 191 1, the following may be men- 

 tioned : — English good new crop beans, 405. per 532 lb. ; new dun 

 peas, 335. per 504 lb. ; Indian chick peas, 295. per 504 lb. ; Burmese 

 dari, 285. per 480 lb. ; Essex rye, 325. per 480 lb. ; good Russian 

 buckwheat, 285. per 416 lb. ; Midlothian oatmeal, 405. per 280 lb. ; 

 fine Canadian oatmeal, 275. 6d. per 240 lb. ; barley meal, 16s. per 

 240 lb. ; maize meal, 165. qd. per 240 lb. ; feeding rice, gs. per cwt. ; 

 beet sugar, 155. per cwt. ; and soy bean oil, 295. per cwt. A com- 

 parison of these prices with those which ruled on December 31st, 

 19 10, discloses an almost general increase in the cost of foodstuffs. 



THE LIVE AND DEAD MEAT TRADE IN DECEMBER. 

 A. T. Matthews. 



Fat Cattle. — The general quality of the cattle coming to market, of 

 course, improved with the exhaustion of the supply of grass-feds, and 

 the substitution of those fed in stall and yard, though many of these 

 showed signs of haste in their disposal. Every feeder who had any- 

 thing fairly good . naturally kept it for Christmas, and the great 

 markets associated with that season began about the 9th. At many 

 of these annual events it was remarked that really first quality 

 beasts were unusually scarce, and it would have been surprising had 

 it been otherwise. A keen demand for the best existed everywhere, 

 and even cattle classed as second quality made considerably more 

 money, and helped to raise the averages for the month. These were 

 as follows : — Shorthorns, Ss. 8§d., ys. 8|d., and 6s. $id., against 

 Ss. 5<2., 75. 5^., and 65. 3d. in November; Herefords, Ss. g^d. and 

 Ss. o%d., against Ss. y\d. and 75. Sd. ; Devons, 8s. njd. and ys. iofd., 

 against 85. y\d. and ys. y\d. ; Welsh Runts, 85. 6\d. and ys. gd. f 

 against Ss. 3d. and ys. 6d. ; and Polled Scots, Ss. nd. and Ss. 2fd., 

 against Ss. yd. and ys. g\d. per 14 lb. stone. Great credit is due to 

 feeders of Devons for the splendid condition of a large proportion of 

 the cattle of that breed in spite of the unfavourable season. In the 

 week of Christmas sales and markets ending the 14th, the Devon 

 average was the highest of all, not even excepting that of the Polled 

 Scots. The Islington Great Market, held on the nth, was well sup- 

 plied, and prices exceeded, as a rule, those of last year by about \d. 

 per lb. 



