76 Live and Dead Meat Trade in March, [april. 



lowest point. London had a nice show every week of Scotch half-breds, 

 but they did not command any higher price than the best Downs of 

 either breed. At some of the northern markets, however, both these 

 sheep and Cheviots reached the high figure of io^d. per lb. 



In the second week clipped sheep began to appear, and by the 17th 

 were fairly numerous, though none were exposed in the London market. 

 The great advantage of keeping the fleece at home was again 

 exemplified. Many flockmasters are fully aware of this advantage, and 

 will never sell a turnip-fed sheep in the wool if they can possibly avoid 

 doing so. Certainly it is by no means an uncommon occurrence for the 

 fleece to be virtually given away at Islington market. Among the 

 markets held about the middle of the month where clipped sheep were 

 offered, were Hull, Leeds, Lincoln, Salford, Wakefield, Wolverhampton, 

 and York, and prices ranged from yd. to 8§d. per lb. Obviously the 

 difference in value between the clipped and the woolled sheep was far 

 less than the value of the fleece. It should be observed that the season 

 has been very unfavourable for feeding on turnips, owing to the very wet 

 winter, and that sheep are not weighing at all well in consequence. 

 Fat lambs met a very irregular trade, making high prices in the North 

 of England, frequently touching 15. <\d. per lb. 



Fat Pigs. — There was no increase in the general supply of fat pigs, 

 and values showed a further advance of about i^d. per 8 lb. stone. 



Carcass Beef — British. — The trade, while remaining steady, and 

 indeed, improving to the extent of about \d. per lb., did not by any 

 means share in the excitement which characterised that in foreign beef. 

 Scotch short sides of best quality sold at Smithfield at 6£d. to yd. 

 per lb., and long sides at 6|d. to 6%d., while the best English on offer 

 made about 6d. It was commonly remarked that home-fed beef, and 

 especially Scotch, was relatively the cheapest in the market. 



Port-Killed Beef. — Supplies were very moderate, and there was a 

 gradual advance in prices. At the beginning of the month the best 

 Deptford-killed was fetching 5fd. per lb., but later it was worth 

 about 6\d. 



Chilled Beef. — There was an upward tendency in all qualities of 

 chilled beef, and the movement was very pronounced on the 22nd at 

 London Central Market. First quality Argentine hindquarters advanced 

 from 4^d. to $%d. per lb., and best North American from 6\d. to yd., 

 during the month. 



Frozen Beef. — Perhaps the most noteworthy event of the month was 

 the strong rise in "hard" beef. It is a long time since it was fetching 

 4^d. per lb., and it rose gradually to that figure by the 22nd, for best 

 hindquarters, having started at 3§d. Forequarters were nearly as dear, 

 and fetched up to ^\d. per lb. 



Carcass Mutton — Fresh Killed. — There was a slow market during 

 a portion of the second week, and prices slightly receded. Recovering 

 later, however, an advance of fully \d. per lb. was established, with 

 very little difference between the value of Scotch and English, the best 

 qualities of both being about Sd. per lb. 



Frozen Mutton. — Prices varied a little from week to week, but 

 gradually hardened, and by the end of the month New Zealand was 

 fetching ^\d. to 5^. per lb. 



