528 Live and Dead Meat Trade in August, [sept., 



unusual nature. Tares have seldom shown such intrinsic quality, and 

 80s. per qr. is paid for best winter. The new rye is in good request, 

 and has advanced from 26s. to 28s. per qr. 



THE LIVE A*ND DEAD MEAT TRADE IN AUGUST, 

 A. T. Matthews. 



Fat Cattle. — The trying position caused by the drought, which has 

 lasted with brief intervals for many months, became critical in August, 

 no rain falling till the 21st in many parts of England. Partial falls 

 then took place, sufficient to refresh the roots and slightly brighten up 

 the pastures, but far too little to relieve the situation by starting a new 

 growth. Very early in the month there was a visible change for the 

 worse in the condition of the animals coming to market, which up to 

 that time had been wonderfully well maintained ; but it has since been 

 declining week by week till the bulk of the animals shown at the Metro- 

 politan Market were in little more than good store condition. In 

 these circumstances they are, of course, weighing badly, and prices are 

 depressed. 



Taking into consideration the low intrinsic value of the animals to 

 the butcher through their deficiency in internal fat, prices have been 

 well maintained, as will be seen by the following statement of com- 

 parative averages: — Shorthorns, 8s., ys. ^\d., and 6s. 3d. for August, 

 against 8s. o^d., ys. qld., and 6s. $d. in July; Herefords, 8s. ^\d. and 

 ys. yd., against 8s. 3§d. and ys. yd.; Devons, 8s. 2d. and ys. 4IJ., 

 against 8s. i\d. and ys. 4J. ; and Scots, 8s. $\d. and 8s., against 8s. ^d, 

 and 85. old. Welsh Runts have begun their season, and averaged 75. gd. 

 and ys. z\d. per stone. 



The drought has been less severe in Scotland, and this probably 

 accounts for the better trade that has been experienced there, the 

 markets being less heavily supplied with half-fat cattle. 



It is generally expected that the late autumn and winter will bring 

 short supplies and higher prices. 



Veal Calves. — Fat calves in over twenty of the leading English and 

 Scotch markets were very uniform in their average value during August. 

 It was 8d. per lb. for first and yd. for second quality. Their value in 

 different markets, however, varied extremely, ranging from y\d. in 

 some centres to as much as \od. in others for best quality. 



Fat Sheep. — There is no doubt that the low price of sheep consti- 

 tutes the worst feature of the present position of British farming, and 

 the long drought for which the present summer will be remembered 

 has come at a most unfortunate time, for it has certainly postponed 

 the possibility of improvement. With the green fodder scorched up and 

 roots struggling for life, the demand for stores has been almost nil, 

 and therefore farmers have been driven to send to the fat-stock markets 

 large numbers of sheep in half-meated condition. In these circum- 

 stances the course of the trade in August has been better than might 

 have been expected. In fact, the slight improvement shown suggests 

 a fairly healthy demand, and points to higher prices if we are favoured 

 with a growing autumn. In about twenty English markets Downs 



