io6o Live and Dead Meat Trade in February, [march, 



British markets, and the trade has been of a similar character to 

 that of January. The averages have worked out each week at S^d. 

 and *]\d. per lb. for first and second quality. 



Fat Sheep. — The abnormal conditions ruling in the markets for 

 sheep make it difficult to place on record the average prices realised 

 for all classes. Thousands of tegs have been exposed in the London 

 market alone during the past month in ordinary store condition, and 

 have only found purchasers at extremely low prices. In fact, these 

 have formed such a large proportion of the total supplies, that really 

 good conditioned sheep have been difficult to find, and prices for fairly 

 meated tegs have advanced since the middle of January as much 

 as if per lb., at any rate in the London market. On the third Monday 

 the best small tegs freely fetched g\d. per lb., and in a few extreme 

 cases 9f<2., while those weighing 80 lb. have easily made gd. 

 Many tegs have been sold at 605., and even more has been 

 reported in the country. The scarcity of good British mutton 

 has been long foreseen, and is likely to continue for several 

 months. The average for first quality Downs in English markets in 

 the third week was 8|d. per lb., and yfd. for second quality, while 

 fat ewes advanced to 63d. Longwools in the same week averaged 

 83d., fid., and 5^(2., the average price of this breed in September last 

 being 6|d. for first quality. Fat lambs are coming out very sparingly, 

 but are not meeting with a very good demand at present. Their 

 condition, like that of the tegs, is very indifferent. 



Fat Pigs. — Bacon pigs are gradually but steadily hardening in 

 value, and averaged 6s. 6\d. and 6s. per 14 lb. stone in about thirty 

 British markets. This is an advance of 6d. per stone from the lowest 

 point, which was touched in December. 



Carcass Beef — British. — Scottish beef has been a very even trade 

 throughout the month, the second being the weakest week, when 

 prices went back 2d. per 8 lb. stone (the weight that is always quoted 

 at the Central Market). The average values of the month were 

 45. g\d. and 4s. y^d. for first and second quality short sides, and 

 45. 6\d. and 45. 4^. for "long" or whole sides. The latter touched 

 45. Sd. in the last week. English sides also made rather less than in 

 January, their averages being 45. 33d. and 45. id. for first and second 

 quality. 



Port-Killed Beef. — Deptford-killed American was moderately sup- 

 plied, and met a very good demand at 45. 2\d. and 4s. i^d. as the 

 monthly average. 



Chilled Beef. — After the second week there was a fall in hind- 

 quarters of Argentine chilled, but forequarters maintained January 

 prices. The averages for the former were 35. 4^. and 2s. n^d. for 

 first and second quality, and for the latter 2s. qd. and 2s. 2d. per stone. 

 There was no United States chilled beef worth quoting. 



Frozen Beef. — The demand for frozen beef was steady, and prices 

 showed a slight advance on those of the previous month, forequarters 

 selling relatively well. Hindquarters made 25. 7fd. and 2s. 6d. as 

 the average of first and second quality, and fores 2s. o\d. and 

 is. iofd. per 8 lb. That from New Zealand fetches about id. per stone 

 more than that from Argentina, and 2d. more than .Australian at the 

 present time. 



