Dec. 1894.] 



PRICES OF LIVE STOCK. 



251 



The aggregate number of animals entering the scheduled 

 markets, and the number returned as weighed and priced during 

 the first nine months of the current year, may be compared with 

 the similar details for the corresponding period of 1893, as 

 under : — 



Animals. 



Nine Months 

 ending 30 Sept. 

 1893. 



Nine Months 

 ending 30 Sept. 

 1894. 



Cattle : 



Entering markets > _ _ 

 Weighed _ - _ - 

 Priced . - - - - 



No. 

 884,021 

 68,702 

 62,520 



No. 



856,969 

 68,522 

 62,093 



Sheep : 



Entering utarkets _ _ - 

 Weighed 



Priced - - - - - 



3,875,214 

 30,691 

 22,847 



3,730,907 

 32,372 

 21,226 



Swine : 



Entering markets 

 Weighed - 



Priced - - - - - 



138,431 

 915 

 258 



90,215 

 1,693 

 280 



The total number of cattle coming forward to market in the 

 19 scheduled towns appears thus to have been somewhat less 

 than in the same portion of 1893, the number of cattle weighed 

 and priced being also very slightly less. The total of sheep 

 weighed was less in the three months, but a greater number 

 were weighed in the nine months, although rather fewer prices, 

 both in the shorter and longer periods, were recorded. Of pigs 

 a jQUch smaller total is recorded as entering the markets, less 

 than half in the latest quai ter's figures. The proportion weighed 

 was, however, considerably greater, and a few more prices were 

 obtained this year than last. 



The table on the following page furnishes the details reported 

 from each market during the third quarter of 1894, and it may be 

 well to again direct attention to the small extent to which owners 

 of live f^tock are making use of the facilities secured by the Cattle 

 Weighing Acts of 1887 and 1891 for the better conduct of their 

 business. In England it appears that, except in the markets of 

 Jjondon and Liverpool, the numbers weighed are altogether 

 insignificant No cattle at all are reported as weighed at 

 Birmingham, Bristol, or Lincoln during the quarter, and 

 although a few were weighed at Leeds and at Wakefield, the 

 authorities of these markets have been again quite unable to 

 furnish any quotations of prices. 



The reports from Glasgow are almost equally defective. As 

 regards sheep, the practice of weighing appears to attain 

 considerable dimensions in only two Euglish and two Scotch 

 markets. 



