Dec. 1896.] WOOL SUPPLY OF THE UNITED KINGDOM. 249 



with British and Irish produce, flockmasters in New South 

 Wales and Victoria are giving their attention more and more to 

 the production of coarse-wooled sheep, and this change has been 

 stimulated by an increasing demand for cross-bred wool. In 

 discussing the possibility of a further development in this 

 direction, the Bradford Observer says, " The market for cross- 

 bred colonial wool demands the serious attention of all our 

 English readers. This wool is increasing in production, and it 

 is increasing in popularity, and so long as the latter condition 

 prevails there is every inducement to the grower to still further 

 increase the production of his cross-bred flock, and the strongest 

 inducement of all is that it pays." 



It maybe interesting to show here the average value per pound 

 of imported Australasian and South African wool side by side 

 with the prices of some of the leading varieties of British 

 wool distinguished in the Agricultural Returns. 





British. 



Australasian. 



1 



South 

 African. 



Teaks. 



Leicester. 



Half- 

 Breds. 



Southdown. 



Lincoln. 



New 

 Zealand. 



Austra- 

 lian. 



1876 - 



Per lb. 

 d. d. 



Per lb. 

 d. d. 



Per lb. 

 d. 

 171 



Per lb. 

 d. 

 171 



Per lb. 

 d. 

 151 





Per lb. 

 d. 

 15| 



1877 - 











161 



161 



15 





15f 



1878 - 











151 



15 



141 





151 



1879 - 











13 



121 



141 





141 



1880 - 











141 



151 



141 





151 



1881 - 











151 



121 



141 





15 



1882 - 











14 



111 



121 





141 



1883 - 



9 to 91 



91 to 101 



10| to 14 



10 



ni 





li! 



141 



1884 - 



81 „ 91 



9 „ 



91 



10 



» 131 



10 



12 





12| 



131 



1885 - 



81 „ 9 



81 „ 



91 



9 



„ 121 



10 



10 





101 



91 



1886 - 



9 „ 9| 



91 » 



10| 



91 



» 121 



10 



81 





91 



91 



1887 - 



9f „ 101 



10 „ 



111 



101 



„ 121 



101 



101 





ioi 



101 



1888 - 



91 „ 10 



9* „ 



101 



91 



„ HI 



101 



101 





101 



9| 



1889 - 



9f „ 101 



101 „ 



11 



101 



» 121 



11 



101 





10? - 



--- 101 



1890 - 



10 „ 101 



101 „ 



111 



11 



„ 13 



11 



101 





11 



101 



1891 - 



91 „ 10 



10 „ 



10f 



101 



„ 13 



9f 



91 





91 



91 



1892 - 



81 9 



91 



101 



101 



121 



8f 



91 





9 



91 



1893 - 



81 „ 9| 



91 „ 



101 



101 



» 12 



101 



91 





81 



91 



1894 - 



9 „ 10 



2* „ 



10| 



91 



12 



10 



9 





81 



91 



1895 - 



91 „ 101 



91 „ 



11 



91 



» 111 



12 



81 





8 



91 



In comparing these prices it should not be forgotten that in 

 the case of the imported wools the values given are averages 

 obtained by dividing the total value by the aggregate quantities 

 received, and it is therefore impossible to distinguish the 

 differences in the prices realised by different grades or qualities. 



