French Agricultural Inquiry. 



325 



tons, the corresponding- figures in 1882 and 1892 being 

 819,248 tons and 857,300 tons respectively. Goat's flesh 

 appears to be less in favour than formerly, and the total 

 production of mutton is also slightly below that of 1882. 



Some light is thrown upon the question as to how far the 

 animals are now matured at an earlier date than previously 

 by the following figures, giving (i) the average age at 

 slaughter ; (2) the average net weight of the meat of each 

 animal, with comparisons for earlier years where practicable. 



Animals. 



Average net weight of 

 meat per animal. 



Average age at slaughter. 



1862. 



1882. 



1892. 



1882. 



18 



92. 





lbs. 



lbs. 



lbs. 



Years. Months. 



Years. IMonths. 



Oxen, Cows & Bulls 





581 



583 



6 



3 



5 



10 



Heifers - 



86 



295 



312 



I 



1 1 



I 



II 



Calves 



108 



IT4 





2 





2 



Sheep 



40 



46 



44 



2 



9 



2 



8 



Lambs - 





20 



20 





4 





4 



Pigs 



.74 



213 



207 



I 



I 





II 



Goats 





42 



40 



4 



6 



4 



5 



Horses - 







497 







16 





Mules 







328 







15 





Asses 







191 







15 





In the case of cattle, therefore, it would appear, so far as 

 can be judged from single years, not only that the age at 

 slaughter has decreased, but that the animals have been 

 quite as effectually fattened by the time they attain the 

 earlier age. 



Concerning dairy produce, it would appear that 5,407,126 

 milch cows in 1892 produced 1,694,286,000 gallons of milk; 

 which, on the supposition that one-tenth of the cows, owing 

 to disease and accidental causes, yielded no milk, gives an 

 average per head of about 3 50 gallons per annum. In 1882 

 5,019,670 milch cows are stated to have yielded 1,500,532,000 

 gallons, or about 330 gallons per cow. 475,266,000 gallons ot 

 milk are stated to have yielded 2,684,275 cwts. of cheese — a 

 much better rate of production than in 1882, when 525,030,000 

 gallons only yielded 2,252,957 cwts. of cheese. Except in the 



