Foreign Commerce of the United States for 1878. 549 
sion of trade ever known in England, the prices of beef and 
mutton have not been sensibly reduced to the consumer, while 
the prices of lean cattle for grazing have given way but little, 
compared to the prices of fat stock. The English agricultural 
labourer, as well as the artisan, has become a consumer of 
meat, and neither of these classes will give up the consump- 
tion, if they have the means to obtain it. The supply of 
good fresh butter and of dairy products is still notoriously 
indifferent, not only in our great cities but in our small towns 
and villages. In France and Switzerland the traveller almost 
universally meets with butter which tempts him to eat it, 
and with a profusion of good milk, if not of cream. The 
traveller in England too often, especially in small country 
towns, turns from his butter in disgust, and in vain desires a 
good draught of milk. The children of the poor in our villages, 
as well as our towns, do not get half the quantity of milk that 
is desirable, and, from childhood to manhood, are driven to tea, 
coffee, or stimulants, lor want of the most wholesome and 
nourishing beverage. Our stock of cattle has diminished from 
the effect of high prices of beef and mutton. Prices may, 
perhaps, not in future range so extravagantly high ; but for 
both dairy farmers and those who can breed and feed their 
own stock there would yet appear to be no serious difficulty, 
if the present crisis do but teach the required lessons. With 
returning prosperity to our manufacturers, the demand for the 
animal products of the farm must again revive, and the produce 
of the dairy and the poultry-yard will be found no mean adjunct 
to the rearing and feeding of cattle and sheep and the growing 
of corn. 
PS. — Since the above notes were put in type, Mr. Drummond 
has published the following additional information, which may 
be usefully reprinted as an Appendix to them. 
" WHEAT. 
" Loicest and Average Prices of Wheat on hoard at New York, 
Philadelphia, Baltimore, and Boston, and landed at Livekpool 
first half-year, 1879. Tlie dollar is equal to 5s. 
" Lowest price per bushel on board at New York, 1 dol. ; at Philadelphia, 
1 dol. 6 cents to 1 dol. 16 cents ; at Baltimore, 1 dol. 6 cents ; at Boston, 
1 dol. 
" Average price per bushel of red winter : On board at New York, 1 dol. 
12 cents; at Philadelphia, 1 dol. 11 cents; at Baltimore, 1 dol. 6i cents; 
at Boston, 1 dol. 6 cents. 
" Average price per bushel landed at Liverpool : From New York — common 
wheat, 1 dol 17 cents ; red winter, 1 dol. 24 cents ; from Philadelphia — red 
