6 
Relative Profits to the Farmer from 
far as I have been able to make out from access to those market 
reports, the following were about the average current rates : — 
Beef 
Muttoa 
per lb. 
per lb. 
d. 
d. 
1849 
4^- 
5 
1851 
4f 
5 
1855 
6i 
^ 
1859 
6 
1864 
6i 
1868 
7 
74 
1871 
8 
8i 
1875 
8| 
9" 
These are, of course, the estimated average prices paid to the 
feeder or his representative for the live animal. It need scarcely 
be added that the consumer has had to pay a great deal more 
for the dead meat ; and in many quarters it is believed that the 
margin between the live-stock prices and the cost to the con- 
sumer is larger than it should be. There has of late ^ears 
arisen a very extensive and prosperous business for " middle- 
men." Formerly the butcher transacted business with the farmer 
or feeder, except in the principal or metropolitan fat markets. 
Now we have live-stock marts in almost every district ; and the 
stock, with a few isolated exceptions, go through the hands of 
salesmen, who make a very nice thing of it from one end of the 
year to the other. That, however, is their luck ; for it seems that, 
owing to the change that rural affairs have taken, there is no 
other way of disposing of the greater proportion of fat stock in 
this country. On the whole, it can scarcely be said that the 
farmers have much reason to regret the change ; but keeping in 
view the retail prices, under which many consumers have 
groaned during the last few years, it is not surprising that that 
very large and growing class should complain. 
There has been, as everybody knows, a great increase i,n the 
British population during the last thirty years ; but the en- 
hanced demand for butcher's meat is not nearly gauged by that in- 
crease. There arc, perhaps, three persons eating animal food now- 
adays for two thirty years ago, such is the change in our mode 
of living, which is especially great in the rural districts. It 
is possible that, as some wise people assert, the British public 
consume more butcher's meat than is really conducive to their 
health. Be that as it may, there is no likelihood of a sensible 
falling off in the demand for that sort of food. On the contrary, 
there is every prospect of an increase, perhaps even in a greater 
ratio than that in which the population advances. Then the 
