On Weirihincf Live-Stoch. 449 
trial upon , which the local feeders and butchers can come to 
a reasonable conclusion on the merits of the system. The letter 
covering the return states " that there is no opposition whatever 
against the weighbridge." 
Once north of the Tweed and this pride or prejudice fades away, 
and in Edinburgh and elsewhere in Scotland the weighing machine 
is in common use at the auction of store as well as of fat cattle. 
It does not appear that stock are bought by the stone or pound 
" on the foot ; " but they go over the machine, and when they 
come under the hammer their live-weight is exhibited so 
conspicuously that those who run may read ; and any who think 
the record of service may avail themselves of it as an assistance 
to their judgment in computing values. Beyond all doubt the 
butchers as well as the feeders find this method of service to 
them. The character and quality of fat animals brought to the 
market by a feeder of any repute are perfectly well known to 
buyei's fz'equenting the market, and their condition is known as 
a rule to reach or fall short of the standard of excellence, which 
distinguishes winter-fed Scotch beef, in a measure peculiar 
to the farm or food which has produced them. The proportion 
of offal to carcass is thus not a matter of question, and there 
remains the gross weight only for speculation. This is nar- 
rowed down to certainty by weighing. 
Prom Edinburgh, under date October 24, 1889, Messrs. John 
Swan & Sons write in reply to a personal inquiry that the 
machine in the cattle market weighs six to eight beasts at a 
time, but that it is only used occasionally for cattle, and not at 
all for sheep. The fee is 2c?. a beast. Meanwhile Messrs. Swan 
& Sons sell 300 to 500 fat cattle weekly, on their own premises, 
with live-weights ascertained and posted up, and the weights 
are appended to accounts of sales. Occasionally in Canadian 
consignments the weights on loading in Canada are transmitted 
to Messrs. Swan, and sometimes, but very seldom, they are asked 
by the Canadian consignees to state the weight of the cattle 
" on foot " in Edinburgh Market, together with the price made 
per live stone. 
Messrs. Swan also write that in their opinion the weigh- 
bridge materially assists in furnishing a true and reliable guide 
to value, and assists in establishing the approximate relative 
values of different breeds of cattle, and thus provides a standard 
for trade purposes. It certainly, they say, expedites business, 
and, while the Scotch butchers and salesmen show no hostility 
to the system, the feeders and sellers of cattle generally approve 
of it. They find other middlemen beginning to make a general 
use of the machine, and they give the names of several Scotch 
