470 
On Weighing Live-Stoch. 
above his head he enters this number, and below it the weight 
of the cattle. 
This is in full view of the auctioneer and of the company. 
As soon as one batch has passed off, and while they are being 
offered, he sponges out the figures, and takes the numbers and 
weight of the next batch. These he chalks up as soon as the 
previous batch are put out of the ring. Some of the vendors do 
not submit their cattle or portions of their cattle to the test of 
the scales. In this case their animals enter the ring from the 
other shed, which is not provided with the scales. The youngest 
cattle are the stock that more than others escape the ordeal. On 
the wall over the exit from the machine, and in full view of the 
company, is this notice: — 
Henry Pooley & Son. 
No. 6745. This is to certify that we have this day completed our 
quarterly examination repair, test, and adjustment of your cattle-weighing 
machine at your yard, and have left it in good working order. 
For H. Pooley & Son, James Hind, 
To Messrs. J. Swan, Hajmaarket, Edinburgh : 
July 22, 1889. 
The auctioneer makes no remarks about the weights, but the 
buyers do so, and in some instances act promptly on a hint given 
by a friend or bystander who owns and uses a machine on his 
farm. 
The stores offered on November 11 were about 1,G00 in 
number, coming from Meath, Sligo, Mayo, Kerry, Cumberland, 
Westmoreland, Yorkshire, the Highlands, and Midlothian. The 
ages ran from three years to six months old. The condition on 
the whole was good — specially so in the case of the Irish stock. 
Quality invariably brings the average per stone up, and when 
the first lots of each breed, with weights and prices made known, 
have been knocked down, the prices of the subsequent lots no 
longer remain a matter of conjecture after their weights are 
announced. For instance, ten two-year-old Irish stirks, weigh- 
ing out 70|- stone, made 141. 15s. each, or over 4s. 2d. per stone ; 
very fresh and good. The next lot, not quite so blooming, 73 
stone each, went under 4s. Id. per stone ; the next, a shade less 
attractive, (37^ stone, made 4s. These were all from the same 
gi'azing. Another vendor's Irish two-year-olds went : 72 stone, 
for 14/. IDs., or 4s. a stone ; G9 stone, 13/. 15s., or 4s. per stone ; 
another, 64|, for 13/. 2s. 6d., or 4s. lei. per stone; while another, 
inferior, averaging 66 stone, made only 12/. 5s., or 3s. 9d. per 
stone. Any lots of Irish stirks of good quality not reaching 
3s. lid. per stone were immediately withdrawn. 
