414 
Statistics of Live Stock and Dead Meat 
number of customers for them. The science of breeding, then, 
has now fully developed itself to the benefit of the country ; the 
farmer seeing that three bullocks are now produced, where under 
the old principles only one was sent to market. Although losses 
from pleuro-pneumonia have still been sustained, it is satisfactory 
to learn that this disease has been less fatal of late than on the 
ordinary run of years. 
The supplies of mutton have not been equally satisfactory. 
Although there has been a large arrival of sheep from the Con- 
tinent, prices of all breeds ha^e ruled high, and their general 
quality has proved inferior ; indeed we believe that at least two- 
thirds of the sheep disposed of since June last have been below 
the average condition. To what cause are we to attribute tliis 
scarcity? To an extension of the in-and-in system of breeding, 
or to the disastrous effects of the wet, cold season of 1860 telling 
upon the following year ? From whatever cause the deficiency 
may have arisen, it is clear that nothing short of large arrivals 
from Holland and elsewhere will keep the currencies at their pre- 
sent range. It is true that young sheep have come pretty freely 
to hand, but from the small quantity of internal fat carried by them 
they have mostly sold at considerably less money than stock from 
two-and-a-half to three years old ; hence it may be doubted whether 
sheep-feeding has paid Avell except in favoured districts, and 
where the best breeds are chiefly produced. The rapid progress 
of sheep-breeding abroatl has created no little surprise in this 
country. In 1861 the imports into London alone amounted to 
44,236 beasts and 235,910 sheep. The quality of the beasts has 
exhibited very little improvement when compared with most 
previous years ; but the sheep have for the most part come to 
hand in excellent condition ; in fact it must be admitted that 
they now carry more fat than our long-woolled breeds, and that 
they have become great favourites with the buyers. These 
observations, however, do not apply to the original long-legged 
Dutch breeds, which have almost wholly disappeared from our 
markets. The stock now received from Holland shows unmis- 
takeable signs of crossing with our pure Downs. The legs have 
been considerably shortened, the fleece hangs well, and the 
prices realised are very high. In no country in the world has so 
wonderful an improvement taken place in so short a period 
in the quality of sheep as in Holland. The Dutch calves have, 
too, turned out remarkably well, but the lambs and pigs, from 
what may be called their poor condition, have changed hands at 
low currencies. From Germany, via Hamburg, the import of 
sheep has been large as to number, but of a quality only suited 
to low consumption. It is surprising that the graziers in Ger- 
many should continue to forward stock Avorth only from 18^. to 
