Prices and Quantities of Live Stock &c. in Ireland. G39 
Up to August 1, 1888, the Land Commission figures are from 
reported prices for beef and mutton; after that date they have been 
calculated for dead weights by taking seven-fourths of the average 
reported live-weight sales. Thus, if live-weight price is 32 s. per 
cwt., the dead-weight quotation is given as 56s. per cvvt. The 
highest price for beef in Dublin market since 1845 was in 1873, the 
lowest for beef and mutton was in 1852, and last year (1892) saw 
the lowest level for both since that date, the year 1887 excepted. 
Mutton reached its maximum price in 1883. Generally speaking, 
it has maintained a higher level than beef, but Avas considerably 
below it in 1867, when sheep increased rapidly in number (see 
Table III. p. 640) and became a drug in Ireland. 
The lowest price for beef and mutton in England since 1815 was 
reached in 1822-23. Mutton fell to 35s. per cwt., and beef to 38s. 6c?., 
or nearly as low as prices in the Valuation Act of 1826. Toolce 
[History of Prices , vol. ii. p. 85) states that, in 1822, the extremely 
low value of cattle attracted much attention. Wheat, oats and 
barley, and other produce, were likewise abnormally low in 
England. 
The nearest approach to the great depression of 1822 would 
seem to have been 1852. The maximum price for beef in London was, 
simultaneously with Dublin, in 1873 ; but mutton was dearest in 
London in 1877 — 91s. per cwt. — whereas 1883 saw high water mark 
in Ireland. 
Cattle and Sheep in Ireland, and in Great Britain. 
The first census of live-stock in Ireland was taken in 1841, 
when the numbers were — cattle, 1,860,000 ; sheep, 2,100,000. 
They have increased — cattle to 4,531,000, sheep to 4,828,000, as 
shown in Table III (p. 640). There were more cattle in Ireland in 
1892 than at any previous period, and sheep were almost as numer- 
ous as in 1868, when they attained their maximum. Sheep appa- 
rently have fluctuated more than cattle. It is to be remembered, 
however, that one beast is equal to at least three sheep. In other 
words, an increase of three million cattle would be equivalent to an 
addition of nine million sheep to our pastures. 
It is worth noticing that in Ireland there is nearly a beast for 
every sheep, whereas England has more than four sheep to each 
beast. 
In Ireland the sudden increase in the number of sheep (in 1865- 
66) after the American Civil War was caused by the rise in wool 
and meat. The great falling off in numbers after the wet summer 
of 1879 occurred when our flocks were decimated by disease, and 
farmers were timid in purchasing stock. 
Exports op Cattle and Sheep prom Ireland to 
Great Britain. 
For the first twenty -five years of this century the number of 
cattle exported from Ireland to England averaged about 40,000 per 
[Continued onp . 642. 
