888 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ May 19, 1892. 
enumerated annually in the Board of Trade Returns, but only an 
increase of about 2,000,000 in the number assumed to be 
slaughtered annually. 
Now, though low prices would thus appear to have had a 
tendency to check the sale of home-reared sheep, they have not 
exercised a similar influence upon the frozen mutton trade, 
which grows at the rate of some hundreds of thousands of car¬ 
cases a year. It will continue growing, and must certainly be taken 
into account as an important factor in this matter. In their review 
of the frozen meat trade for 1891 Messrs. W. Weddel & Co. show 
that frozen mutton importations now represent from 15 to 20 per 
cent, of the total consumption of mutton in the United Kingdom. 
In 1880 the experiment was tried of sending 400 carcases from 
Australia; this proved so successful that upwards of 17,000carcases 
were sent in the following year. The trade thus established grew 
apace, and spread to New Zealand, whence a consignment of 
8839 carcases came in 1882, the Argentine Republic joining in 
with more than twice that number in 1883, in which year New 
Zealand assumed the leading position in the trade, and she has 
held it ever since. The figures are so interesting that we append 
them in full. 
Year. 
From 
New Zealand. 
From 
Argentine 
Republic. 
From 
Australia. 
From 
Falkland 
Islands. 
Totals. 
1880 
400 
400 
1881 
— 
— 
17,275 
— 
17,275 
1882 
8,839 
— 
57,256 
— 
66,095 
1883 
120,893 
17,165 
63,733 
— 
201,791 
1884 
412,349 
108,823 
111,745 
— 
632,917 
1885 
492,269 
190,571 
95,051 
— 
777,891 
1886 
655,888 
434,699 
66,960 
30,000 
1,187,547 
1887 
766,417 
641,866 
88,811 
45,552 
1,542,646 
1888 
939,231 
924,003 
112,214 
— 
1,975,448 
1889 
1,068,286 
1,009,936 
86,647 
— 
2,164,769 
1890 
1,533,393 
1,196,531 
207,984 
10,168 
2.948,076 
1891 
1,896,706 
1,112,618 
334,693 
18,897 
3,362,914 
This is one of the sixteen tables given in the last number 
of the Journal of the Royal Agricultural Society of England, 
under the significant heading of “ Statistics AfPecting British Agri¬ 
cultural Interests.” It shows clearly that the magnitude of the 
frozen meat trade affects agricultural interests in this country so 
seriously that its influence must have recognition. Though its 
tendency is to bring down prices, and to render all inferior sheep 
unprofitable, 'yet the fact remains that for prime fat home-bred 
sheep there is a good demand. It rests with the British farmer 
to see that his sheep are of this class. High breeding and high 
feeding have now become imperative with us We must have 
early maturity and thoroughly practical intelligent management if 
sheep farming is to answer here still. 
Let us glance at its importance. Not solely for the manu¬ 
facture of so much prime mutton is it that the sheep holds such 
an important place on British farms. That is, of course, a 
primary consideration ; but always in conjunction with it there 
is the economical and efficient application of manure to the land 
pressing upon our attention. Sheep are the best medium for 
this purpose at our disposal. The “ golden hoofs ” impart fertility 
wherever they go, but to do this thoroughly there must be good 
management. We must not only breed well and feed well, but 
we must shelter well. It is the men who half starve their sheep 
in winter, who make no provision of shelter whatever for the 
lambing, who never set a sheep fold, who purchase a few half- 
bred, half-fed ewe lambs or tegs for breeding purposes, and whose 
entire flock management is of a similar loose description, that 
are so loud in complaints of low prices. To have a few sheep 
on the farm is all right enough ; see that it is done neither from 
custom or fancy, but in a true business manner. Not difficult 
is ic to breed well, only pray remember that due care must be 
given to the selection of animals. Avoid “ bargains ” at flock 
sales, they are anything but bargains in the end, and involve the 
buyer in much profitless trouble. Little and good must be the 
home flock-master’s motto in future. Depend upon it a mode¬ 
rate number of well-bred healthy sheep kept going briskly from 
the first are always more profitable than twice the number of 
inferior underfed animals, whatever the state of trade may be. 
The trying condition of trade, brought about by the rapidity with 
which the importation of frozen mutton has grown and is growing, 
renders this a matter of urgent importance, worthy of our best 
attention and best efforts to give full effect to the important 
points we have thus indicated. 
WORK ON THE HOME FARM. 
Cold nights have retarded growth so much that graziers are at their 
wit’s end, and so many of them have come to the end of cash in hand 
too that beasts and sheep have just been thrown upon the market for 
what they would bring in the way of money. Hayricks have so very 
generally been finished that hay ranges from £4 to £7 per ton, just as 
the case may be. Price but too often is anything but an indication of 
quality, rather is it an outcome of dire necessity. As usual, dishonest 
tiaders take advantage of such an emergency to foist inferior fodder 
upon needy customers. This has been the case more especially at the 
weekly market sales of hay brought there on waggons with worthless 
trusses in the centre of the load. Buyers of such “ bargains ” should also 
be on their guard against light weight. In two recent cases at a 
market sale one ton lot proved to be 19 and another 18 cwt. only. 
The result of all this is a vast number of poverty-stricken store cattle 
and cows. Earnestly do we counsel prudence and watchfulness in bring¬ 
ing them upon a full bite. Begin moderately, using plenty of sound dry 
food either separately or chaffed, and crushed, to mix with green food. 
Do not suffer them to be out on any strong green growth at first, long 
enough to eat to repletion ; rather gradually accustom them to it, or 
there will be losses among them. Already have we seen sheep suffering 
so severely from scour as to induce suspicions of fiuke. It may only be 
due to the relaxing effect of succulent spring growth following a winter 
of scarcity. We saw some sheep-washing being done in the second week 
of this month while the nights were still frosty. Our own rule is to 
wait a reasonable length of time for warm nights in view of both health 
and comfort for the sheep, as well as to be able to shear the wool just 
when it is ready. 
Spring corn is a full strong plant, especially upon light land ; though 
cold nights have kept back growth, never was weather more favourable 
for keeping down weeds. Hoes have been at work to good purpose in 
the fields, and the first plant of Charlock is destroyed at any rate. Land 
sown with root crops has also had an extra turn with harrows, Couch 
Grass fires have burnt gaily, the land is clean, and is also a deep fine 
tilth. The seamy side, the weak point, is the very general prospect of a 
short crop of hay. Even from Ireland come lamentable reports of barren 
pastures, and such a scarcity of keep as has not been known for years. 
Now is seen the advantage of real pasture cultivation, for where the 
land is rich in fertility there is plenty of herbage, not quite so forward 
as usual, but wonderfully full and luxuriant in comparison with the 
ordinary poor pasture. 
METEOROLOGICAL OBSERVATIONS. 
Camden Square, London. 
Lat. 51° 32' 40" N.; Long. 0° 8' 0" W.; Altitude, 111 feet. 
Date. 
9 A.M. 
In THE Day. 
Bain. 
1892. 
May. 
Barometer 
at 32°, and 
Sea Level. 
Hygrometer. 
Direc¬ 
tion of 
Wind. 
Temp, 
of soil 
at 
1 foot. 
Shade Tem¬ 
perature. 
Radiation 
Temperature 
Dry. 
Wet. 
Max. 
Min. 
In 
Sun. 
On. 
Grass. 
Inchs. 
deg. 
deg. 
deg. 
deg. 
deg. 
deg. 
deg. 
Inchs. 
Sunday .. 
8 
30-203 
62-2 
46-9 
N. 
48-1 
66-7 
39-4 
107-4 
31-3 
— 
Monday .. 
9 
30-2 iO 
51-4 
46-3 
N. 
47-4 
66-4 
39-1 
94-9 
31 3 
— 
Tuesday .. 
10 
30 205 
69-1 
49-0 
E. 
47-3 
68-8 
39-7 
107-6 
31-6 
— 
Wednesday 
11 
30.269 
55-6 
50-0 
N. 
48-8 
72-4 
41-5 
119-9 
36-6 
— 
Thursday.. 
12 
30-396 
67-5 
50-3 
N.E. 
50-2 
73-9 
41-7 
115-1 
38-4 
— 
Friday 
13 
SO-286 
60-1 
50-0 
N. 
51-1 
72-4 
44-7 
107-5 
36-4 
0-036 
Saturday .. 
14 
30-076 
58-9 
51-7 
W. 
52-2 
66-6 
52-8 
102-4 
51-6 
0-043 
30-235 
56-4 
49-2 
49-0 
69-6 
42-7 
107-8 
36-7 
0-079 
REMARKS. 
Sth.—Generally sunny and warm, but occasional cloud. 
9th.—Cahu, with smoke fog till 10 A.M., and hazy morning; bright afternoon and 
evening. 
10th.—Sunny and warm. 
11th.—Bright sun throughout; temperature above 70° for the first time since April 4th, 
12th.—Warm and cloudless throughout. 
13th.—A little bright sunshine in morning, but the sun more or less obscured by cloud 
during most of the day. 
14th.—Sunny from about 1 P.M. to 4 P.M., but the rest of the day overcast and showery ; 
bright night. 
A fine week, and about 10° warmer than the previous one.—G. J. SYMONS. 
