574 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ December 29, 1892. 
PLANTS IN TOTS. 
s. 
d.- 
s. 
d. 
s. 
d. 
s. 
d- 
Arbor Vitae (golden) dozen 
6 
0 to 12 
0 
< Ferns (small) per hundred 
6 
0 
to 8 
6 
Azalea, per dozen .. .. 
42 
0 
60 
0 
Ficus eiastiea, each .. .. 
1 
6 
10 
0 
Begonia, per dozen .. .. 
6 
0 
12. 
0 
Foliage plants, var., each.. 
2 
0 
10 
0 
Chrysanthemums, per doz. 
6 
0 
9 
0 
Hyacinths, dozen pots 
8 
0 
12 
0 
„ large plants, each 
1 
0 
3 
0 
Lycopodiums, per dozen .. 
3 
0 
4 
0 
Cupressus, largeplants,each 
2 
0 
5 
0 
Marguerite Daisy, dozen .. 
6 
0 
12 
0 
Cyclamen, dozen pots 
9 
0 
18 
0 
Myrtles, dozen. 
6 
0 
9 
0 
Dracaena terminalis. dozen 
18 
0 
42 
0 
Palms, in var., each .. .. 
1 
0 
15 
0 
„ viridis, dozen .. 
9 
0 
24 
0 
„ (specimens) .. .. 
21 
0 
63 
0 
Euonvm us, var., dozen .. 
6 
0 
18 
0 
Primula, single, doz. pots 
4 
0 
6 
0 
Evergreens, in var., dozen 
6 
0 
21 
0 
Solanums per dozen.. .. 
9 
0 
12 
0 
Ferns, in variety, dozen .. 
4 
0 
18 
0 
Tulips, dozen pots .. .. 
C 
0 
9 
a 
CHRISTMAS CATTLE MARKETS. 
“Really prime quality cattle are very short in supply, 
and with an over-supply of second sorts the trade was dull.” 
This quotation from one of several recent market reports is 
characteristic of all, and is really a key to the unsatisfactory 
condition of the markets for home-bred cattle. The bulk of 
so-called fat beasts are of inferior quality, and for such stock 
prices rule low, but for really superior beasts prices are, and 
have been, fairly remunerative. About 6£d. per lb. may be taken 
as the average wholesale rate for live beasts, and 5£d. per lb. for 
the best American refrigerated beef by the quarter. There can 
be no question that very much of ths imported frozen meat is 
sold by butchers as the best Scotch, and sirloins at lOd. per lb. 
must afford a very handsome profit to the man who can sell 
enough of them. Heifers of about 180 lbs. have been sold in the 
Midlands at 6id. per lb. by weight. Such beef is of the best 
quality, and was decidedly cheap, but there would probably be 
two or three profits out of it subsequently before it came into 
the consumer’s hands. 
It was with some curiosity that the great London Christmas 
market at Islington was looked forward to. This, called the 
“ Islington Great Day,” was held on December 12th, and was, 
on ths whole, satisfactory. The number of beasts offered— 
5 .j 20 was well up to the average of the last four years, the 
prices ranging from 2s. 4d. to 5s. 4d. per stone of 8 lbs., being 
very much the same as in 1891 and 1890. No foreign cattle 
was on the market, so it was a fair test of the value of home-fed 
beasts, and though on the whole satisfactory, it must be owned 
that the numbei of animals reaching the higher figure was 
small, but the price was well maintained, the trade in the best 
class of stock being steady if slow. As usual at this mirket, 
Scotch beasts took the highest price of 5s. 4d. Next came 
Norfolks, Devcns, and Shorthorns at 5s. 2d, Herefords and 
Welsh Run's at 5s, and Irish at 4s. 8d. per s f one of 8 lb 3 . It 
is cleir, therefore, that there is no radical change in the value 
of really high-class beasts, and that low prices generally are owing 
to so many inferior animals being regularly sent to market 
week by week. Alarmists as well as producers point to this as 
an [outcome of hard times, but they take care to make no 
mention of the steadily sustained value of really good stock. 
While the great Christmas market shows this reasoning to be 
conect, Cential Meat Market reports tell of an overstocked 
supply of 5200 refrigerated quarters of American beef to hand 
in a single day ; also of a steadily increasing supply of beef from 
this source, so that anything like an important reaction in the 
price of inferior cattle is highly improbable. Good and not 
evil wi'l certiinly come of this, if it forces graziers to reduce 
their head of stock, and to adopt an improved system of feeding. 
Store cattle out on pasture now in all changes of weather, hoar 
frost and 3now often covering the pasture, may and do survive 
such exposure, but they become very low in condition by spring. 
The small ration of hay which they have just serves to keep 
them alive, and it does very little more. Now, take such cattle 
next May Day, and see if any reasonable man can expect them 
to become prime fat beasts in the course of the next six months. 
To those farmers who have the whole of their cattle comfort¬ 
ably established in yards in snug quarters, well fed, and well 
cared for in every way, our statements about such suic dal 
exposure and negligence of animals may appear overdrawn. We 
assure them they are not. Several times recently have we driven 
considerable distances to catch early trains in Derbyshire and 
Leicestershire, and we invariably see both horse and ca'tle sAck 
out; often in meadows in bleak situations, always in a state of 
semi-starvation. 
r I he highest quotation for sheep at Islington was 5s. 6d. per 
stone of 8 lbs., or 6 per stone less than last Christmas, owing 
partly to the fact that the supply—15,290 head—was the largest 
on record, being 720 more than last year. It was the small 
choice South Downs of about 60 lbs. that made the top price, 
other breeds falling in value very much according to weight, as 
for example, Hampshires of 11 stone being quoted at 4s. 10s. to 
5a., and Lincolns of 12 stone at 4s. 6d. to 4s. 8d. The higher 
quotation of 5s. 6d. is really the lowest price at this particular 
mai’ket for the last five years. In 1887 the number was 13,330, 
and the highest price 5s. 4d.; in 1885 there were 13,650, and the 
price was 5s. 8d. ; and in 1884 there were only 9940, and the 
price fell to 5s , the lowest price during the last thirteen years. 
On the whole, therefore, there is no reason for alarm, on the 
contrary rather for satisfaction, regard being had to the enor¬ 
mous annual increase in the number of frozen carcases of 
mutton imported from New Zealand and other countries. 
WORK ON THE HOME FARM. 
“ Just for fancy ” many a farmer has a fat beast or two for the 
Christmas stock sale of his particular locality. It is a pardonable piece 
of extravagance even in these hard times, and it is quite inspiriting to 
visit a farm where only really well-bred, well-fed animals are kept, to dis¬ 
cuss the merits of prizewinners, as well as details of management. 
Only we do not advise having a large head of fat beasts tied up after 
Christmas ; a moderate number there may be if they are fed solely upon 
home-grown corn, but there must be no bills for oil cake, the farm must 
be self-supporting. The strictest attention must be paid to every detail 
of cost, for it is ridiculous to go on year after year feeding beasts at a- 
loss, as is now so frequently done. 
Fine open weather, enabled the ploughs to be kept going and Wheat 
sowing to be done right up to Christmas on light and mixed soils, then 
the work ceased. Sheep folds on excellent crops of Cabbage have been 
possible on such land. The hard frost will do much good in shattering 
heavy land and rendering it fit for tillage. To those in arrears with 
ploughing we say, Try another autumn to get the work done sooner. 
Then with surface and underdrains in order every shower that falls 
does good to the land, air enters freely too, frost lays hold of it, and all 
natural influences tend to improve and prepare it for cropping in 
spring. 
METEOROLOGICAL OBSERVATIONS. 
Camden Square, London. 
Lat. 51° 32' 40" N.; Long. 0° 8' 0" W.; Attitude, 111 feet. 
Date. 
9 A.M. 
In the Day. 
.3 
(A 
1892. 
December. 
| Barometer 
at 32°, and 
I 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 .. 
18 
30-278 
47-1 
44-8 
W. 
43-0 
49-1 
46-3 
52-9 
44 0 
_ 
Monday .. 
19 
30-225 
43-9 
41-7 
W. 
43-0 
44-8 
43-4 
46-7 
42-1 
_ 
Tuesday .. 
20 
30-114 
42-4 
40-6 
W. 
42-6 
44-2 
40-9 
45-2 
39-7 
_ 
Wednesday 
21 
30-138 
40-1 
39-9 
W. 
42-1 
45-0 
38-3 
47-1 
35*1 
_ 
Thursday.. 
22 
50-083 
35-3 
35-3 
calm 
41-1 
41-2 
33 2 
41-9 
26-3 
_ 
Friday 
23 
30.112 
37-4 
34-2 
E. 
39-9 
38-9 
33-9 
42-8 
276 
- 
Saturday .. 
24 
30-036 
28-8 
28-5 
N.W. 
39-2 
326 
27-3 
45-2 
22-0 
— 
30141 
39-3 
37 9 
41-6 
42-3 
37-6 
45-0 
33 8 
— 
REMARKS. 
18th.—Fine, with occasional gleams of sun about midday. j A 
19tli.—Overcast all day. //V 
20th.—Overcast throughout. 
21st.—Slightly foggy in the morning; fair afternoon. 
22nd.—Fog all the morning ; a little misty in the afternoon ; bright night. 
23rd.—Fine, with occasional gleams of sunshine in the afternoon. 
24th.—Bright and sunny throughout. 
A rainless week, with steadily decreasing temperature and small daily range.—G. J. 
Symons. 
