302 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
September  25,  1902. 
Live  Stock  Prospects. 
With  an  abundance  of  keep  in  the  pastures,  and  the 
promise  of  still  greater  abundance  in  the  Turnip  fields,  with 
full  stackyards  and  fat  hayricks,  we  might  readily  expect 
a  boom  in  the  live  stock  trade,  but  up  to  the  present  matters 
are  remarkably  slack.  A  rising  of  the  tide  appears  to  us 
inevitable,  and  we  may  not  have  long  to  wait  for  its  com¬ 
mencement.  Both  beef  and  mutton  are  much  dearer  than 
they  were  last  autumn,  yet  store  sheep  and  cattle  are  still 
a  dragging  trade,  and  once  more  have  we  to  chronicle 
disappointment  at  the  autumn  ram  sales.  There  can  be  no 
doubt  that  farmers  have  been  hard  hit  the  last  three  seasons, 
and  they  can  no  longer  afford  to  give  fancy  prices  for  sires, 
especially  as  wool  can  only  realise  6d.  per  lb. 
That  the  wool  question  is  the  most  active  cause  of  the 
depression  is  apparent  when  we  see  how  great  is  the  slump 
in  Lincolns  and  Leicesters.  About  five  years  ago  at  the 
chief  sales  of  Lincolns  averages  of  forty  or  fifty  guineas 
per  head  were  frequently  recorded,  whilst  on  two  occasions 
Mr.  Dudding  had  an  average  of  more  than  eighty  guineas. 
This  season  the  same  breeder  can  only  reach  about  fifteen 
guineas,  whilst  those  who  had  been  making  forty  guineas 
have  to  be  satisfied  with  eight  or  nine.  Last  year  hundreds 
of  fine  Lincoln  rams  were  sold  for  three  guineas  each,  or 
even  less,  and  so  far  as  the  sales  have  progressed  the 
experience  is  in  danger  of  being  repeated.  Lincoln  mutton 
is  not  popular  with  the  best  customers,  and  only  a  revival 
in  the  wool  trade  can  resuscitate  the  Lincoln. 
On  the  contrary,  black-faced  sheep  are  meeting  a  fair 
competition.  Hampshires,  Downs,  and  Shropshire,  though 
not  so  dear  as  ten  years  ago,  are  in  healthy  demand,  at 
prices  which  should  be  remunerative.  At  Mr.  East's  sale 
of  Hampshire  ewes  at  Hazeldown,  1,049  averaged  60s.  9d. 
each,  and  270  ewe  lambs  made  44s.  6d.  each.  At  the  dis¬ 
persal  of  Messrs.  Barr’s  Shropshires,  at  Odstone,  rams 
averaged  £16  13s.  ;  shearling  ewes,  £4  14s.  2d.  ;  stock 
ewes,  £4  16s.  4d.  ;  and  ewe  lambs,  £2  10s.  4d.  At  the 
annual  (sale  of  Shropshires  at  Birmingham,  satisfactory 
prices,  ranging  up  to  twenty-seven  guineas,  were  obtained, 
some  of  the  animals  being  bought  for  Germany  and  Tas¬ 
mania.  For  Shropshires,  Hampshires,  and  Oxford  Downs 
there  is  a  much  better  general  demand  than  there  is  for 
the  white-faced  long  wools  ;  by  a  general  demand  we  mean 
for  the  ordinary  type  as  apart  from  pedigree  animals.  •  There 
is,  doubtless,  a  considerable  change  taking  place  in  favour 
of  down  breeds.  In  those  counties  which  have  been  given 
over  almost  entirely  to  the  Leicester  and  Lincoln,  cross¬ 
breeding  is  very  much  on  the  increase.  Not  only  are 
farmers  importing  black-faced  rams  to  mate  with  long-wool 
ewes,  but  numbers  of  down  ewes  have  been  purchased  for 
breeding  early  lambs.  The  dam  will  be  also  fed  off  and  sold 
during  the  ensuing  summer.  It  is  gratifying  to  see  farmers 
getting  out  of  the  old  ruts.  Mutton  of  the  down  or  cross¬ 
bred  type  defies  the  competition  of  imported  meat.  The 
great  markets  are  never  overdone  with  it,  as  they  so  often 
are  with  the  over-fat  Lincoln  and  Leicester  mutton. 
If  we  do  not  see  a  very  pronounced  rise  in  sheep  as  soon 
as  the  thrashing  machine  gets  well  to  work,  we  need  never 
make  another  forecast.  There  are  so  many  things  in  favour 
of  it.  A  plethora  t>f  fog  and  aftermath,  a  fine  root  crop, 
plenty  of  hay,  a  magnificent  plant  of  young  seeds,  and  small 
foreign  imports.  Farmers  have  been  unwilling  sellers. 
When  they  have  money  they  will  buy,  and  the  competition 
between  them  and  the  butchers  may  bring  about  something 
surprising.  The  fine  plant  of  seeds  for  next  year’s  pasture 
must  ensure  a  firm  trade  for  at  least  twelve  months. 
The  agricultural  returns  show  that  we  had  less  sheep  last 
June  by  600,000  than  we  had  twelve  months  before.  The 
number  of  lambs  was  about  the  same,  but  ewes  had 
diminished  by  170,000,  and  other  sheep  over  one  year  by 
420,000.  What  is  the  state  of  things  as  regards  cattle  ?  The 
returns  show  a  loss  on  the  year  of  208,000,  representing  a 
percentage  of  three.  There  were  46,000  less  breeding  cows, 
95,000  less  cattle  over  two  years  (not  breeding  or  milking), 
42,000  less  yearlings,  and  44,000  less  calves,  under  one  year. 
The  great  diminution  in  cattle  over  two  years,  which  repre 
sent  our  home  beef  supply,  is  the  most  striking  feature  of 
this  report.  The  percentage  is  nearly  eight,  and  this  short¬ 
age  in  the  supply  might  have  had  even  greater  effect  on 
beef  prices  than  has  in  reality  occurred.  But  it  is  the 
future  we  are  dealing  with,  and  it  requires  little  foresight 
to  predict  that  if  farmers  are  to  consume  the  supplies  of 
roots  and  forage  now  in  sight,  there  will  be  but  very  small 
numbers  of  cattle  to  spare  for  the  butcher  before  February 
or  March.  Much  depends  on  the  autumn  corn  markets.  If 
farmers  are  able  to  realise  sufficient  money  by  their  sales 
of  grain  and  Potatoes  they  will  be  in  a  position  to  keep  their 
diminished  flocks  and  herds  off  the  markets  until  spring 
approaches,  and  in  the  absence  of  increased  imports  from 
abroad  which  are  far  from  likely,  the  British  farmer  may  be 
for  once,  if  only  for  a  short  period,  master  of  the  situation. 
It  is  almost  certain,  in  our  opinion,  that  meat  will  be  dear 
this  winter  ;  perhaps  the  prices  may  approach  those  which 
prevailed  in  1872-4. 
The  decrease  of  46,000  in  the  number  of  cows  and  heifers 
is  rather  a  serious  matter,  for  it  must  have  some  effect  on 
the  supply  of  milk.  If  cattle  increase  all  round  in  price,  the 
rearing  of  calves  will  be  encouraged,  and  the  supply  of 
milk  cows  for  the  town  dairies  be  restricted.  As  young 
cattle  are  relatively  dear  now,  calf-rearing  will  almost  surely 
increase.  In  the  present  state  of  our  herds,  especially  as 
regards  our  breeding  stock,  it  is  most  desirable  that  every 
heifer  calf  should  be  reared,  and  though  it  might  be  a  little 
arbitrary,  an  embargo  against  the  slaughter  of  all  female 
cattle  under  three  years  of  age  would  do  more  good  than 
harm  to  British  agriculture. 
Work  on  the  Home  Farm. 
We  have  had  rain  almost  daily,  yet  have  made  fair  progress 
with  harvest  during  the  week.  The  crops  are  practically  all  in 
stook ;  only  a  field  or  two  of  Rivett’s  Wheat  and  late-sown  Barley 
remain  standing.  The  wmather  has  been  too  unstable  to  favour 
Barley  stacking,  and  the  fine  crops  of  this  cereal  are  still  in  the 
fields.  A  considerable  quantity  of  Wheat  has  been  led  and  some 
Oats.  The  Wheats  have  taken  more  carting  than  was  expected, 
and  the  sheaves  are  heavy  enough  to  warrant  the  expectation  of  a 
good  yield.  The  grain  is  plump  and  well  fed,  strikingly  so  for 
such  a  late  season.  Barley  has  got  a  good  deal  stained,  and  there 
will  be  few  bright  samples. 
There  has  been  great  difficulty  in  getting  men  to  tie  the  Barley 
up  after  the  reapers.  Men,  who  a  few  years  ago  left  other  occupa¬ 
tions  for  a  temporary  spell  of  harvesting,  but  have  not  been 
required  the  last  year  or  two  owing  to  the  use  of  self-binders, 
have  refused  with  scorn  the  old  prices,  and  have  practically 
obtained  what  they  liked  to  ask  for  on  the  present  occasion. 
Barley  crops  are  heavy  certainly,  but  7s.  6d.  per  acre  is  a  heavy 
price  for  tying  up  and  stooking,  and  that  price  lias  been  frequently 
given. 
There  will  be  nice  pickings  for  the  pigs  on  the  Barley  stubbles 
where  Standwell  or  Goldthorpe  has  been  grown.  The  ground  is 
strewn  with  necked  ears  in  some  places.  Wrench’s  Prolific,  which 
has  become  very  popular  about  here,  has  not  suffered  in  that  way, 
its  growth  being  similar  to  the  old  Chevalier.  Some  of  the  fields 
of  this  kind  have  been  terribly  laid,  and  the  grain  will  be  both 
small  and  dingy. 
As  soon  as  possible  we  shall  put  the  cultivator  through  a  piece 
of  Wheat  stubble,  and  prepare  it  for  winter  tares.  After  being 
cultivated,  twelve  loads  of  good  muck  per  acre  will  be  ploughed 
in  and  the  seed  sown  at  once.  Ten  pecks  per  acre  will  be  sufficient 
for  immediate  sowing.  In  another  month  twelve  will  be  required. 
We  drill  ours,  but  some  people  broadcast  by  hand.  The  seed  is 
more  easily  covered  after  the  drill,  and  less  likely  to  be  robbed 
by  pigeons,  which  are  very  fond  of  it.  . 
As  we  wrote  a  month  ago.  a  neighbour  was  spraying  his 
Potatoes.  The  work  was  not  well  done,  and  appeared  to  us  very 
much  belated.  The  results  are  a  striking  testimony  to  the  value 
of  spraying,  as  far  as  present  appearances  go.  The  uneven  and 
patchy  way  in  which  the  work  Was  done  has  provided  a  splendid 
test.  The  most  unobservant  person  could  not  help  remarking 
the  extraordinary  difference  between  dead,  or  dying,  and 
vigorously  growing  haulm  on  closely  adjacent  patches.  In  other 
places  the  gradual  change  in  appearance  is  a^nple  evidence  of  the 
slow  clogging  up  of  the  strawsoniser,  and  a  sudden  change  once, 
more  to  healthy  growing  conditions  shows  the  place  where  the 
machine  was  stopped  and_put  into  effective  order.  Such  an 
absolutely  conclusive  test  could  hardly  have  been  organised  with 
intention  and  carried  out  so  well.  This  was  done  on  August  15, 
which  would  be  considered  very  late  for  spraying.  The  machine 
was  a  new  one,  and  sent  by  Messrs.  Strawson  on  approval.  There 
should  be  a  sale. 
