THE FARM.

Oamaru Mail, Volume IV, Issue 1033, 12 August 1879, Page 2 (Supplement)

THE FARM.

PALL 11-f THE PRICE OP SHORTHORNS. (From the North British Agriculturist.) The gloomy agricultural "look out," the great depression presently existing in that important industry, aud the scarcity of , money throughout the country generally, are telling very decided!}', and unfavorably on the prices of pedigree stock more especially the better bred class of shorthorns, which for a good many years back have commanded high prices—often, indeed, quite fancy figures. During the last two or three years the value in the market of all shorthorns realising over, say, 60 guineas | a head—if we except perhaps the comparatively choice lots of c: blue blood"—has been steadily drooping. Within the last twelve months, indeed, the fall has been rapid and serious for many owners of such stock. The Oluny and other sales last autumn brought this uncomfortable fact clearly before many shorthorn breeders, while Mr. Thornton's spring sale 3, with one or two English exceptions, prove that the shorthorn trade and prices have got worse instead of better since the fall of the year. The Scotch sales—at Dcuchrie and Kei thick—last week were, we believe, better than several English ones ; but this is sober satisfaction to the enthusiastic and destrving Scotch exposers referred to. Messrs. Fisher and Tweedie brought cheir cattle into the ring in the pink of condition, with results far from cheering, as will be seen from the detailed reports elsewhere. Only 23 guineas were obtained at Deuchrie for a heifer, for which 80 were refused little more than a year ago ; while it is within the mark to say that had the three-year-old cow " Lady Madeline," purchased on Wednesday at 47 guineas for the Duke of Buccleuch, come into the market three or four years ago she would have fetched double that price. By turning to Mr. Fisher's sale, however, one can even more fully gauge the extent of the fall in prices, because a larger proportion of the herd was what is termed high bred, and several of the animals had been in the market at various periods, since 1875. One animal brought exactly the h.ilf of what was ottered and refused for her in the spring of 187S ; while the Waterloos, the Ringdoves, and such well-descended, handsome, regular breeding sorts, are now only realising about half their market value three or four years ayo. If we were to accept Mr. Fisher's wonderful sale in 1874 as a fair cost of the market at the time, we would fuel forced to the conclusion that the Knightleys, with Booth " top crosses" had fallen even more than 100 per cent. But the 1874 sale was an unpreecdeiitly good one for the blood, and therefore any unqualified comparison with it would be misleading. With this explanation, however, we may add that Mr. Fisher had hi 1874 for forty-two liond ail average of £3O odds, while last week for forty T nine head —decidedly superior both as to breeding and looks—he only averaged £35 12s Id. On all hands it was admitted that the animals sold last week were a grand lot, but such admissions are not in crucial times like these accompanied by free bidding and high prices. Around the shorthorn saleriug of late, it has been rendered evident that the wealthy nobleman' or squire is less inclined than he formerly was to invest deeply in fancypriced pedigree stock, and also that ordinary rent-paying breeders or farmers have little 11 keep" and less cash.-