America, and of chilled beef from South America. Diagrams* C, 
D, E and F (pp. 62 to 65) show the quantities of chilled beef, 
frozen beef, mutton and lamb, respectively imported into the 
United Kingdom from each of the principal supplying countries 
during the past twenty years. 
Diagrams C and D show the importance of South America 
in our beef supplies; South America is, at present, the only 
source of chilled beef imports. A small experimental shipment 
of chilled beef was sent by the S.S. Port Darwen from Melbourne 
in May, 1925, and efforts are being made, or may be anticipated, 
to supply chilled beef from Canada and New Zealand; these 
are, however, but interesting possibilities. Diagrams C and D, 
read together, show that chilled beef is increasing on British 
markets and frozen beef declining---the year 1924 recording 
the heaviest chilled and the lightest frozen beef imports since 
1919. The decrease in frozen beef imports is due not only 
bo increasing facilities at the disposal of chilled beef importers 
for the sale of their produce, but also to the increasing demand 
for frozen beef in continental countries. 
Diagram E shows the growing importance of South America 
as a supplier of mutton and also the uncertainty of Australian 
supplies. The low shipments from Australia in 1924 were due 
bo the: effects of drought. New Zealand supplies reached their 
peak in 1921 and have since declined sharply. Perhaps the most 
interesting feature is the correlation between South American 
and Australian supplies in recent years; when Australian ship- 
ments have been low, those from the Argentine have tended 
apwards and vice versa. South America is, at present, the 
principal supplier of frozen mutton to this country. 
Diagram F shows not only the importance of New Zealand 
as a supplier of lamb, but also that during recent years shipments 
of this commodity have increased. The growing importance of 
South American shipments of lamb is of interest. In South 
America, considerable attention has been paid, in recent years, 
to breeding for the trade; the effect is shown in the increased 
totals over-the last four years, which have been round about 
two million carcases. As in the case of mutton, Australian 
supplies show . wide fluctuations; similarly, the decline in 
Australian lamb supplies in 1924 was due to drought. Total 
lamb imports have considerably increased in recent years, whilst 
mutton imports have declined ; this is due not only to the greater 
popularity of lamb, but also to the fact that lamb production 
gives a quicker turnover to the pastoralist as he is able to realise 
good prices after a few months’ feeding; moreover, holding 
sheep for wool during the past four years has been a more paying 
business than feeding for mutton and has been the rule. 
The total mutton and lamb imports by weight are still 
considerably less than the total imports of beef. | 
Cr) 
% After ficures prepared bv Messrs. W. Weddel & Co.