252 



This does uot include any of that which arrives daily over the plank 

 roads from the forests of Lapeer county, nearest us, nor the large ship- 

 ments made by our citizens directly from the pineries, where many of 

 them own and manage mUls. We have here given only the single item 

 of Pine handled at Detroit, without naming the Black Walnut, White- 

 wood, and other valuable kinds of Lumber, which would gieatly swell 

 the aggregate of trade given. It should be recollected also that the 

 Pine region approaches within a few miles of the city, so that it distri- 

 butes only to its immediate vicinity, and the line of the Railroad. Du- 

 ring the last year there was much speculation in Pine lands, and all that 

 the most dilligent search could discover, were located with warrant? or 

 purchased. "^Miether this shall result beneficially to the State is at least 

 doubtful. The demand for Lumber at this point far exceeds the sup- 

 ply, and the several yards we find to be almost bare at this time. 



Connected with some of our City mills are extensive Planing and 

 Grooving works, in which a large part of then- Lumber is still further 

 prepared for building purposes. This would add a considerable per 

 centajre to the value as stated above. 



GRAIN AND FLOUR. 



The produce market opened for the year with low prices, and large 

 quantities in store. The new crop was full, and of excellent qualit)^ 

 Owing to several causes, the price rapidly advanced beyond that of sev- 

 eral years past, and transactions during the latter part of the year were 

 very large. The quantity of wheat purchased at this point, was 



Bushels, 2,066,624 



Flour, baiTels, 322,290 



Rec'd by Central railroad, in same time, bush.,1,147,125 



Flour, baiTels, 406,659 



The last, of course, was shipped at Detroit. Within a few yeare 

 past, there has been a gi-eat improvement in Michigan wheat, so that it 

 now ranks wath the choicest varieties in all the Eastern markets. In 

 consequence, we find that the greater proportion is purchased by east- 

 ern dealers, and shipped in the berry, to be manufactured into " extra 

 Genessee," and other noted brands, while our own millers, taking ad- 

 vantage of the good name of our flour, are sending west, to Illinois and 

 elsewhere, and purchasing an inferior, and cheap article, to mix with 

 that grown in our State, and thus making a greater profit than if only 



