262 



THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. 



wheat, where it was practicable, was not sent 

 earlier to market, as the month has closed with a 

 heavy depreciation in prices, say about 8s. per qr., 

 as well as a greater difficulty of sale. This is not to 

 be so much attributed to the quantity brought to 

 market, as the preference given by the millers to 

 the foreign samples, which have lately been so 

 freely imported, in consequence of the greater 

 quantity and superior quahty of the flour procura- 

 ble from this source. The fears, therefore, enter- 

 tained by some respecting the character of the flour 

 made/from the new English wheat,have been realized, 

 and it would appear that the first samples exhi- 

 bited realized more than their relative value, as fine 

 old English and foreign qualities have scarcely 

 given way Is. to 2s. per qr., and new foreign only 

 3s. to 4s. per qr. Notwithstanding the liberal im- 

 ports, the average growth, therefore, of I860, in this 

 country, has sunk to a level with second and third 

 rate foreign, and the lower sorts have no fixed value 

 with millers, and may, perhaps, be more profitably 

 employed as cattle food, if not placed on the kiln. 

 The crop of spring corn also is much of the same 

 character, there being very little fine, and the en- 

 tire yield of beans is damp, and requires to be 

 dried. So evident, indeed, has this become, that 

 several new samples ^have thus come to market, 

 and found a ready sale, while the undried parcels 

 have either been left unsold or forced off at ruin- 

 ously low rates. As to the future, we expect much 

 more than all the corn grown here will be wanted ; 

 but till foreign supplies diminish, or the condition 

 of the English samples improve, there is no pros- 

 pect of amended prices. The tightness of money 

 has, doubtless, had much to do with the present 

 depression, and therefore may eventually, by re- 

 stricting imports, bring on a reaction in the mar- 

 ket ; and as consumption is proceeding at an enor- 

 mous rate, millers may be forced upon a more 

 liberal use of the English crop. This is an easy 

 probability, but as the last accounts of our markets 

 will, doubtless, shake those abroad, fresh orders at 

 lower rates may yet keep up supplies for a time, 

 but not the extraordinary rate lately experienced. 

 Last October in wheat and flour they were equal to 

 1,047,988 qrs. wheat; but for the first fortnight of 

 the month into the principal ports of the kingdom, 

 they wefe only 307,048 qrs. So there is already a 

 considerable decrease, and expectations of Messrs. 

 Sturge, of Birmingham, are likely to come very 

 short. 



The late decline will but ill suit the present 

 range of foreign prices, as will be seen by the 

 annexed advices from the several shipping ports 

 and towns. At Paris, the best quality wheat was 

 worth 58s. per qr. The price of the best red at 

 Nantes was 53s. per qr. Choice 62 lb. wheat at 

 Louvain brought 6ls. per qr. Native wheat at 

 A.ntwerp 63s. per qr. Wheat in Holland, for or- 

 dinary new to the finest old, ranged from 58s. to 

 74s. Mecklenburg wheat at Hambro' 60 lbs. per 

 bushel, 5Ss. per qr. The top price in Konigsberg 

 was about 63s. ; at Mayence, 58s ; at Cologne, 57s. 

 Good wheat at Stockholm 52s. ; 61 lbs. Pomera- 

 nian at Stettin was quoted 56s. per qr. ; red Stettin, 

 55s. Wheat prices at Odessa 43s. to 48s. New 

 wheat at Galatz 34s., but quality was indiflferent. 



White native wheat at Leghorn was 61s., red 54e. j 

 white at Santander, about 60s. per qr. 



Prices at New York varied according to quality, 

 Chicago spring 4ls. per 480 lbs ; red States, 44s. 

 per qr. ; white Canada, 50s. ; Kentucky, 52s. At 

 Baltimore, white wheat was worth 55s, per 480 lbs. ; 

 but freight from America were 10s, to 12s. per qr. 

 more. 



The first Monday in London opened on a good 

 foreign and moderate English supply of wheat. 

 During the morning, there was a fair supply of 

 Essex wheat, but the show of samples from Kent 

 was short. The condition on the whole was some- 

 what improved, but there was much inferior from 

 Kent. Good dry parcels went off pretty freely, 

 but not so those that were damp or of low quality. 

 There were a good many buyers from the country 

 for foreign, who evidently expected that the liberal 

 arrivals would cause some giving-way on the part 

 of holders, but in this they were disappointed, and 

 so business was limited. Cargoes otF the coast 

 were, however, rather in favour of buyers. The 

 country markets during the week were mostly of 

 a uniform character, the new wheat being com- 

 plained of as difficult to sell, and in some cases 

 cheaper, as at Boston and Birmingham, from Is. 

 to 2s. per qr., but all fine old parcels maintained 

 former values. The Tuesday's market at Liver- 

 pool was retail and dull, and that of Friday only 

 thin and rather in favour of buyers. In Scotland, 

 as well as Ireland, the wheat trade was also heavy. 



The second Monday had very heavy foreign sup- 

 plies, with about half from Danzig and Konigsberg, 

 but the English arrivals kept on the same moderate 

 scale. The show of Kentish samples this morn- 

 ing was the best, that from Essex being small. 

 The heavy arrival, however, from abroad, with great 

 variety of good samples, made the English supply 

 a matter of indifference, and only a few picked 

 samples obtained the previous currency ; other 

 sorts, more especially at the Kentish stands, being 

 sold at 2s. per qr. reduction. The foreign trade 

 was very slack, and inferior Russian decidedly Is. 

 per qr. lower ; wheat, also arrived on the coast, was 

 only saleable at Is. per qr. more money. This 

 week, more especially towards the close of it, was 

 heavier than for some time previous; in the country 

 Birmingham was lower for the best qualities Is. to 

 2s. per qr. ; Lincoln, Leicester, York, and Notting- 

 ham also giving way 2s. to 3s. per qr. in price ge- 

 nerally. Liverpool on Tuesday was down 2d. per 

 cental, and Friday further reduced wheat id. to 2d. 

 per 100 lbs. 



The third Monday, though less heavily supplied 

 from abroad, still had a liberal show of samples, 

 that from the near counties being also rather im- 

 proved in quantity and condition. This, under the 

 lightness of money, was the heaviest Monday of the 

 three, fair runs of English being in vain oflfered 

 at 2s. per qr. reduction, and nothing inferior 

 being saleable unless at very much lower rates. 

 Fine old foreign being scarce and held high, was 

 not quoted lower; but if there had been any forcing, 

 its value must have given way. New parcels, 

 damp and out of condition, though oflTered at a 

 like abatement with the English runs, met with but 

 few buyers. All cargoes off the coast experienced 



