THK FARMER'S MAGAZINE. 



68 



REVIEW OF THE CORN TRADE 



DURING THE PAST MONTH. 



The month just past has been a further display 

 of the extraordinary changes that have hitherto 

 characterized the present year. After many prog- 

 nostications of a late season, from the long con- 

 tinuance of dry cold weather in the spring, a sud- 

 den outburst of summer came upon the country 

 as June opened, which has continued with great 

 sultriness, the only changes consisting of occa- 

 sional storms and some fresh breezes towards the 

 close. The wheat plant, therefore, which was 

 getting too rank in many places, was forced into 

 ear in considerable quantities by the second week, 

 and with slight exceptions has had an unusually 

 favourable time for blooming. The United King- 

 dom, should no disasters happen, again has the 

 promise of an excellent crop. The prospects as 

 regards spring corn are not, however, so favoura- 

 ble. The overpowering heat has been rather too 

 much for barley and oats, while beans and peas 

 have gone back, the former not setting well, 

 and the latter being small in size, and much 

 infested with the dolphin. A great deal of hay 

 has been secured in the finest order : the yield in 

 some forward pieces is excellent, but there was 

 scarcely time for the formation of a strong bottom 

 in backward localities ; so, little beyond an average 

 in such locahties can be expected. Potatoes as 

 yet are doing well, and roots generally in deep 

 friable loam ; but a fall of rain would be very ser- 

 viceable, especially for the light lands. With these 

 altered appearances for wheat, the markets, which 

 were becoming firm, have been neglected by mil- 

 lers, though only moderately supplied, and prices 

 have not been sustained; still the easy rates lately 

 being realized did not permit much decline, and 

 the general depreciation has not exceeded Is. to 

 Is. 6d. per qr. Many holders have refused ac- 

 cepting this abatement, preferring to take the 

 chances of harvest time, especially as in foreign 

 parts there is not an equal promise of plenty, and 

 stocks of old, notwithstanding a fair importation, 

 are but moderate. On the continent, the southern 

 latitudes have found insufficient rain for even the 

 wheat plant, so that Italy, Spain, and some parts of 

 Fiance and Belgium are not likely to yield bounti- 

 fully ; prices, therefore, have fluctuated with the 

 weather, especially in Spain and France, closing 

 with some decline, after considerable excitement. 

 Spring corn has in these places suffered more, but 

 the crop most afi:ected has been that of rye in 

 Holland, Belgium, and Germany, where it is the 



chief sustenance of the poor, while maize in Pied- 

 mont and several other places is despaired of. 

 Rye has been cut in the south of France, and 

 wheat is expected to begin in some districts about 

 the r2th of July, which is nearly a fortnight before 

 the usual time. In Algeria the soft wheat is mostly 

 harvested : though not a great crop, the qua- 

 lity by specimens lately sent on lo France is fine 

 and heavy, say about 66 lbs. per bushel ; but the 

 hard will be deficient, as well as all other cereal 

 produce. Accounts, till of late, were favourable 

 from America ; but a set-in of wet in the west has 

 produced some degree of alarm there, the wheat 

 plant having become rank, and therefore liable to 

 be seriously laid. The land has also by the same 

 means been put out of course for the planting of 

 Indian corn, a good deal being yet to sow on 5th 

 of June last, in Indiana and Illinois, so that it will 

 not be prudent to calculate on the safe gathering 

 of the general harvest, and (as repeatedly noted) 

 our resources are limited to the fine crop of last 

 year for stocks : the least mishap would make a 

 complete change in the markets. 



The following extracts will show the different 

 state of foreign markets in the value of wheat. In 

 Spain, prices were very unsettled ; but at Santan- 

 der first quality flour sold at 44s. 9d., which is 4s. 

 per sack above our top town price. In Paris, quo- 

 tations for fine quality wheat were 26 f. to 29 f. per 

 hectolitre and half, equal to 45s. At Antwerp, in 

 consequence of the heat, wheat was quoted 49s. 3d. 

 to51s. 6d. ; Rhine red at Amsterdam, 44s. ; Polish 

 mixed, to 54s. 6d. The quotations at Stettin were 

 44s. 8d, and Dantzic prices to 47s. for high mixed. 

 At Odessa, where there had been a good trade, 

 and the neighbourhood looked premising as re- 

 spects the crops, Polish wheat had sold at 42s. 9d., 

 Ghirka at 44s. Saidi wheat, for delivery at Alex- 

 andria in September next, was held at 29s. 4d. 

 Romagna wheat at Trieste sold steadily at 41s. 6d. 

 Soft wheat of this year's produce brought 44s. at 

 Algiers. At Leghorn, Romagna wheat was quoted 

 44s., at Genoa 50s. 6d. In Canada, though the 

 spring was backward, a set-in of fine weather was 

 rapidly changing the face of things. Spring wheat 

 there was quoted 3s. 4d. to 3s. 9d. per bushel. At 

 New York supplies were moderate as yet, the prices 

 not having been satisfactory : quotations were 

 steady, there having been some export to this 

 country. Chicago spring was about 29s. per qr., 

 red Michigan 35s. 6d., white 41s. 3d., Canada 



