538 



THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE, 



hardly tolerable, except where victuallers bo\ight for home 

 consumption. Wedder (of which there was little) may be 

 noted from 5^d. to 6d. per lb. A number of lota of ewes 

 were bought early. A great number of heavy swine were sold. 



Bacon was two gnineas to 453. per cwt. in the range. Stores 

 sold well ; suckers were very high. For the smallest 258. a 

 couple was asked, but might be had at 1/. Is. as the lowest 

 figure. 



REVIEW OF THE CORN TRADE 



DURING THE PAST MONTH. 



The past month has almost been favourable be- 

 yond precedent for clearinof the land, and getting 

 in the autumnal sowing, sufficient rain having fallen 

 to work the surface; but the want of keep for 

 cattle, and the deficiency of soft as well as spring 

 water, have been some abatement in the account. 

 The early sown wheat was getting rather too for- 

 ward, but the frosty nights and some severely cold 

 days have served as salutary checks. 



As respects prices, markets have still been on 

 the decline moderately, say about Is. per qr. ; but 

 they have closed with more tone, and the turn 

 affairs have taken in France seems calculated at 

 least to prevent the rates from going down further. 

 The Imperial Government, which for a long time 

 has interfered with commerce, has at last issued a 

 decree ordering the bakers of about 161 principal 

 towns to lay in a three months' store of reserves, 

 either in grain or flour, as may be in future deter- 

 mined. This is, in other words, according to care- 

 ful calculation, nothing more or less than an order 

 to lay up three months' demand for about eight 

 millions of people, as the towns specified contain a 

 population of about that number; without, how- 

 ever, putting an equal pressure on the farmers to 

 bring out the quantity required, as well as providing 

 the necessary capital and storage room, immense 

 difficulties appear in the plan. But doubtless 

 some kind of attempt will be made; and this 

 measure has already had the effect to raise the price 

 of wheat in France about Is. 6d. per qr., though 

 English markets have been comparatively un- 

 influenced. 



A month is indeed given to the prefects of 

 departments to confer with the municipalities to 

 devise means for the execution of the decree ; but 

 this, we prognosticate, will show the impossiblity 

 of its being fully carried out. 



By the admission of the Government, last year's 

 crop is only an average one, and therefore not 

 enough for the country without foreign help ; and 

 1857, with all its plenty, is not likely to have left 

 so great a surplus. But this, we think, is a case 

 illustrating the desirableness of general statistics ; 

 and should the continental nations and our own 

 country ascertain their stores, we believe it will 

 turn out that the whole world is not in a condition to 



meet so heavy a claim, if it became universal ; 

 nevertheless, we find Sardinia following the example 

 of France. Other countries have found the corn 

 trade dull, but lately Belgium and Holland have 

 shown better prices with more demand. 



The following prices show the state of foreign 

 markets : At Paris fine wheat was worth 40s. to 

 41s., Picardy wheat 38s. per qr., native white wheat 

 at Antwerp 42s., new red Louvain 45s., Amsterdam 

 top quotation was 54s. for fine Polish, Hambro' 

 prices ranged from 41s. to 4Gs., red at Stettin 43s. 

 6d., high mixed at Danzic 48s. to 50s., Konigsberg 

 47s. 6d., Berlin 48s. 6d. Though trade at Odessa 

 had been very dull, with supplies increasing, there 

 was not yet a proportionate reduction in prices, 

 from the failure in several Russian governments, 

 and in Poland Pohsh was still held at 39s., and but 

 little of this sort arrived; Ghirka 36s. 9d.; Ber- 

 dianski was quiet, with 39s. 6d. quoted for soft 

 wheat; Taganrog price was 31s. 9d. The new 

 wheat at Galatz was hght, 571bs. per bush, being 

 only worth 24s. 6d. free onboard. At Alexandria, 

 for December delivery, the weak foul wheat of 

 Saidi was quoted 18s. 3d.; much below beans. 

 Smyrna having suffered by drought, was high 

 priced, viz., 49s. 6d. ; fair quality red at Trieste 

 was held at 43s. 6d. At Algiers both hard and 

 soft wheats were worth 45s., there being a demand 

 for Spain. Red Genesee at New York was quoted 

 38s. 9d. per qr., and white Kentucky as high as 

 49s. per qr. ; notwithstanding increasing supphes, 

 the bulk was very inferior. 



The first Monday in London commenced with 

 fair supplies of wheat, both English and foreign. 

 From Kent and Essex the morning's show was 

 rather below an average ; but the market opened 

 very dull, and a dense fog prevaiUng till late, 

 scarcely any business could be eflfected, and that 

 only at a reduction of Is. to 2s. per qr. on English 

 samples. Foreign factors not being disposed to 

 give way to this extent, there was very little trade, 

 and that in buyer's favour. Very many markets 

 in the country fully responded to the London 

 report, as Hull, Boston, Spalding, Bury St. 

 Edmunds, Colchester, Gloucester, and Ports- 

 mouth; but Leeds, Birmingham, Bristol, and 

 several other towns were only 1 s. per qr. lower, 



