92 



THE FARiMER'S MAGAZINE. 



Austria, with the false news that Russia was likely 

 to interfere, and all Europe be engaged ; and with 

 such a prospect, it must be admitted that prices then 

 were onlj^ moderate ; but as the war seemed limited, 

 as the French commissariat was well provided, 

 and every victory declared on the side of France, 

 leading finally to an armistice on the first week in 

 July, and as the prospect of a new harvest opened, 

 there was a gradual decline to 41s. lOd. on the 

 24th September; the year closing with 43s. 6d. 

 And now comes the question how farmers are 

 likely to fare in the coming year. Without any 

 prescience, we can only make probable calculations 

 upon data in hand. All accounts now agree with 

 regard to the last wheat harvest in this country — 

 that it was below an average. A very pains- 

 taking statement was given on the 19th ult. 

 in the Mark-lane Express, showing that in two 

 hundred and fifty-seven accounts received, only 

 fifteen were above an average, and only nine "re- 

 ported good quality : the calculation making a 

 deficiency in the yield of wheat of about one milhon 

 and a-half quarters, and fully as much to be added 

 for less produce in flour ; but the flour this year 

 being of better quality, and the weight of the wheat of 

 1858 per bushel being about 2lbs. above an average, 

 we cannot estimate the deficiency of flour in the 

 same ratio, but calling it equal to 500,000 or 

 600,000 qrs. only, at least a total deficiency of 

 2,000,000 of qrs. appears. Potatoes, which in this 

 country are next to bread, are considered to be 

 half lost. Maize has coipe short in America, 

 Southern Europe, and the Danubian Principalities ; 

 so has rye in every country but the small State of 

 Denmark ; and, therefore, we are thrown upon 

 overplus stock in England, and the yield of last 

 year in foreign parts, for nearly all the old was 

 used up on the new gatherings. A few small nor- 

 thern countries only, speak well of the yield and 

 quality, viz. Denmark and Sweden, to which, for 

 quality, Scotland may be added. France, who by her 

 former abundant harvest had taken the place of 

 Ainerica as regards British supplies, is held at 

 least to be deficient 20 per cent.; so is Belgium. 

 Holland, Germany, and Russia, as well as Egypt 

 and Algeria, are somewhat below an average ; 

 while Spain, Portugal, and Italy have all sufl^ered 

 very heavily from drought, and are become depen- 

 dent on foreign aid. America, after a bad harvest 

 in 1858, has now a fair one, and perhaps may have 

 a million and a-half qrs. surplus; but little has yet 

 come from that quarter in consequence of the low 

 range of prices in Europe ; nor at this advanced pe- 

 riod is it at all probable that the export, even with 

 an adequate inducement, would reach that quantity. 

 More interest than usual must, therefore, attach to 

 the state of the growing crops in every country ; 

 and, though the stocks here are still good, they 

 would be no impediment to a rise at least of 10s. 

 per qr. on a reduction of foreign imports, or any 

 serious disasters. The following quotations will 

 show the range of prices ruling at the diff'erent 

 places noted by last advices : 



The best wheat at Paris was worth 49s. per qr., 

 and at Bordeaux 47s. per qr. The quotations at 

 Antwerp for Zealand white were 50s. ; for native, 

 of best quality, 57s. per qr. At Louvain fine 



62lbs. and 64lbs. red wheat brought 48s. per qr. ; 

 which was the top quotation also at Hambro' and 

 Zurich. Amsterdam quoted 56s. for high-mixed 

 Polish. Fine quality at Maestricht was worth 50s. ; 

 good red at Groningen, 44s. 6d. per qr. ; at Cologne 

 the top price was 47s. ; at Dantzic choice white 

 was scarce, and not to be had under 52s. to 53s. 

 per qr., but fair quality was procurable at 48s. ; 

 and this latter price ruled at Konigsberg ; red at 

 Stettin was worth 45s. 6d. per qr. ; Ghirka wheat 

 at Odessa was about 42s. per qr. ; Berdianski wheat 

 at Algiers brought 47s. per qr. ; white Kentucky, 

 weighing 62lbs. per bushel, at New York, was 

 bringing 52s, per qr., and red 48s, Several places 

 in Italy, in consequence of not receiving the 

 expected Mediterranean supplies, were much 

 dearer: white wheat at Leghorn sold at 55s., red 

 at 52s.; Palermo quoted 51s. ; and wheat at Naples, 

 with all the efforts of government to keep down 

 prices, had risen to 63s. per qr, — several places in 

 Spain being equally high. 



The first Monday in London commenced on mo- 

 derate supplies, especially of foreign quality. The 

 show of samples from Kent and Essex during the 

 morning was scarcely an average, and the condi- 

 tion worse than even the bad weather led the trade 

 to expect. Country reports being firm, there was 

 a fair sale, considering the low quality, and any 

 superior brought extreme rates, but very little of 

 this description was to be had. Foreign was firmly 

 held ; but the business passing was on a small 

 scale. But little difference subsequently obtained 

 in the country reports. Birmingham and Here- 

 ford, as well as Bristol and Gloucester, were dull ; 

 but the Yorkshire and Lincolnshire markets were 

 generally firm, and full priced for good quality, 

 as Hull, Stockton-on-Tees, Boston, Spalding, and 

 Sleaford. The first market of Liverpool was dull, 

 and Id. to 2d. per cental lower, which prices did 

 not recover on Friday. 



The receipts on the second Monday were little 

 more than during the week previous. But little 

 was sent up from Kent and Essex, and that again 

 mostly in extremely bad condition. This circum- 

 stance, together with a dense fog that prevailed all 

 the morning, brought business to a low ebb, A 

 fe.v picked parcels, the condition of which could 

 only be determined by the hand, went off well ; 

 but other sorts, even where buyers were needy, 

 could only be quitted by some reduction in price. 

 As fine white foreign wheat was scarcely to be dis- 

 tinguished from red, there was nothing doing, ex- 

 cepting in bulks of previously known character, 

 and these few sales were at full prices, opinion 

 being strongly in favour of holding. Though, 

 from the time of year, business in the country was 

 mostly on a small scale, several markets improved 

 Is. per qr., as Birmingham, Newcastle, and Wood- 

 bridge. Hull, Leeds, Uxbridge, Royston, Boston, 

 and Manchester were also firm ; but Wolverhamp- 

 ton and Sahsbury found the sale dull, at barely 

 former prices. Liverpool on Tuesday was without 

 change, but on Friday there was rather more tone 

 in the wheat trade, as well as in other grain. 



The third Monday, with a rather increased home 

 supply, had only 450 qrs. from abroad. A frost 

 having come to the help of the samples, there was 



