THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. 



93 



some little improvement in the few parcels that 

 were exhibited in the course of the morning, from 

 Essex and Kent ; but there was not enough fine 

 quality to make a brisk market. Still all 

 that was good went oflf at fully the previous rates. 

 The markets in the country were much of the 

 same character : Manchester and Royston were ra- 

 ther improved in sales ; but Birmingham found a 

 heavy trade at 6d. to Is. per qr. decline, the supply 

 being beyond an average. Liverpool on Tuesday 

 recovered the late decline of id. to 2d. per cental ; 

 but on Friday, with Christmas in immediate pros- 

 pect, there was very little done. 



The fourth Monday being kept as a holiday, it 

 was anticipated in London on the Friday previous, 

 when the whole aspect of the Corn Exchange, with 

 very small supplies, seemed to denote a determina- 

 tion to do nothing till the holidays were over, and to 

 have forced off English wheat in such circum- 

 stances was considered undesirable. The markets 

 subsequently held were without change. 



The imports into London for the four weeks in 

 Dec. were 32,882 qrs. of British growth, and only 

 17,285 qrs. of foreign, against 24,951 qrs. British, 

 52,393 qrs. foreign, in Dec. 1858. The imports of 

 flour for the same time were 76,858 sks. country- 

 made, 220 sks. 10,458 brls. foreign, against 

 74,386 sks. of country, 6,118 sks. 6,111 brls. 

 foreign, in Dec. 1858. The imports into the king- 

 dom for the month of November last were 327,278 

 qrs. wheat, and 174,111 cwts. flour. The flour trade, 

 like that in wheat, has been very monotonous in its 

 character : slight variations only have taken place 

 in the value of Norfolks, say from 6d. to Is. per 

 sk., according to the weather and supplies j but 

 prices left off as they began, viz., at 31s. per sk. 

 Town quotations have also remained with 43s. as n 

 top price. Though French supplies have almost 

 entirely ceased, the many inquiries for American 

 have brought some recent supplies, but they have 

 been generally held too high to suit the consumptive 

 demand, being more available for export. The 

 average quality has been held at 27s. per brl., or 

 38s. Sd. per sk. 



The value of all sorts of barley has rather de- 

 clined in the course of the month. The first Mon- 

 day had heavy supplies of all sorts, excepting 

 English malting, which, however, was quite made 

 up by the abundance of Scotch samples. This 

 sort, as well as foreign grinding, then declined Is. 

 per qr., and the medium descriptions were fully 2s. 

 per qr. down, with extreme difficulty in sales. The 

 next Monday, and every succeeding market, still 

 showed a downward tendency, so that the actual 

 reduction has been about Is. to 3s. per qr. There 

 now seems little chance of a recovery of the late 

 high prices, the strike in the building trade having 

 greatly reduced the sale of malt, and it being 

 likely that maltsters will make up any deficiency 

 in the quantity of first-rate samples, by a more 

 liberal use of the secondary descriptions. 

 The imports into London for the four weeks were 

 36,282 qrs. British and 54,886 qrs. foreign, against 

 17,810 qrs. British and 78,814 qrs. foreign for 

 December, 1858. The imports for the United 

 Kingdom in November were 211,776 qrs. 



The malt trade, though prices remain little 



altered, has been unusually heavy throughout the 

 month, from the cause just noted, and had sales 

 been forced prices must have been 2s. to 3s. per 

 qr. lower. 



In oats, also, there has been very little altera- 

 tion. The first Monday, on very heavy supplies 

 of foreign, gave way 6d. to Is. per qr., and the 

 heaviness lasted to the third Monday, when, with 

 very limited arrivals, the decline was partly reco- 

 vered, and wholly so on the last market, with 

 another small show, but the sales were of a retail 

 character — the slocks yet in granary, as well as 

 the time of year, being against an advance ; still 

 we think, should the Baltic remain closed, prices 

 must again advance, as but few come from Ireland 

 or Scotland. The imports into London for four 

 weeks were 9,881 qrs. English, 6,903 qrs. Scotch, 

 5,125 qrs. Irish, and 82,695 qrs. foreign — against 

 2,418 qrs. English, 10,521 qrs. Scotch, 5,413 qrs. 

 Irish, and 113,109 qrs. foreign in December, 1858. 

 The imports for all the kingdom in November 

 were 109,758 qrs. 



The supply of beans for the month has been 

 ample, both in English and foreign, and the trade 

 has been languid, with the prices of new English 

 somewhat lower, but we anticipate little farther 

 change, the supplies from Egypt not being ex- 

 pected to prove heavy this season, and unless there 

 be some advance, it does not seem likely many 

 will come from France, though the crop there is 

 said to have been good. The imports into London 

 for the four weeks were 5,181 qrs. English and 

 10,127 qrs. foreign, against 3,542 qrs. English 

 and 13,689 qrs. foreign for the same period in 

 1858. In November the total imports were 

 45,950 qrs. 



Jn peas no alteration has taken place excepting 

 in white boilers, which during the sharp frost 

 found more inquiry, and consequently rose Is. per 

 qr. Maples, on the contrary, having been more 

 plentiful, with some foreign imports, have scarcely 

 maintained previous rates. The prices of boilers 

 may yet improve should the weather again turn 

 frosty, but low grinding barley and maize are 

 checks upon much advance in those for hog feed. 

 The imports into London for the four weeks were 

 3,127 qrs. English and 5,579 qrs. foreign, against 

 l,6l6 qrs. English and 8,672 qrs. foreign in 1858. 

 The imports throughout the kingdom for Novem- 

 ber were 31,146 qrs. 



The linseed market has still been tight, with 

 a good export trade, though the low price of oil has 

 been against much advance, as well as the high 

 range of prices which has lasted so long. Rates 

 have improved fully Is. perqr. in the course of the 

 month, and there seems nothing in prospect to 

 lead to the expectation of any early decline. Cakes 

 have continued to sell well, the demand being be- 

 yond the necessities of Christmas, partly from the 

 injury done to swedes and mangel wurzel during 

 the frost. 



In the seed market but little has been doing. 

 The high pretensions of foreign markets for white 

 cloverseed have somewhat abated, not meeting the 

 views of the trade here, still its scarcity may keep 

 it dear. Red cloverseed has been more in favour, 

 from its low price and the nearness of the season. 



