553 



THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. 



gether three reports in excess, forty-four in defi- 

 ciency' with fifty-three describing an average yield 

 The only counties which have materially suftered 

 in wheat are Northumberland, Durham, and York- 

 shire, where, with but an average crop, their har- 

 vest was greatly injured by rain; while the five 

 eastern counties were the most favoured, all report- 

 ing an excess with one exception, and that not be- 

 low an average. All spring corn therefore being 

 deficient, a free importation will be required ; and 

 though wheat is plentiful, our stocks were so low 

 at harvest time, and the ravages of disease amongst 

 potatoes has so diminished the stock of human 

 food, that the country ought to be able on this 

 score, as well as for provision against future failures, 

 to be able to bear an average importation of wheat 

 without damage to the agricultural interest, 

 „ The first Monday in Mark Lane commenced on 

 the back of good suppUes of wheat, but Essex and 

 Kent sent but a small show of samples for the 

 morning's sale. Humid weather having prevailed, 

 and money being scarce, sales were but slow, both 

 in English and foreign samples, at the rates of the 

 previous week ; and in this state the London trade 

 remained to the week's close. Manchester, Leeds, 

 Birmingham, &c., remained unaltered. Newcastle, 

 Hull, Wakefield, and Lynn were Is. higher; 

 Spalding and Boston being improved Is. to 2s,; 

 but Gainsborough and Bristol equally declined. 

 Liverpool maintained the value of fine wheat, but 

 inferior sorts yielded 4d. to 5d. per 70 lbs, in the 

 course of the week. 



The second Monday was moderately supplied 

 generally, the near counties again making but a 

 .small contribution. Well-conditioned samples, 

 both of home growth and foreign, sold rather bet- 

 ter at fully the former value ; but Russian sorts, 

 which were abundant, being in some instances 

 .forced off, were sold on lower terms. On the 

 following Wednesday the submarine telegraph 

 brought the news of the permitted importation 

 from France, which was very differently under- 

 stood, from an omission in the Moniteur ; but trade 

 was quite taken aback, and operations reduced to a 

 state of suspense through the remainder of the 

 week, no sales being possible excepting at greatly 

 reduced rates. The earlier country markets were 

 mostly unchanged, or Is. to 2s. down, and those 

 later were not equally affected with London, the 

 extreme reduction noted at Peterborough being 

 only 2s. to 3s. per qr. Liverpool on Tuesday was 

 2d. to 3d. per 70 lb. cheaper, and on Friday there 

 was no further depression on fine samples, though 

 inferior were again reduced 2d. per 70 lbs. 



The third Monday exhibited the full effect of 

 the French news : the accumulation of the previ- 

 ous week, with a good supply for the morning from 



Essex and Kent, presenting an abundance of sam- 

 ples, which were long in vain offered at a reduc- 

 tion of 4s. per qr., and some sales were made at a 

 greater sacrifice, the bulk being mostly left on hand. 

 Wednesday, however, did not prove in millers' 

 favour, the panic appearing to subside, and sam- 

 ples gradually went off through the week at the 

 prices demanded on Mondaj^. Almost all the 

 country markets yielded, but not so extensively as 

 the metropolis; a few only quoted rather lower 

 rates. Newcastle was Is. to 2s. cheaper, Wolver- 

 hampton, Newark, Bristol, Birmingham, and Bos- 

 ton were all 2s. to 3s. down, and the dechne at 

 Gloucester equalled that of London. Liverpool 

 also appeared under an equal panic, Tuesday's 

 decline being 4d. to 6d. per 70 lbs., and Friday's 

 3d. to 4d. more, making the extreme reduction in 

 one week 7d. to lOd. per 70 lbs>, or 4s. 3d. to 6s. 

 per qr. 



The fourth Monday, with moderate supplies 

 from Kent and Essex and average foreign arrivals, 

 showed a quiet state of trade without any pressure, 

 but the demand was but languid. Liverpool on 

 Tuesday showed a little reaction, the decline of 

 the previous Friday being recovered, with fair sales 

 for fine quality ; the remainder of the week showed 

 more firmness generally, Hull, Spalding, and 

 Birmingham being 2s. per qr. dearer. 



The supphes in the port of London during four 

 weeks were as follows : In English they were 21,235 

 qrs., of foreign 70,450 qrs., showing a dechne in 

 the former as compared with Oct., of 9,296 qrs. ; 

 but an increase of the latter of 3,547 qrs., m.aking 

 the average per week about 1,000 qrs. less. The 

 total exports in four weeks have been 1,944 qrs. 

 wheat, 1,17S sacks flour, 412 qrs. oats, and 24 qrs. 

 barley. 



The flour trade, like that of wheat, main- 

 tained its position for the first fortnight, and as the 

 effect of an expected French importation yielded 

 on the third Monday 3s. per sack on town-made 

 sorts, the price then being reduced to 47s., after 

 long being held at 508. Norfolks, which mostly 

 rise and fall with wheat, were then lowered 2s. 

 per sack, and on the fourth Monday further re- 

 ceded Is. per sack, closing at 34s. per sack. The 

 Paris flour market instantly rose 3f. to 4f. per sack 

 of 157 kilos, equal to about 2s. to 2s. 6d. per sack 

 English ; but finding the London market seriously 

 reduced subsequently, the rates at Paris have again 

 become rather easier, with but a slow trade. The 

 best marks were only 35s. per English sack ; so 

 there is a fair margin, with a moderate duty and 

 ready transit for business; but offers on this mar- 

 ket are made comparatively high, and some little 

 time must elapse before there is a free importation 

 and serious competition with the town trade; the 



