THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. 



AGRICULTURAL REPO RTS 



GENERAL AGRICULTURAL REPORT FOR 

 DECEMBER. 

 Although rather large fiuautiliea of rain have fallen in most 

 parts of the United Kingdoni since tlic close of the previous 

 month, the want of adequite supplies of moisture is still com- 

 plained of in some of our leadin;; districts. Hovfever, on the 

 whole, out-door farm labours are, for the moit part, seasouably 

 forward, aud the young wheats are looking strong and healthy. 

 We are again coaipelleil to write iu the same dull strain, as 

 resp'jct? tlie wheat trade, as for many months pa^t. Great 

 disinc'ination has been shown on the part of the millers in the 

 purchase of wheat beyond immediate wauts ; nevertheless, the 

 downward movement iu the quotations appears, at length, to 

 have received a check, and some parties in the trade have ex- 

 pressed their opinion to the effect that we shall shortly have 

 rather excited markets, and that, as a consequence, the quota- 

 tions will have an upward teudeucy. Without positively en- 

 dorsing this opinion, it may, we think, be taken for granted 

 that the value of wheat has seen its lowest range, and it may 

 b? fairly argued that the absence of extensive importations 

 from abroad during the next three months may enable present 

 holders of foreign to dispose of the enormous supplies which 

 have accumulated iu the London warehouses ; but against any 

 important rise in prices, we have to notice the important fact 

 that our farmers continue to hold heavy stocks of wheat, both 

 new and old, and, further, that the secondary articles of con- 

 sumption—such as potatoes, rice, &c. — are, from their great 

 abundance, still coming into direct competition with wheat ; 

 nevertheless, a very little excitement in the trade would doubt- 

 less be followed by extensive purchases on the part of the 

 millers, who now hold much smaller supplies of grain than has 

 been known for miay years past. We observe that in some 

 quarters there is a disposition to attribute the present de- 

 pressed state of the trade to a falling off in the fconsumptiou of 

 bread ; but acorapariaon of the sales of English wheat effected 

 this, compared with last year, shows that the transactions have 

 been considerably ia excess of 1857; and when we bear in 

 mind that the trade aud commerce of the country are rapidly 

 recovering their former position, and that the whole of our 

 operatives are iu full employment, we can hardly assume that 

 the future rauge iu prices will exhibit any adverse movement 

 as regards the agricultural body. And here we may further 

 remark that the consumption of meat, since quite the com- 

 mencement of the year just concluded, has been enormous. 

 Everywhere prices have ruled very high, although the iraporia- 

 tions from the continent have not exhibited any important 

 decline compared with 1857. Throughout France and Ger- 

 many a large q\iantity of wheat is stiil in stack, and the 

 growers have continued to press sales, even at further reduced 

 rates ; but in the United States, owing in some measure to a 

 reduction of 30 per cent, in the import duty on American 

 flour in Brazil, the trade has ruled somewhat firmer. The 

 shipments of produce to the United Kingdom, since the Ist of 

 September, have been trifling, viz., 71,474 barrels of flour 

 against 333,513 barrels iu the -same period in 1857 ; 422,821 

 bushels of wheat, against 2,566,693 bushels; aud 305,685 

 bushels of maize, against 534,955 bushels. The decrease, 

 t^ierefore, amounts to 267,039 barrels of flour, 2,143,877 

 bushels of wheat, and 229,270 bushels of maize. This im- 

 meuse falling off in the exports if aomewhat sigaificant, and, 



in the event of the Liverpool granaries becoming well cleared 

 of their late heavy stocks, it may have the effect of producing 

 additional firmness in the home trade at a period when least 

 expected. 



Immense supplies of potatoes, in excellent condition, have 

 continued on offer in the whole of our leading markets. All 

 kinds have met a dull inquiry, at prices varying from 45s. to 

 100s. per ton. Ou the Continent, the crop, as with us, has 

 turned out large, and some extensive shipments have been 

 made to this country from France, llollaiu), and Belgium, 

 although the use of potatoes in distilleries is again permitted. 

 From the 1st to the 27th of the month, about 3,200 tons of 

 foreign potatoes were received into London aloue, and we may 

 anticipate equally large quantities both in January and Feb- 

 ruary. 



Full average supplies of fat stock have been ou offer in our 

 various markets for Christmas consumption. Although the 

 trade has not been to say very brisk, good clearances have been 

 effected at high, perhaiw we may say remunerative, quotations. 

 The scarcity of winter food for cattle is still complained of 

 in our midland counties, and not a few of the graziers have 

 been compelled to purchase large quantities of hay to meet 

 actual requirements. This outlay must, as a matter of course, 

 materially reduce profits upon future sales, even though meat 

 may continue to sell at its present high value. 



Although the accounts from the manufacturing districts are 

 favourable in the extreme — an immence amount of business 

 having been transacted both in cottou aud woollen goods^ 

 partly for export to India aud China — there has been no im- 

 portant movement in the wool market. Prices, however, have 

 continued very firm, aud there is every prospect of higher rates 

 as the new year progresses, as the supplies now in the hands of 

 the manufacturers are unusually small, aud as the greater portion 

 of the last clip of English has been disposed of. 



The hop trade has continued devoid of animation ; neverthe- 

 less, prices generally have been supported. The supplies of 

 hops now on hand are larger than for many years past at this 

 time, and nothing short of extensive shipments will relieve the 

 market from the pressure upon it. 



We have nothing particularly to notice as regards demand 

 for, or value of, produce either in Ireland or Scotland. The 

 operations iu wheat have been limited, at about previous quo- 

 tations ; but fine barley aud oats have moved off steadily, at 

 full quotations, The quantity of fine barley produced both 

 here and on the Continent, in the past year, was unusually 

 small, even allowing that the entire crop was a large one ; but 

 sales of light parcels have continued to be foiced, and the re- 

 sult is that the quotations have run down to a low point. 

 Very little barley is now used in the distilleries in this country 

 for the purpose of raakuig spirit for export to the Continent. 



REVIEW OF THE CATTLE TRADE DURING THE 

 PAST MONTH. 

 The leading feature of the month has been the holding of the 

 great markets for Christmas consumption. With scarcely an 

 exception, they have been well and abundantly supplied, 

 whether we consider the condition or the weight of the stock 

 brought forward. The trade has ruled decidedly firm, and 

 both beasts and sheep have changed hands at high quotatiom. 



