27G 



THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. 



supplied, with little change of value, and some 

 dulness from the quantity offering; but Mull, 

 Spalding, Norwich, and a few other localities were 

 occasionally dearer Is. per qr. Liverpool, at the 

 first market held on Tuesday, was also firm ; but 

 the following Friday was less business-like, though 

 not quoted cheaper, and the trade in town closed 

 heavily. 



The second Monday's supply of foreign wheat 

 fit for milling was very small, and exclusively from 

 France ; but there was a fair quantity of home 

 growth. The near counties sent up but a moderate 

 show, with a great preponderance of parcels out of 

 condition. The few lots of really fine and dry went 

 off steadily at unaltered rates ; but the bulk being 

 rough and damp was not disposed of, though 

 lower prices would have been accepted. The same 

 want of condition being the general complaint, in 

 the country, many places — as Manchester, Bir- 

 mingham, and Wolverhampton — were very dull, 

 while Newcastle, Derby, Lincoln, Leicester, and 

 Nottingham gave way Is. per qr., Hull, New- 

 market, and Sleaford alone sending more cheerful 

 advices. Liverpool, on Tuesday, had a good con- 

 sumptive trade on full terras ; but the business on 

 Friday was retail at previous rates, and London on 

 that day was very dull. 



The third Monday had again but little millers' 

 wheat in the foreign supply, with only a moderate 

 arrival of English growth. The quantity from 

 Essex and Kent was short ; but this day was re- 

 markable for the very wretched plight of the sam- 

 ples — many years having passed since such a show 

 was on the London market. Dry lots, both old 

 and new, which were very few in number, went off 

 without any reduction in value ; but it was difficult 

 to aflBx value to the bulk then showing, and, of 

 course, very little business was done — town millers 

 being obliged to supply their necessities at the 

 foreign stands, where they had to pay high prices in 

 retail. Much still being offered in the country in 

 the same unsatisfactory state, the prevailing reports 

 were towards decline ; Leeds, Boston, and Bir- 

 mingham noting a fall of Is. per qr. At Hull the 

 rates were firm, notwithstanding ; and so they were 

 at Gainsborough and Worksop. Liverpool was 

 cheaper on Tuesday from Id. to 3d. per cental, and 

 there was no rally on Friday, either here or in town. 



The fourth Monday had a very small supply of 

 foreign wheat, and less than an average quantity 

 of home-growth, the morning's additions being 

 only moderate from the near counties ; but with 

 these the over-left samples of the previous week 

 were offering, giving the appearance of a greater 

 quantity than of late. There being very little im- 

 provement in the new samples, another dull mar- 

 ket was the result, only the lots that were fine con- 



tinuing to sell freely ; but the foreign trade was 

 somewhat benefited by this state of things, and 

 full prices were consequently realized, there being 

 but few fine Danzig on offer, and indeed but little 

 in store. The country markets subsequently held 

 all proved dull as well as the town trade. 



The four weeks, therefore, show no positive de- 

 cline ia the value of fine wheat, and the mean 

 average of the last four weeks shows a rise of lOd. 

 per qr., being 41s. 3d. against 40s. 5d. for the 

 four weeks in January ; while the London averages, 

 which give a later view, show 44s. 2d. against 

 43s. lid., or a positive gain of 3d. per qr., not- 

 withstanding the deteriorated condition and large 

 sales in the country, which were about 65,000 qrs. 

 beyond the first four weeks in January. 



The four weeks' supplies in London have been 

 28,883 qrs. EngUsh, 27,440 qrs. foreign, against 

 1G,141 English, 33,969 qrs. foreign in February, 

 1858, or a weekly average of 14,081 qrs. against 

 12,529 in February last year. 



The quantity exported has been small, viz., 282 

 qrs. wheat, 895 cwt. flour. The imports for 

 January into the United Kingdom were 263,299 

 qrs. wheat, 205,467 cwt. flour, against 342,841 

 qrs. wheat, 304,688 cwt. flour in January 1858 ; 

 which shows a diminution of 79,542 qrs. wheat, 

 99,221 cwt. flour in an open winter. 



The flour trade has been very quiet for the past 

 four weeks, with very little change, though dull: 28s. 

 per- sack doubtfully paid was the opening price for 

 Norfolks, and they closed at 27 s., the town trade not 

 having varied throughout. Prices appear to have 

 sunk too low for further reduction, especially in fine 

 sorts, which are becoming increasingly scarce. The 

 importations from France, though not heavy, have 

 nearly all been at a loss of about 3s. per sack, and 

 it is vain to expect fine qualities from America 

 when their best samples are 10s. above our own. 

 The parcels that arrive from the United States 

 are nearly all quite unfit for the London markets, 

 and Liverpool advices agree with town reports. 

 The supplies in London in four weeks have been 

 72,276 sacks of country sorts, 6,556 sacks foreign, 

 mostly from France, and only 173 barrels from 

 America, against 75,621 sacks English, 6,611 sacks 

 7,134 barrels foreign, in February 1858. 



The barley trade has almost been stationary, for 

 the four weeks noted. Malting sorts have remained 

 scarce and dear. Stout foreign has not been plenti- 

 ful, and therefore its value has been kept up ; but 

 the low light sorts from Odessa and other Eastern 

 ports, coming freely, have rather fluctuated when 

 arriving in quantity ; but their relative cheapness 

 as compared with oats has kept them from declin- 

 ing more than about fid. per qr., a large con- 

 sumption still obtaining in mixture with oats. 



