THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. 



S69 



The country reports were again less dull than those 

 of London ; several places, as Newcastle, Newark, 

 Hull, Wolverhampton, Lynn, Gainsborough, and 

 Manchester, noting a fair trade at previous rates. 

 Liverpool was unaltered on Tuesday, the last mar- 

 ket experiencing a good demand for red oaty 

 American wheat for Ireland, at full prices ; the 

 week closing in London with a somewhat improved 

 tone. 



The third Monday had scarcely an average sup- 

 ply of millers' wheat, either of home growth or 

 from abroad. The near counties rather fell off in 

 the show of samples; and had it not been for the 

 more confirmed pacific reports, in all probability 

 there would have been a decided rise on the mar- 

 ket. As it was, even with fine rains and growing 

 weather, there was a better tone about the trade, 

 fine white samples and choice heavy red bringing 

 Is. per qr. over the rates of that day se'nnight. 

 In foreign also there was rather more doing, buyers 

 paying full prices for quantities in retail. The coun- 

 try reports, following these advices, were generally 

 improved, though the supplies were more liberal — 

 an average of Is. per qr. advance being established; 

 Boston, Louth, and Gainsborough making the in- 

 crease Is. to 2s. per qr. ; but Birmingham, Man- 

 chester, and Wolverhampton found the sales made 

 with difficulty; and Liverpool and a few other 

 places were only firm. 



The fourth Monday had about the usual supplies 

 of foreign and English wheat. The near counties 

 sent up a fair quantity of samples, especially Essex, 

 the bulk being in improved condition. Trade 

 opened with some tone, but as the morning ad- 

 vanced there was less enquiry. Parcels of Kentish 

 brought the previous rates ; but at the close of the 

 market very little was sold; and had it been forced, 

 less money must have been taken. The middling 

 sorts of foreign were easier to buy. 



The four weeks' supplies in London have been 

 22,786 qrs. English, 27,125 qrs. foreign, against 

 18,886 qrs. Enghsh, 17,790 qrs. foreign, in March 

 1858. 



The quantity exported has been small, viz., 344 

 qrs. wheat, 555 cwts. flour. 



The imports for February into the United King- 

 dom were 226,239 qrs. wheat, 246,965 cwts. flour, 

 against 263,552 qrs. wheat, 309,172 cwts. flour, in 

 February 1858. 



The last four weeks' imports into the principal 

 ports of Great Britain, in wheat and flour, have 

 been equal to 186,200 qrs. wheat. 



The flour trade, with reduced arrivals, has ge- 

 nerally been dull, town prices not having varied 

 through the month, millers, notwithstanding the 

 gradual decline in English, not being able to keep 

 up their quality, from the damp state of the home- 

 grown samples, without a large admixture of fine 

 high-priced foreign. Norfolks have undergone 

 but shght fluctuation, commencing on the first 

 Monday with a small decline, which was recovered 

 on the third Monday. The first quality French 

 samples have been scarce; but the secondary sorts, 

 notwithstanding some advance in France, have 

 been difficult to quit, fair sorts being a difficult 

 sale at 31s. to 32s. per sack; while the best 

 sorts of American are entirely out of the market, 



being worth considerably more at New York than 

 in London. The barrels that arrive are inferior, 

 and difficult to quit at any jirice, having much un- 

 sound wheat in their corajjosition ; but sound 

 country flour has actually been shipped for New 

 York. The imports into l^ondon for the four 

 weeks were 60,532 sacks of country sorts, 2,'?93 

 barrels and 5,284 sacks foreign, against 76,098 

 sacks English, 26,704 barrels and 7)876 sacks 

 foreign, in March 1858. 



The barley trade has very little changed in the 

 course of the month. The weather having become 

 warmer, the demand for malting sorts has very 

 much reduced, while the sharp competition between 

 English and Scotch distillers having resulted in 

 favour of the latter, has made distilling sorts diffi- 

 cult to place, or the small proportion of these in the 

 foreign arrivals would have made a brisk trade for 

 such. Low qualities from the Black Sea and Da- 

 nube have been plentiful, and such as were sweet 

 have gone oflf steadily at much the same rates ; but 

 those out of order were obhged to be sold cheaper, 

 or sent to granary, as there are very many stale 

 oats in store, about equally cheap. The rates in 

 each successive market have so Uttle varied, that it 

 is unnecessary to particularize; but the last mar- 

 ket was generally about Is. per qr. cheaper. The 

 quantities imported into London for the four weeks 

 were 8,953 qrs. Enghsh and 40,471 qrs. foreign, 

 against 12,577 qrs. English and 27,575 qrs. foerign, 

 in March 1858. The months import's from abroad 

 into the United Kingdom for all February were 

 136,727 qrs., against 99,578 qrs. in Feb. 1858. 



The supplies of oats throughout the month have 

 been extremely limited ; but their relative dearness 

 as compared with other grain, and the quantity 

 still remaining in store, as the consequence of the 

 gluts last autumn, have kept the markets dull, with 

 rather a downward tendency for all but sweet ship 

 corn. We cannot, however, help thinking, that as 

 the season advances, the deficiency of the crop will 

 be felt, and should the least appearance of drought 

 be reported, the purchases in Russia for spring 

 dehvery here cannot fail of paying the importers, as 

 good corn in quantityl must be had, and Ireland 

 and the near continental ports promise to send but 

 little. Prices through the month have been re- 

 markably even, closing pretty much the same as 

 they commenced. The imports into London for 

 the four weeks were 3,533 qrs. English, 9,-953 

 qrs. Scotch, 10,875 qrs. from Ireland, and 34,267 

 qrs. from abroad, against 4,701 qrs. Enghsh, 4,756 

 qrs. Scotch, 21,830 qrs. Irish, and 24,750 qrs. 

 foreign, in March 1858. The total foreign imports 

 into the kingdom for February were 41,360 qrs., 

 against 29,690 qrs. in February last year. 



Beans have also come to hand sparingly ; but the 

 Enghsh crop, with the help of old stores, has held 

 out much better than expected ; still, with the sea- 

 son advancing, there has been a diminished con- 

 sumption, and the low prices of maize and barley 

 have kept prices down. The almost failure of the 

 crop in Egypt, under ordinary circumstrnces, 

 would nave made them dear; but with France at 

 hand, ready to supply us on advancing markets, 

 there does not seem much chance of any great rise ; 

 though stocks must eventually be worked up very 



