174 



THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. 



wheat ; but early in December, in spite of enormous am- 

 vals, the price began to advance and continue gradually to 

 improve until the present period, and we commence the 

 year with prices as follow : Finest Dantzic 70^,, finest red 

 Baltic tJ5s. per 4801bs. ; the stocks in granary, in spite of 

 the increased imports compared with last year, are much 

 the same, and these consist chiefly of Russian and second- 

 class descriptions. 



The value of English wheat of the new crop varies so 

 much that quotations would only mislead, there being a 

 variation of 30s. per qr. between the lowest and the liighest 

 point, owing to the disparity both of quality and condition, 

 and although fine wheats have ruled comparatively high, 

 still the agricultural interests having generally only an in- 

 ferior article have not participated, and owing to the de- 

 fective yield and low weight and bad condition combined, 

 the last ingathering has been very unfavourable for the 

 British farmer. It is no part of our duty to predict as to 

 the future, but as the enormous imports since harvest have 

 been actually needed, and mostly gone at once into con- 

 sumption, it would be only reasonable to suppose that, now 

 that these supplies are likely to be materially curtailed by 

 the closing of the ports abroad, future prospects for the 

 agriculturist are decidedly brighter, more especially as 

 the manufacturing districts are well emxjloycd, consump- 

 tion great, and the condition of grain much improved by the 

 late severe frost. 



Baeley. — Large as was the import of lliis grain in 

 1859. it has nearly been doubled in that just passed, 

 being 433,000 quarters, the largest ever known, against 

 245,728 quarters the year previous. The scantiness of 

 the home crop of that year, indifferent pastures in the 

 present season through excess of wet, and the unusually 

 late and, as regards quality, unsatisfactory harvest, cuused 

 supplies to be brought forward from every barley-growing 

 country, and hardly ever have stocks been so nearly worked 

 up as was the case before t'he last harvest. Abroad the yield 

 has been various — Denmark, Sweden, the Ilhiue, Saale, and 

 Oderbruch districts having produced the best qualities for 

 malting purposes. Prices ranged high throughout the year, 

 and the decline of 2s. to 3s. per qr. in June, about the 

 closing of the malting season, was soon recovered, since 

 which they have gradually advanced, and stand now 4a. to 

 5s. per qr. above the rates current of this time last year, 

 present quotations being of English malting 30s. to 46s., 

 Danish 39s. to 44s. per qr. 0(3 lbs. Saale 42s. to 44s. per qr. 

 imperial. Oderbruch 43s. to 44s. per qr. 52^ lbs. Grinding 

 31s. to 35s. per qr. 52|lb. for thin and stout respectively. 

 Our present stocks are computed at 20,00(J qrs., of which a 

 large proportion is Prench, against 8,500 qrs. at the end ot 

 '59. Of rye the import this year amounted to about 12,500 

 qrs., and maize about 12,^60 qrs. Uari or Millet seed nil. 



Oats. — From the same causes, we have also to report a 

 considerable increase in the import of this cereal, the same 

 being 152,678 qrs., or about five times larger than last 

 year, and never approximated in the last decade. From 

 scarcity prices advanced 4s. to 5s. per qr. from the begin- 

 ning of the year until October, when they ruled 28s. to 299. 

 per qr., 42 lbs. ; since then a decline of about 3s. has taken 

 place, and we now quote good new corn at 25s. to 26s. per 

 qr., 42 lbs. Our stocks are 15,000 qrs., mostly Danes and 

 Swedes, against 3,700 qrs. end of last year. 



Beans. — This article has, without a single check, 

 advanced in value throughout the year, the only marked 

 decline being caused by the soft produce of this year's crop, 

 which also, as regards quality, has been an unsatisfactory 

 one ; indeed, in many places they have only been led since 

 frost and snow have set in. The import is 62,200 qrs., 

 being about 5,000 qrs. more than last year. Stocks on 

 hand are only 6,000 qrs .against 8,500 qrs. end of last year. 

 On the 1st of January last, prices of good dry middles stood 

 at 40s. to 41s. per qr. 63 lbs., whilst at the present moment 

 sound kiln-dried new and good old are at 48s. to 50s., and 

 soft new 41s. to 42s. 



Peas.— Of this pulse the import has been larger than has 

 been the case for the past ten years, say 59,428 qrs., against 

 17,086 qrs. in 1859; but prices have been subject to little 

 oscillation: like beans, they have almost uninterruptedly 

 advanced, and are now about 5s. per qr. higher than at this 

 time last year : present value 42s, to 48s, per qr. 63 lbs. for 



good feeding, and about 2s. more for boilers. Our stocks 

 are larger than last year, say 10,000 qrs. against 3,000 qrs. 



Agriculturai. Seeds. — Prices of red cloverseed opened 

 at the commencement of the past season, 1800, at moderate 

 rates, and remained tolerably steady until about the middle 

 of the season, when the superabundant crops in Germany, 

 the North of France, and America, added to a good year in 

 this country, becoming definitely ascertained, prices gra- 

 dually declined 8s. to 10s. per cwt.from their highest point, 

 and the season closed at the lowest values that have ruled 

 for many years past, taking into consideration the excellent 

 qualities of the German and American seeds especially. 

 Eeally fine seeds were to be bought at 40s. to 44s. percwt., 

 and many purchases were made for holding over, which in- 

 vestments have now turned profitable speculations, many 

 parties having realized advances of 6s. to 8s. per cwt. The 

 continued wet weather of the past summer spoiled the pros- 

 pects of an abundant yield of red seed in most countries, 

 (the crop in this country being an entire failure), and as far 

 as can be yet ascertained, only Germany, the South of 

 France, and America will be able to furnish us with sted of 

 fair and good qualities, and these countries only to a mo- 

 derate extent, and that present prospects are favourable 

 to some advance upon current rates, which may be 

 quoted as follows : 50s. to 54s. per cwt. for good 

 useful yearling seeds, and 60s. to 64s. for fine new seeds. 

 The almost entire clearance of stocks in the season of 

 1869, and the reported small yield in the autumn of that 

 year, caused white cloverseed to open at high rates at the 

 commencement of the season 1860; good to fine seed 

 fetching 80s. to 90s. per cwt., and about these values were 

 maintained with tolerable steadiness until nearly the close 

 of the season, when somewhat lower prices were accepted. 

 The ungenial weather in the spring jjrevented the usual 

 activity of demand, wluch would have brought higher 

 prices, and also curtailed ihe consumption to such an extent 

 that the anticipated clearance of stockswas not effected, and 

 some ftw parcels remained unsold at the close, though no 

 quaniity of moment. The last autumn's crops in the 

 various countries, owing to the wet summer, are much 

 below an average, the greater portion being of poor quality 

 and much discoloured. Present prices are belov/ last season, 

 say 75s. to 83s. per cwt. for fair good seed, up to 90s. for fine, 

 and 95s. (or extra. Fine seeds will be scarce in the season, 

 and such will probably command very high rates. Trefoil 

 was tolerably well cleaied out at the close of last season, and 

 as the English crop, our main supply, is this year almost a 

 total failure, and foreign seed much injured, high rates may 

 be expected, especially for fine qualities, which will be 

 scarce. Present values are 22s. to 26s. for middling and 

 fair seed, up to 30s. per cwt. for fine, Tares 11,000 in stock, 

 value 40s. to 42s. per qr. 



Linseed. — The direct import of 1860 is in excess of any 



previous year, being 528,790 Qrs. 



Estimating that the year com- 

 menced with a stock of . . . . 90,000 

 And that we received coastwise from 



London and Liverpool . . . . 51 ,700 



It would appear that our total sup- 

 plies amount to 670,490 



Which, after deducting present 



stocks in all hands 80,000 



Shows the actual consumption to 



have been 590,490 



Against 538,060 qrs. in 1859. 



The imports into Grimsby for 1859 was 49,312 qrs., in 

 1860 44,273; and Gainsborough 16,490 qrs., against only 

 8,269 qrs. during 1860. 



On 1st January, the price of Black Sea linseed on the 

 spot stood at 49s. per qr., and notwithstanding large arrivals 

 this month, an advance of Is. per qi\ was established. 

 During the next three months prices ranged from 50s. to 

 51s, per qr.; the cake trade being good, the demand was 

 well sustained throughout this period. The last week in 

 April 51s. 6d. was made, but within a fortnight the cake 

 trade had fallen off materially, and its value receded to 

 49s. 6d. to 50s. In the month of June it declined to 49a, 

 per qr,, its lowest price on the spot tluring the year. 



