THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. 



187 



qualities, frfim the greater abundance. Liverpool, 

 on Tuesday, was not cheaper, and though business 

 at the last market was quiet, there was no further 

 reduction. 



The third Monday showed very little increase 

 on the former small su])plies in London. But 

 there being a better provision from Essex and 

 Kent, and the thaw having sadly deteriorated the 

 condition, there was a very dull market even for 

 the best new wheat at '2s. per qr. less money, the 

 bulk being unsold, and unfit for use without dry- 

 ing and a plentiful admixture with foreign. Fine 

 foreign found rather more enquir)'-, but Russian 

 and the lower kinds were quite Is. per qr. cheaper. 

 On the fourth and last Monday there was a 

 large foreign supply, the river having been navi- 

 gable, though not much English. The show from 

 Kent and Essex was not large; but among it were 

 many of the old damp samples of the previous 

 week, and the weather keeping the condition of 

 the fresh supply in a damp state, there was a fur- 

 ther depression on new samples, say of Is. to 2s. 

 per qr. for the best then on hand ; but there was 

 so little really good, that the value of dry old was 

 not afFected. English factors again found them- 

 selves in the predicament of being unable to effect 

 sales of the bulk on their stands. The foreign 

 trade in the finest Danzic sorts was but slow, but 

 holders did not give way, as such qualities could 

 not be replaced ; but French, American, and Rus- 

 sian sorts wei'e Is. to 2s, per qr. lower, with but 

 little doing. 



The imports for the four weeks into London 

 were 12,285 qrs. English, and 66,590 qrs. foreign, 

 against 29,386 qrs. English and 13,629 qrs. foreign 

 in I860. The exports were 2,1 70 qrs. wheat and 

 338 cwt. flour. 



The flour trade, which commenced somewhat 

 buoyantly with 43s. per sack as the price of Nor- 

 folk, upon the change to damp weather found an 

 almost stagnation — the thaw on the third Monday 

 causing a decline of 2s., and on the last of Is. per 

 sack more. American, however, notwithstanding 

 heavy supplies, have been so much in favour, from 

 their generally good quality and fitness for keeping, 

 that rates have not declined more than about Is. 

 per brl. — good flour being yet held at 31s. to 32s. 

 per brl. and double extra in small lots to 34s. 

 Town millers have all along maintained the price 

 of the best flour ; neither raising it when country 

 sorts were held for more, nor giving way during a 

 decline — being under a necessity to pay high 

 prices for the best foreign wheat, to keep up the 

 quality ; 57s. per sack has been therefore the top 

 price all through the month. The imports into 

 London for the four weeks were 59,387 sacks 

 English and 5,747 sacks 82,646 brls. foreign, 

 against 72,534 sacks country and 600 sacks 7,007 

 brls. foreign in I860. 



Of British barley, the supplies have gradually 

 increased, though still but small. Of foreign they 

 have been quite short ; but, the prices of all sorts 

 having ruled high, the tendency generally has 

 been downwards, even for the best malting, 

 while samples below this have fallen fully 2s. per 

 qr., with very great difficulty in sales. The scarcity, 

 however, of stocks in foreign grinding have kept 



the rates of such without variation, though the 

 demand has been limited. Till heavy supplies 

 come in from the Black Sea, we contemplate little 

 reduction in grinding sorts, as there must be a 

 large demand for pig food, from the great losses in 

 cattle ; but malting and the higher sorts we expect 

 will range lov/er, after the seed demand is over. 

 The imports for the four weeks into London were 

 23,165 qrs. British and 12,249 qrs. foreign, against 

 35,145 qrs. British and 53,365 qrs. foreign in i860. 

 The total imports in 1S60 were 2,122,016 qrs. 



The malt trade has ruled very heavy through the 

 month, and closed 2s. per qr. cheaper. It is said 

 the extensive use of sugar in brewing, as well as 

 the distress among the poor, has injured this branch 

 of business. 



The oat trade has been a perfect enigma. From 

 the insignificant supplies of foreign, and limited 

 arrivals from Scotland and Leland, it was thought 

 prices must have been forced up; but with literally 

 nothing foreign up on the fourth Monday, prices 

 were unchanged, and trade thoroughly dull. The 

 inference is, therefore, that dealers have been con- 

 tent to rest upon their own stocks, in the expecta- 

 tion that good arrivals would shortly give them the 

 opportunity to replace to advantage. Whence 

 these supplies are to come while the Baltic is 

 closed, it is difficult to divine, and those from 

 Odessa are only expected to be small; we should 

 not, therefore, be surprised to have to report an 

 improvement on the first fair arrivals, and the only 

 check upon the prospect are the high rates at pre- 

 sent paying, and the bad state of the hay crop 

 presents us with nothing 6o fall back upon for 

 horse feed. The imports during the four weeks in 

 January were 25,102 qrs. English, 1,717 qrs. 

 Scotch, 5,916 qrs. Irish, and 20,665 qrs. foreign : 

 against 15,968 qrs. English, 5,504 qrs. Scotch, 

 5,710 qrs. Irish, 71,06 i qrs. foreign in I860. The 

 total imports then were 2,308,280 qrs. The pre- 

 sent stocks in London may be about 150,000 

 qrs. 



Beans gave gay on the third Monday about Is. 

 per qr. for new English, but there has been little 

 difference in the value of fine old or foreign sorts, 

 supplies from Egypt having fallen off". The im- 

 ports for the four weeks were 4,456 qrs. English, 

 4,659 qrs. foreign: against 4,931 qrs. English, 

 5,828 qrs. foreign in I860. The imports last year 

 were 440,860 qrs. Stocks in London granaries 

 scarcely over 1,000 qrs. 



Peas as well as beans have been steady through 

 the month. The frost not creating much demand 

 for boilers, which had arrived more plentifully from 

 abroad, its departure caused no dechne, as stocks 

 are only about 8,500 qrs. in London, so that a 

 Government contract would soon clear the best 

 samples. Maples will doubtless remain dear, from 

 the seed demand, and httle change can be expected 

 in other sorts. The imports for four weeks were 

 2,453 qrs. English, 8,564 qrs. foreign, against 

 3,216 qrs. EngUsh, 720 qrs. foreign in 1860. The 

 total imports for I860 were 317,545 qrs. Linseed 

 has been in good supply during the month, but 

 maintained its value all through, the demand for 

 ' cattle feed being considerable, nor does there seem 

 much prospect of lower prices. 



