( XIX ) 



The following remarks relating to Irish and Foreign Butter and 

 to Cheese are extracted from ' The Grocer.' 



Irish Butter. —The transactions in January were very limited, 

 with the exception of third and fourth Corks, the former at 99s. to 

 102s., and the latter at 88s. to 90s. In February, stocks were light, 

 particularly so those fine and fresh : there were stale parcels offer- 

 ing for resale, much below best. Quotations for finest Clonmels 

 ruled at 136s. to 140s. throughout; thirds, 120s. to 135s. In March 

 nearly all of fine quality was cleared oif ; the chief part of that left 

 on hand consisted of stale parcels ; for the little fine left, high rates 

 were asked, and this caused a wide range in quotations. In April 

 there was not enough Clonmels and butter of that class lying in the 

 London market to establish quotations ; there was a wide range 

 in the asking rates. On the 21st April the Cork market opened 

 with the new season's brands at very high prices — say 150s. for 

 both firsts and seconds. At no period during the month of May did 

 the stocks of Irish butter at the public wharves amount to 500 

 firkins, the chief part being stale parcels oifered for resale. Through- 

 out the month there was no quotable price for Clonmels, &c. The 

 quantity lying in the London market was small in June, and nearly 

 all old. In the first week of July there was a little more doing in 

 sales. In August there was a fair average extent of business trans- 

 acted ; the variation in prices was small. In the early part of 

 September there was a moderate extent of business doing. In 

 October high prices checked sales ; the nearly nominal quotations 

 for Clonmels were 132s. to 140s. In November the demand was 

 very limited, quotations for Clonmels, &c., began and finished at 

 134s. to 142s. With a few exceptions the transactions in December 

 were small ; quotations were chiefly 140s. to loOs. for first Corks. 



Cork Butter Market. — 1873 has again been a year of high 

 prices in butter, as well as in most other articles, and three figures 

 in the quotations are now as much a matter of course as two were 

 formerly — the lowest quality now often touching close on the 

 price of the highest in former days. The past season in the Cork 

 butter market opened about May 1, and at the respectable rate of 

 145s. ; but it was expected that a more genial summer than that of 

 1872 would bring in a largely increased supply and more moderate 

 prices ; and under the influence of this opinion and of the natural 

 course of things, prices gradually and rapidly declined, 120s. being 

 about the average for May, 114s. for June, and 113s. for the early 

 part of July — the lowest point of the year having been reached 

 in the middle of that month. Since then there has been a steady 

 and constant advance, each month registering a higher range of 



