history of the american menhaden. 335 



August 18. 

 Menhaden is steadier, but we bear that fish are more abundant and 

 fatter. Tanners are buying- more oils. Exporters cannot i)ay more tlian 

 32c.; some lots could probably be sold at this price. The transactions 

 since our last are 2,900 bbls. Maine oil, 900 to arrive in New Jiedford 

 and 2,000 bbls. here, at 33e. ; oS bbls. western oil to an out-of-town con- 

 sumer, at 34c.; 80 bbls. do., at 32c., and 91 bbls. inferior, at 31c. 



August 2.1. 



Menhaden has not changed much in value since our last report. It 

 seems to be about as low as it ought to go, and yet if the catch is large 

 and is forced on the market it may go lower, particularly as there is no 

 export demand of importance, and foreign orders are at very low prices. 

 This is now relatively the cheapest oil in the market. The sales during 

 the week have been as follow^s: 800 bbls. of Maine, to arrive, at 32^c.; 

 152 bbls. Sound oil for export, at 32c.; 180 bbls. for export, at 31^c.; 30 

 bbls. do., at 32c.; 20 bbls. dark brown, at 3ic.; 30 bbls. do., at 30c., and 

 25 bbls. poor, at 29c. A lot of oOO bbls. Maine oil came to a dealer 

 direct. 



September 1. 



Menhaden has not arrived in this market very freely the past week. 

 All lots coming to hand have been taken without much urging, mostly 

 for home use. The sales are 70 bbls. Sound oil, at 30c.; 100 bbls. do , at 

 30^c., both lots a little off from prime; 50 bbls. do. prime, at 31c.; 143 

 bbls., at 31c.; 150 bbls. for export, at 31^c., and 100 bbls. Maine, 

 to arrive, at 32c. We hear that there are orders in this market for 

 several thousand bbls. for export at 31c. It would relieve our market 

 very much to place some full parcels in European markets. The oil is 

 the cheapest grease in the market. We have just received a letter from 

 a correspondent in the East, the pith of which we give, as follows : The 

 fish are becoming plenty and yielding well. The stock at Booth Bay is 

 4,600 bbls.; at Round Pond, 3,400 bbls., and at other points in Maine, 

 8,000 bbls. The hauls of fish on the 2Sth iust. in Maine were said to 

 have been sufficient to make a thousand bbls. of oil. Another corre- 

 spondent writes that the fish are yielding 6 'S 8 gallons to the thousand, 

 which is large. 



September 8. 



Menhaden oil. — We have a report from Maine dated August 3d which 

 says that the large hauls did not continue beyond the day mentioned in 

 our last and part of another, when the fish fell off, and have since been 

 quite scarce. There have been several shipments, in all amounting to 

 between 2,000 and 3,000 bbls., to New York, Boston, and New Bedford 

 to fill old contracts at 33c.; but now tbe larger holders have put up 

 their price to 35c. Our market has been quiet, dealers having a fair 

 supply, and, though arrivals have been moderate, no advance has been 

 obtained till towards the close, when shippers have, we think, advanced 



