70 



foreig:n^ markets. 



Wheat. — TUe year 1873, in Engjland, closed with fair i)rospects to 

 tbe grain-growing interest. A very unnsual mildness of weather pre- 

 vailed through Christmas week, with very little wet or frost. A good 

 breadth of wheat had been sown, and the early sown fields, for the most 

 l^art, looked even and well. Those more lately planted were springing 

 up favorably. The price of wheat was well maintained, and there was 

 every jirospect that it would so continue clear n]} to harvest. Wheat- 

 sowing in France was generally forward, and there was no apparent 

 drawback to the crop except a lack of rain, which is desirable on light 

 lands to settle the plantings before frost comes. In continental Europe 

 the prospects of the crop just sown were generally favorable, even iu 

 Hungary, where drought and vermin had been so injurious to the 

 crop of 1873. The acknowledged deficiency of the rye-crop, howevei. 

 had kept up the high rates of some continental markets. Late rains 

 had greatly improved the newly sown crop of Australia. 



The sales of English wheat during Christmas week amounted to 

 56,610 quarters, at 61s. 7d., against 53,276 quarters, at 56s. 3(7.. during the 

 Christmas week of 1873. The London averages were 63s. Id. on 2,387 

 quarters. The imports of the week ending December 20 were 1,011,288 

 hundred-weight of wheat and 172,500 hundred-weight of flour. 

 Monday before Christmas opened upon small supplies of English wheat, 

 but a large stock of foreign, more than half of the latter being from 

 ]^ew York. 



In Mark Lane, new Essex and Kent white wheat brought from 53s. to 

 68s. per quarter. Korfolk, Lincolnshire, and Yorkshire new red, 55s. 

 to 61s.; Dautzic and Konigsberg, 62s. to 72s.; Rostock, 62s. to 71s.; Silesia, 

 red, 57s. to 66s.; Pomerania, Mecklenberg, and Uckermark, 62s. to 6-is.; 

 Ghiska, o5s. to 61.9.; Russian hard, 52s. to 57s.; Saxonska, 61s. to 63s.; 

 Danish and Holstein red, 62s. to Gis.; American, 57s. to 62s.; Chilian 

 Tv^hite, 65s.; Californian, 67s.; Australian, 6Ss. 



In Liverpool American white brought 12s. lOi^. to 13s. percental ; ditto, 

 red winter and southern, 13s. to 13s. 4(Z.; ditto, spring, Xo. 1, 12s. IfZ. to 12s. 

 Sd.; Canadian white, 13s. Gd. to 13s. 9^7.; ditto, red, 12s. Sd. to 12s. lOd.; 

 California white, 13s. Gd. to 14s. Gd.; Australian, lis. to lis. 2d.', Chi- 

 lian, 12s, Sr7. to 13s. 2f7.; Spanish white, 13s. 6f7. to 149.; Danubian, 7s. 

 to 9s.; Ghiska, lis. 6^7. to 12s. 2f7.; Egyptian, 10s. 9(7. to 12s. 8r7. 



Flour. — The supplies of English flour in Mark Lane were good, with 

 a large import of American in barrels. The Paris flour trade during the 

 week was very inactive. Prices were generally steady in the continental 

 markets, and but little varied from our last report. 



Maize. — In Mark Lane American white was quoted at 36s. to 38s. i)er 

 quarter ; ditto, yellow, 35s. to 37s. In Liverpool, American white, 36s. dd. 

 to 37s. Gd. ; ditto, yellow, to 37s. 6f7. ; Galatz, 38s. 6(7. ; Danubian, 37s. 9(7. 



Wool. — English wool was in moderate demand in London. For colo- 

 nial produce there had been but little demand since the close of the pub- 

 lic sales. Prices about the same as in our last monthly report. 



Live stock. — In London, coarse inferior cattle brought 4s. 4(7. to 4s. 

 10(7. i)er 8 pounds, sinking the oftal ; second quality, 5s. 4(7. to 5s. 8(7. ; prime 

 large oxen, Os. 2(7. to 6s. 4(7. ; prime Scots, 6s. 4(7. to Gs. Gd. ; sheep, 4s. 

 Sd. to Gs. 10(7.; prime Soutlulowns, Gs. lOil. to 7s. ; calves, 5s. 10(7. to Gh. 

 2(7. ; hogs, 3s. 10:7. to os. 



i 



