82 AN AGRICULTURAL FAGGOT. 



an average price of 41s. 8d., which was the highest average 



of 1891. But it immediately declined, and before the close 



of September it had fallen by ys. During the last three 



months of the year (October to December) the average 



price of English wheat was returned at 36s. Sd. In 1892 



the average receded from 36s. 4^. at the beginning of 



January to 32s. 3^. at the middle of February. Whilst, 



therefore, the average price of wheat was gradually 



declining from 41s. 8d. to 32s. 3d., a fall of nearly 10s. per 



quarter, the price of bread was maintained throughout 



the period of six months at 6d. per 4-lb. loaf. A \d. was 



then taken off the price, which stood at $\d. per 4-lb. loaf 



for the next twelve weeks, during which the average 



Gazette price of English wheat was exactly 32s. per quarter, 



the extremes being 33s. 3d. and 30s. yd. Bread was 



reduced to 5^. at the end of April, and has remained at 



that price since. During the same period the average 



price of wheat has been 29s. ud., and the extremes have 



been 31s. yd. and 29s. id. If it paid the baker to sell a 



quartern loaf of bread for 6d. when wheat averaged 



40s. per quarter, it would seem to have paid him better 



during the last five months (April to September) to be 



selling bread at $d. while wheat has averaged less than 30s. 



Whilst the price of wheat fell one-fourth the price of 



bread fell only one-sixth. 



Mr. David Chadwick, who has given special attention 



to the subject, states that the following has been and is 



the current average price of bread of good quality, 



delivered over the counter for cash, in the years specified, 



and I have added thereto for reference the average price 



of wheat in the same years : — 



Price of Wheat 

 Year. Bread per 4 lbs. per quarter. 



s. d. s. d. 



1839 o 8| 70 8 



1849 

 1859 . 



1887 . 

 1893 . 



06 44 3 



o 5l 43 9 



o 4f 32 6 



o 5l 26 4 



