FARMERS REGISTER— COMiMERCIAL REPORT. 



181 



MONTHLY COMMERCIAL UKPORT. 



To the Editor of the Farmers' Register. 



The month of July has been to the farmers a 

 fortunate one — a favorable 'harvest was succeeded 

 by peculiar circumstances, which enables those 

 farmers wlio liave facilities in getting their wlieat 

 to market early, to obtain higher ]3rices than they 

 anticipated. The first contracts made were at 

 ^1 15 per bushel, but a spirit of competition was 

 excited among the millers, and particularly those 

 whose new establishments are on a.n encrrmous 

 scale, which withdut any circumstances to warrant 

 it, caused the "price to be run up to $1 25 and even 

 $1 30. Tile llirmers wisely availed themselves 

 of this excitement wliich continued but lor a few 

 days, and during that short jjeriod most of the crops 

 on or near James River and its tributaiy streams 

 Avere sold, or rather contracted ior, deliverable at 

 early periods. It is estimated that the extent of 

 these operations exceeded hull'a million of bushels. 

 But so soon as the millers tired of playing this 

 losing game on each other, the price declined to 

 $1 10 tor red, and ^1 15 for white wheat, which 

 rates are now current. It is to be desired that this 

 enterprising spirit" may not result in loss to the 

 millers, so that it may be cherished hereafter. Some 

 cargoes of new wheat which arrived at New York, 

 were sold there at §1 16 while §1 25 was paid in 

 Richmond. 



The capacity of the mills in Richmond, and its 

 immediate vicinity, is adequate to the m;uiufac- 

 turing of about 500,000 ban-els of flour per annum, 

 if it were practicable to keep them supplied with 

 grain. The best markets for their tiour are in 

 South America, but only a moderate portion of so 

 large a quantity can be required in those markets. 

 As the season advances the j^rice of Avlieat will 

 probably declinej unle-ss some European demand 

 shall arise. 



With the progress of the Inspections the impres- 

 sion that the tobacco crop will prove deficient, con- 

 tinues to gain ground, and the prices of such quali- 

 ties as are suitable for shipment are well' sustained. 

 The loAvest grade sells at ^3 7b to ^4 per 100 lbs. 

 — good, fine and choice descriptions at .^8 to 12, 

 13 and 14. Foreign capitalists are believed to be 

 larwly iitterested in purchases of this article, as 

 well as of cotton during the present year. They 

 may thus exercise a controlling influence on the 



{)rices abroad, so long as the suppl}' does not great- 

 y exceed the demand — but when the article has 

 passed out of their hands, their efibrts will be di- 

 rected to reduce its value, that they may renew 

 their speculations, which have thus lar this year 

 been successful. 



The- cotton manufacturers in England and 

 France have done a larger and more profitable bu- 

 siness this year than heretofore, and while supplies 

 from tliis country have increased, those from other 

 sources are smaller than usual — prices have there- 

 fore been well supjioried. 



peatedly called for many years, has at length 

 been enacted. 



The pound sterling of Great Britain has been 

 and is culled par at ^4 44. The gold sovereign 

 of one |)ound sterling, was by our Ibrmer standard 

 worth .^4 57; by the new regulation it is worth 

 .^4 84.6. This chano^e wiU have the effect of in- 

 creasing the value of oills on Englimd, because if 

 a bill for £ 1000 sterling could be purchased here 

 for .^4444, or even for i$4500, an importation of 

 1000 sovereigns nught be therewith made, which 

 would be worth here ^4846, and leave a good pro- 

 fit after paying interest, brokerage, and insurance. 

 The importation of silver into this countrj^ will 

 doubtless be diminished, and the exportation of 

 gold will cease under existing circumstances. 



It is presumable that the pressure for money 

 which has prevailed for some months, Avill soon be 

 partially, and perhaps extensively relieved, as it ia 

 announced that the United States Bank intends to 

 increase its loans, and the State Banks will be en- 

 abled to follow the example. The duration of thia 

 rdief must however, be very doubtfiil, and pru- 

 dence will dictate that it be not relied upon to any 

 great or durable extent. 



The present current rate of exchange on Eng- 



i land is 103^ to 104. Virginia Bank stock 102^ to 



103. Farmers' Bank stock 100 to 100^. The 



late loan to the state of S 100,000, was taken at 



103^ for 5 per cent stock, by a foreign house. 



X. 



July 25,. 183i. 



COMPAUATIVE MORTALITY. 



A curious official paper has been circulated, by 

 order of the House of Commons, showing the 

 comparative mortality in many large towns, &c., 

 of the kingdom, from 1813 up to the present year.. 

 Among the towns included in this comparative 

 calculation of mortality are, Leeds (town,) Brad- 

 ford, Holbeck, Beeston, Wigan, Preston, Norwich, 

 Bolton-le-jNloors, London, Bur}^, (Lancashire,) 

 Essex, &c. The result of the investigation of 

 mortality may be concisely stated as follows: — Of 

 children born there die, in Leeds, 53 per cent, un- 

 der 5 j^ears of age, and 62 per cent, under 20 years 

 of age; in Bradford, 47 per cent, under 5, and 59 

 per cent, under 20 years of age; in Beeston, 39 per 

 cent, imder 5, and 52 per cent under 20 years of 

 age; in Holbeck, 50 per cent, under 5, and 62 per 

 cent, under 20 years of age; in Norwich, 42 per 

 cent, under 5, and 50 per cent, under 20 years of 

 age; in Bolton, 49 per cent, under 5, and 61 per 

 cent, under 20 years of age; in Wigan, 48 per cent, 

 under 5, and 59 per cent under 20 years of age; 

 in London, 38 per cent, under 5, and 46 per cent, 

 under 20 years of age; in Rutland, 29 per cent, 

 under 5, and 37^ per cent, under 20 years of age, 

 &c. It iurtiier appears, that in Essex, Rutland, 

 and the metropolis, persons live to an advanced 

 age in a greater extent than others. — Morn. Herald. 



The manufacturing es- 

 tablishmerits in Virginia have, on the contrary, 



been very unprofitable this year, and those in the preservation of fruit trees from hares. 



northern states have suffered under the same in- According to M. Bus, young fTuit-trees may be 



fluence. The business in cotton may be consider- preserved from the bites of hares, by rubbing them 

 ed closed tor the season. The last "sales were at j with fat, and especitdly hog's lard. Apple and 



12^ to 13| cents. The prospects for this and all pear trees thus protected, gave no signs of the at- 



other growing crops are reported to be favorable. 

 A change in the relative value of gold and sil- 



tacks of these animals, though their footmarks 

 were abundant on the snow around them.. — Bul- 



ver to which the attention of congress'had been re- i M- Univers 



