32 



THE AGRICULTURAL JOURNAL. 



Market Reports, 



(Responsibility for the accuracy of the Statements and Opinions oi the following Reports rests with 



the respective contributors J 



MARITZBURG.— Messrs. W. H. Walker and 

 Co. write :— There is nothing of importance to 

 report since our last. From information re- 

 ceived, there is every indication of a grand crop 

 of mealies being assured, and all the crops are 

 reported to be looking well. Prices all round 

 are easy ; in fact, too much so to please pro- 

 ducers. 



Mealies.— There is every indication of prices 

 declining. During the past fortnight small 

 samples on the market have been up to 6s. 8d. 

 per lOOlbs., whilst others have been down to 

 5s., 4s. yd., and 4s. 3d. per lOOlbs. A good few 

 mealies have changed hands at Us. to 128. per 

 muid, including sack. 



Foraije.—SimaW parcels are being offered at 

 prices varying between 6s. lOd. and 8s 4d, per 

 lOOlbi. 



Haij.—K fair quantity offered daily, and 

 prices have been as low as Is. 6d. up to 2s. 8d. 

 per lOOlbs. Bedding from 3s. 6d. to 27s. per 

 load. 



Potatoes.— E>3,T\y Rose, from 6s. to 18s. per 

 lOOlbs. ; Beauty of Hebron, from 6s. to 16s. 6d. 

 per lOOlbs. : Red Roughs, 8s. 6d. to 12s. 3d. per 

 lOOlbs. ; Magnum Bonum, 7s. 6d. to 10s. per 

 lOOlbs. ; Up-to-dates, 13s. 3d. to 15s. per lOOlbs. ; 

 Sweet potatoes, 7s. 6d. per sack. 



Beans.— Yrom 10s. 6d. to 17s. per lOOlbs. 



Onio. IS.— From 17s. to 25s. 6d. per lOOlbs. 



Pumpkins.— Yvom 2s. 6d. to lOs. 9d. per dozen. 



Mabele.—Yrom 10s. to 12s, 3d. per lOOlbs. 



Tohacco.—Yrora 4d. to Is. 2d, per lb. 



Butter.— M-dirkei better supplied than it has 

 been for some time past ; prices have ruled 

 between 8d. and Is. lid. per lb. 



£^^,5 —Eggs still command a good figure ; 

 prices varying between Is 9d. and 3s. 5d. per 

 dozen. , ^ , , 



Poultry.— FoviU, from Is. 9d. to 4s. 6d. each ; 

 geese, 7s. 3d. each ; ducks, 4s. 9d. to 10s. 9d. per 

 pair ; turkeys (cocks), 10s. to 16s. each ; (hens) 

 6s, to 7s. 6d. each. . 



Sundries.— Almost a bit of everything has 

 fallen under the hammer of our Marketmaster 

 during the last fortnight :— Bacon, from Ud. to 

 6Ad. per lb. , ham, lOid.to lid. per lb, ; mutton, 

 5d. to lOd. per lb.; beef, 3id. to 7d. per lb ; 

 pork, IJd. to 9d. per lb. ; tea, Is. Id. per lb. Fish 

 was sold on several occasions, and the climax 

 was reached when our genial M. M. disposed of 

 a mischievous monkey for the sum of 8s. 6d. 



Vegetables.— Besina, beei^root, cabbages, carrots, 

 cucumbers, marrows, green mealies, rhubarb, 

 and tomatoes comprise the varieties sold. 



Bruit.— Apples, bananas, grapes, granadillas, 

 lemons, mangoes, peaches, pears, pineapples, 

 plums, and quinces are sold every day. 



^o^£j;_Wood is cheap at present, some 

 mornings only realising 5d. per lOOlbs., the 

 highest price obtained being lO^d. per lOOlbs. 



DURBAN.— Mr. W. H. Edmonds, Box 44. 

 writes : — 



General.— Traide has exhibited a marked im- 

 provement lately, and in connection with the 

 prospect of an early termination of the war, 

 there is a more buoyant feeling amongst the 

 commercial community. 



Mealies.— The market is very flat, and holders 

 of old season's stock are badly " left." They 

 are not greatly to be pitied, as rates for many 

 months were as high as the most covetous could 

 desire. Owing to "the continued wet weather 

 only small lots of new season's grain are being 

 offered, and for these dealers will only bid about 

 lOs, per muid. The crop is enormous on the 

 coast, and it will be rivalled when the up-country 

 crop comes in later on. «. j rr.. 



Potatoes.— Yery few are being offered, ihe 

 growing crop is looking grand, and should prove 

 heavier than for many years past. The few 

 good samples which are to hand readily bring 

 froai 19s, to 21s. per muid, but these are fancy 



' Mahele is in demand; but very little is 

 being offered. The new crop should be ready 



shortly. . j -n 



New season's hay is eagerly awaited, and will 

 be in great request, as fodder of all description 

 is scarce. 



WOOL. 



Mr. James Egner writes :— There hjave been 

 no sales since I last wrote. The season's wool 

 has been considerably below the average m 

 quality, a fact that the agents of shippers re- 

 mark on. The causes, however, are well known. 

 The spring was very dry, and without good 

 rains previous to shearing grease wool is always 

 dirty and heavy. Again, owing to the unusual 

 trekking of many of the sheep arising from the 

 war, the condition of the sheep was too poor to 

 produce good wool, 



LIVE STOCK AT LADYSMITH. 



Messrs Walton & Tatham held a sale of 

 stock, at their Mart, Laiysmith, on Saturday 

 last, the 2nd instant, when 370 head of ca,ttle 

 belonging to sundry persons, were disposed of 

 at the following prices :— 



140 head of mixed young cattle, £5 10s. per 

 head. 



100 cows, £7 to £10. . 

 61 heifers (1, 2, and 3 years old), £4 15s. to 

 £7 5s 



66 young oxen (1, 2, and 3 years old), £4 to 

 £7 15s. 



1 bull, £10. 



2 cows, with calves, £14 and £15 \m. 



The total amoant realised by the sale was 

 £2,345 15s. 



