IflO 



Market Reports. 



fResonnsibiUty for the accuracy of the Statements and Opinions oi the .following Reports rests 



the respective contributors J 



MARITZBURG— Messrs. W. H. Walker & 

 Co., write : -Trade is very far from brisk ; m 

 fact, in many branches, there is an ir clination 

 towards depression. The market has been well 

 supplied every morniog during the last fort- 

 night, and prices have certainly been in favour 

 of the purchaser. 



Mealies—There is a slight upward tendency, 

 and the average price is now about 10s. per muid 



ffay — Some very good samples oiiered daily, 

 and while some samples have been as low as 

 Is. 6d. per lOOlbs., good blue grass hay realised 

 3s. per lOOlbs. Bedding from 5s. to 20s. per load. 



I'oraqe.-'Yery little offering; good samples 

 realising 14s. So. per lOOlbs. 



Potatoes. - Market better supplied than it has 

 been for some time past. Early R( fe, from 

 10s. 3d to r2s. 6d. per lOOlbs. ; Magnum Bonurti, 

 f rc m 9s to 10s. per 10 lbs. ; Beauty of Hebron, 

 from lis. 9d. to 13s. per lOOlbs. ; Hed Roughs, 

 from 8s. 6d. to 13s, 3d. per lOOlbs. ; Up-to date, 

 from 10s. 6d. to 14s. per lOOlbs. ; Sweet Potatoes.- 

 from Is. 6d. to 4s. 9d. per sack. 



Mahele.—¥vom 5s. to 'Js. 6d. per lOOlts. 



Pinnphins.—From 2-i. 6d. to 8s. S'^, per dozen. 



Beans.-Yvom 1.3s. 3d. to 15s. 6d. i er lOOlbs. 



Buchwlieat. — ¥Tom lOs. 3d. to 12s 6d. per 

 lOOlbs. 



p^ggi^ — Prices are still farm, and have varied 

 between 2s. 3d. and 3s. 7d. per dozen. 



Btdter.— VT\ce& have fluctuated between 8d. 

 and 2s. lOd per lb. 



Poultry —Gommon fowls from 2s. to 4s. 4d. 

 each ; ducks, from 3s 9d. to 9s. 6d. per pair ; 

 turkeys (cocks), from 6s. to lis. each, hens, 

 5s. 9d. to 6s. each ; guinea fowls 3s. 3d. each. 



Si/w^'ries.— Mutton, from 4d. to 9d. per lb. ; 

 pork, from 7d. to 8d. per lb. ; bacon, from 3d. to 

 7d. per lb. ; ham, from 9d to IHd. per lb. 

 Several mornings fresh fish was sold. 



Fruit. — Apples, bananas, guavas, limes, 

 naartjes, oranges, pears (Avocado), pineapples, 

 and plantains. A number of Australian and 

 Cape apples have realised from 9s. to 14s. 6d. 

 and 17s. per box. , . , , 



Vegetables —Beans, beetroot, bringals, cab- 

 bages, cauliflowers, carrots, lettuce, potatoes, 

 radishes, tomatoes, and turnips have found 

 ready purchasers. 



Wood. — Prices have been as low as 5d. per 

 lOOlbs., and up to Is. Id. per lOOlbs. 



DURBAN. -Mr. W. H. Edmonds, Box 44, 

 writes : — 



CrencroZ.— Business keeps dull, and with no 

 special feature worthy of remark. 



Mealies— he market is dull to a degree, and 

 heavy losses continue to be made by the farmers 

 and speculators alike, who persisted in hoi ling 

 on to the old crops in spite of big prices and a 

 grand back-end season. The market is easy at 



from 93. 6d. to lOi. per bag. The quality of th® 

 Coast crop is none too good, and late rains would 

 seem to have done a good deal of damage through 

 rotting the ripe grain while yet on the cob. 



Pototofs — Rates are very firm again owing to 

 farmeis holding back, and the state of things is 

 analogous to the mealie market late last year, 

 when farmers refused to sell, despite every in- 

 ducement. Large supplies of new season's 

 Australian tubers are on the water, and dealers 

 will shortly be more or less independent of the 

 local article. Best qualities bring from 16s. to 

 20s. per bag, according to the stock daily put on 

 the market. 



Mabele.—The crop is heavy, and is being 

 offered in moderate supply. About 16s. per bag 

 is the present figure, but a considerable decline 

 is inevitable. 



Hay.— The crop is a record one, and any 

 quantity is on offer. 



Two [ndians have been sentenced to six 

 months' imprisonment for sheep-stealing on the 

 Eastern Vlei, Durban. The Indian owners of a 

 flock of 82 missed Eour animals one night, and, 

 when watching the next night, saw the two and 

 another sneak up to a sleeping sheep and wring 

 its neck. 



The demand for fertilisers throughout the 

 world seems to be steadily increasing, and it can 

 only be a matter of time for the prices to 

 increase unless new deposits of considerable 

 magnitude are developed. Nitrate of soda has 

 already shown the effect of the enormous con- 

 sumption of late yeais. Throughout the world 

 the demand for bone fertilisers is pract cally in 

 advance of the supply, and prices are high. 

 America ships crude phosphates all over the 

 world, but principally to Europe. In 1899 she 

 exported 812,604 tons, Great Britain taking 

 95,000 tons, Germany 191,000 tons, France 

 41,000 tons, and the rest of Europe 186,000 tons. 

 It'must be remembered, too, that Europe pro- 

 duces very considerable quantities of crude 

 phosphates, phosphalic slags, and also imports 

 largely from countries other than the United 

 States. The consumption of phosphates in 

 America is also immense, while lar^e quantities 

 of bones, blood, offal, and other animal matter 

 from the slaughter yards are converted into 

 manures. The official records of one State 

 (Georgina) show an annual consumption of 

 nearly half a millien tons of fertilisers. Several 

 other States are equally large consumers, some 

 even exceeding this amount. Throughout 

 America the demand is rapidly increasing, the 

 aim of all being to produce an increased crop on 

 smaller areas through the judicious application 

 of fertilisers. 



