1158 



THE AGKICVLTURAL JOURNAL. 



Market Reports. 



( Responsihilihj fur the accuracy of the Statements and Opiniom oj the following Reports rests with 



the respective contributors- j 



MARITZBURG.— Messrs. W. H. Walker & 

 Co., write :— There is very little alteration m 

 prices since our last report. Trade in many 

 branches is very far from brisk. Produce all 

 round is more plentiful, but there is very little 

 demand in many lines. Eggs and poultry still 

 command high prices ; and onions are now con- 

 sidered a luxury, in fact the price is almost 

 prohibit ry. 



Mealies— GraXn is now firming, not that there 

 is any particular demand. Speculators are doing 

 their' best to boom the market ; whilst some of 

 them are selling at prices considerably below 

 what they are trying to force the market to. 

 Some samples on the market have been down 

 to lis. 6d. per muid, including sack, and some 

 have realised 14s. 4d. per muid. However, a good 

 quantity of mealies have changed hands at 

 prices varying between lis. and 12s. per muid, 

 including sack. 



Forage. — Still commands high prices ; some 

 samples have been as low as 6s. 6d., others 12s. 

 9d. per lOOlbs. 



Ilaij. — There is a good supply at present, and 

 prices vary between Is. and 3s. 4d. per lOOlbs., 

 according to sample. Bedding from 2s. 9d. to 

 20s. per load. 



Potatoes. — Early Rose, from lis. to 1.5s. per 

 lOOlhs ; Beauty of Hebron, from 8s. to 14s. per 

 lODlbs. ; Rough Reds, from 6s. 3d. to 10s. per 

 lOOlbs. ; Sweet Potatoes, from Is. to 4s. 6d. per 

 sack. 



Pumplcins. — From 5s. to 8s. per dozen. 



Beans.— From 7s. to 7s. 6d. per lOOlbs. 



Mahele. — There is an abundant supply of this 

 grain at present, and prices have fallen con- 

 siderably. Some samples have been as low as 

 5s. 3d., others 78. 9d., per lOOlbs From infor- 

 mation, There has been an enormous quantity 

 cultivated this season. 



pjiichirheat. — This grain seldom finds its way 

 into our market in any quantity, and prices now 

 rule from lOs. to lis. .3d. per lOOlbs. 



Tobacco.— From Is. to Is. O.^d. per lb. 



Onions. — Never in the history of our market 

 have onions realised such high prices ; 463 , 50s., 

 57s. 6d., and as high as 60s., per lOOlbs. have 

 been obtained by our Market Master. 



Eggs. — Prices are high at present ; and, whilst 

 some samples have been sold at Is. 6d. per dozen, 

 others have been as high as 3s. 3d., 3s. 6d , and 

 3s. 7d per doz. 



Butter.— Yar from plentiful. Infeiior brands 

 have been down to 6d. and Is. per lb., but good 

 sami. les have been sold at 2s. 5d., 2s. 8d., and 

 28. lOd. per lb. 



Poultry. — Very scarce, and prices have varied 

 between 2s. 6d. to 4s. l()d. for common fowls ; 

 guinea fowls, from 4s to 7s 3d. per brace, 

 ducks, fiom 3s. 3d. to 10s. 3d. per pair ; turkeys 

 (cocks), lis. 3d. to 15s. each (.hens), 6s. 9d. to 

 78. 3d. each. 



Vegetables. — Beans, beetroot, cabbages, cauli- 

 flowers, celery, lettuce, onions, peas, potatoes, 

 pumpkins, turnips and tomatoes sold every day. 



i'^/vfid.— Apples, bananas, guavas, lemons, Jimes, 

 naartjes, oranges, papaws and pineapples sold 

 in large quantities daily. A number of im- 

 porteJ apples have also been disposed of. 



Sundries —BnQi, mutton, pork, and the usual 

 mixture of almost every description, have been 

 disposed of. 



If oofZ.— Prices have ruled at almost every- 

 thing between 64d. and Is, lid. per lOOlbs. 



DURBAN.— Mr. W. H. Edmonds, Box 44, 

 writes: — 



(?c«mtZ.— Trade is rather better this last fort- 

 night, but there is still room for improvement 

 in this resp ct. 



Mealies. — There are large enquiries for Colonial 

 grain, from both the Transvaal and Cape Colony. 

 As a consequence the market has sensibly 

 hardened , though comparatively small quantities 

 of the new crop are as yet available. Dealers 

 continue to ofEer 10s. per bag, but growers are not 

 very anxious to part at that figure. 



Potatoes.— ThQ market is fairly well supplied, 

 but only from hand to mouth, and as a result 

 prices are keeping up to a very high level indeed. 

 Blight seems to have damaged the crop to an 

 extent hardly realised, best qualities being 

 from 22s. to 25s. per bag. Importations, how- 

 ever, will bring down rates to a level more in 

 conformity with the spending power of the 

 working classes, to whom a potato nowadajs is 

 an almost unattainable luxury. 



Mahele.— F'dAV demmd, but the high pr ice of 

 this staple is hardly warranted in face of the 

 record crop this season. Good dry samples 

 bring about 16s. 6d. per 2031bs. 



Hay is in good supply, with fair demand. The 

 quality seems very good this year. 



5raw.— Quotations lately have been in favour 

 of the buyer, but Port Elizabeth being a pro- 

 claimed port this week, the importation of br an 

 will forthwith cease, so that the market is bound 

 to firm immediately. From 6s. 9d. to 7s 9d. per 

 lOOlbs. is to-day's quotation, according to 

 quality. 



Australian frozen mutton at 4id. per lb. in 

 London is not as satisfactory for shippers as at 

 Sjd. The former price means very restricted 

 consumption The latter means good re- 

 munerative rates, with a steady demand, 



Thos F. Rigg, in the An erican Poultry 

 Journal, says that one reason why the English 

 produce birds of larger bone and frame than we 

 do in this country is because they feed, and 

 have always so fed— a ration of oats, wheat, and 

 other grains, which are rich in blood and bone- 

 producing properties, and that Indian corn 

 enters but slightly into the food supply. 



