288 



THE AGRICULTURAL JOURNAL. 



Market Reports, 



( Resj'onsihility for the accuracy of the Statements and Opinions of the following Reports rests with 



the respective contributors- ) 



MARITZBURG— Messrs. W. H. Walker and 

 Co. write : — There is every indication of a re- 

 vival in trade. Although it may not be so 

 marked as many would wish, neverthele- s, taking 

 matters all round, signs are far more healthy 

 than they have been for some time past. Rain 

 has fallen all over the Colony since our last re- 

 port. 



Mealies.— liar ge quantities have come forward 

 during the past fortnight, and considerable 

 quantities have found their way into the Trans- 

 vaal. Prices on the market have varied between 

 10s. 4d. and lis. 9d. per muid, including sack. A 

 good few have changed hands privately at lis 6d. 

 per muid. 



Forage. — Very scarce. 



Hay. — Good samples are still obtainable at 

 prices fluctuating between 2s. Id. and 3s. 4d. 

 per lOOlbs. ; bedding from 3s. 6d. to 22s. Gd. per 

 load. 



Potatoes. — Far from plentiful, and prices have 

 ruled, for good eating potatoes, from lis. to 

 17s. 9d. per lOOlbs. ; sweet potatoes, from 2s. to 

 5s. 3d. per sack. 



Mahele. — Large quantities offered daily, and 

 prices have fallen. The market has varied be- 

 tween 5s. 9d. and 7s. 6d. per lOOlbs. 



Buchioheat. — Very little offering ; Us. 6d. per 

 lOOlbs. being the average price realised. 



Beans.— From 9s. to 16s. 9d. per lOOlbs. 



Onions.— More plentiful, but good samples 

 have ruled high. Prices have ruled between 

 16s. 8d. and 33s. 4d. per lOOlbs. 



Pumpkins. — From 4s. 9d. to 7s. 6d. per dozen. 



Eggs. — Whilst some samples have been as low 

 as Is. lOd. per dozen, others have realised 3s. Id, 

 per dozen. 



Butter. — A fair quantity offered daily, and 

 prices have varied between Is. Id and 2s. 9d. per 

 lb. 



Poultry. — Common fowls from Is. lid. to 

 4s. 6d. each ; turkeys (cocks) 15s. 6i?. to 19s. each, 

 (hens) 6s. to lOs. each ; ducks, from 5s. 6d. to 

 12s. 3d. 



Smulries. — Mutton from 3d. to 9d. per lb. ; 

 pork, from 'd\d. to 9J. per lb. ; beef, from 3jd. 

 to 4d. per lb, ; sausages, from 5d. to 8d. per lb. 



Vegetables. — Market has been well supplied of 

 late with beans, beetroot, cabbages, carrots, 

 cauliflowers, onions, peas, potatoes, pumpkins, 

 turnips, and tomatoes. 



Bruit.— The varieties disposed of consist of 

 apples, bananap, limes, lemons, naartjes. oranges, 

 papaws, and pineapples. 



Wood.— The lowest price realised for wood 

 was 7d. per lOUlbs., the highest lUd. per lOOlbs. 



DURBAN.— Mr. W. H. Edmonds, Box 44. 

 writes : — 



GfiweraL— Business is dull again, and stocks 

 are accumulating and movements small. 



Mealies.— The market is fairly firm, and small 

 parcels are daily being required for Johannes- 

 burg. About Us. per muid represents the aver- 

 age°price paid to farmers locally, and supplies 

 are quite equal to demand. 



Potatoes —Big prices continue to be paid for 

 the colonial article in spite of the far lower 

 rates for the Australian, which for table pur- 

 poses is superior in every way. Twenty-three 

 shillings per bag is daily paid on the morning 

 market, while best qualities of Australian are 

 offered at 17s. 6d. p ^ rr. 



//ay —This is in great demand for the Irans- 

 vaal, and few parcels are on offer. Fifty shil- 

 lings per ton is readily paid, and quotations may 

 be expected to advance. -, j j 



Mabele.—ls in good supply with limited de- 

 mand. Buyers offer from 14s. to 15s. per muid. 



Luck being the topic of conversation when a 

 few of us chanced to meet recently, an old negro 

 who was present remarked—" I'se always had 

 good luck with potatoes dat were well hoed. 

 It seems to me (says an American) the old man 

 hit the snail squarely on the head. It is elbow 

 grease that is more often than not the secret ot 

 " good luck " with crops. 



Procrastination has been called the thief of 

 time, but bad roads is the highway robber that 

 takes the farmer's time, mistreats his horse, 

 destroys his waggon, isolates his family, takes 

 toll on all that he buys, and all that he takes to 

 market ; keeps the family from church and 

 public o-atherings, where their information migbt 

 be increased, their ideas and aspirations broaden- 

 ed acd their lives brightened. He sours the 

 tempers, he drives the children of promise to 

 the already congested channels of city lite, ^y 

 his presence he repels alike the advances ot the 

 settler, the tourist, and the manufacturer ; he is 

 the unqualified enemy to wealth and progress in 

 every form.— Florida Agriculturist. 



