544 



THE AGRICULTURAL JOURNAL. 



Market Reports, 



(Responsibility for the accuracy of the Statements 



the respective 



MARITZBURG. -Messrs. W. H.Walker and 

 Co. write :— During the past fortnight the mar- 

 ket has been well stocked with every hne of 

 produce. Although trade is far from being 

 brisk, nevertheless prices all round have been 

 firm, and producers have been, on the whole, 

 satisfied with prices renlised. 



Mealies- On six morninas since our last report 

 mealies have been sold on the market at prices 

 varying between lis. and 13s. per muid, in- 

 cluding sack ; 12s. 3d, has been about the average 

 for mealies sold privately. 



Forage— ^oxne very fair samples of Algerian 

 are now offered, and prices have fluctuated be- 

 tween 4s. Id. (infericr) and lis., 12s , and 14s. 6d. 

 perlOOlbs. , ^ ^ ^ . 



27aw —Some fair samples disposed of at prices 

 varying between 2s. 6d. and 4s. 3d. per lOOlbs. ; 

 bedding from 6s. 6d. to 18s. 6d. per load. 



Po<o<oes.— Although new potatoes are now 

 offering, prices still rule high, and as much as 

 30s. 3d. has been obtained for some samples, 

 while some varieties have been as low as 7s. 6d. 

 and 9s 9d. per lOOlbs. ; others have realised from 

 13s., 15s. 3d., 25s. 9d, 26s. 9d., and the price already 

 quoted per lOOlbs. ; sweet potatoes from 28. fad, 

 to 5s. per sack. 



.Beans.— From lis. to 17s. 3d. per lOblbs. 



Peas.— 14s. per lOOlbs. 



Toftacco,- Very little offering, the average 

 being about 9d. a ib. 



Pumpkins.— From 2s. to 7s 9d. per doz. 



Onions— 2ba. per lOOlbs. . 



Eggs— ¥arket well stocked, and prices have 

 ruled between lOd. and 2s. 9d. per doz. 



Butter.-There has been a fair quantity ot 

 butter offered, but good samples have changed 

 hands at Is. 8d., Is. 9d., Is. lOd , and 2s. 3d per 

 lb., some brands only realising from lid. to 

 1b. 3d., and Is. 5d. per lb. r, . . aa 



Poultry.— Common fowls from 28. to 4s. 4d. 

 and 6s. each. ; ducks from 4s. 6d to 8s. 3d. per 

 pair • turkeys frem ICs. 3d. to 15s. each. 



Mabele.-From is. lid. to lOs. per lOOlbs. 



^ruit—On\y the varieties common at the 

 season of the year offered, viz. : bananas, lemons, 

 oranges, naartjes, pineapples, loquats, and paw- 

 paws. . , J 



Vegetables are now coming forward more 

 plentifully, and the tables in the market house 

 are filled with beans, beetroot, cabbages, carrots, 

 celery, lettuce, onions (new), potatoes (new), 

 rhubarb, tomatoes, and turnips. 



SwHfZWes.- Bacon from 4d. to 8d. per lb. ; mut- 

 ton from 6d. to lOd. per lb. ; pork from 4id to 

 8.id per lb. ; beef from 4d. to lOJd per lb. : 

 rabbits, 2s. 9d. each ; sausages, 4d to 6d. per lb. 



\yood —Firewood has been offered freely at 

 prices varying tetwecn Sjd. to Is. 4d. per lOOlbs. 



DURBAN.— Mr. W. H. Edmonds, Box 44, 



write^f : — , , 



6'enemL— Trade continues good, and a very 

 satisfactory state of affairs prevails in this re- 

 spect. 



and Opinions oj the following Reports rests with 

 contributors ) 



Mealies. -The market keeps the sarne, and 

 want of export facilities prevents anything like 

 a material rise ; in fact, should these disabilities 

 be permanent during the next few months, as 

 seems more than likely, a slump would arise 

 from the sheer weight of stocks held by farmers 

 and speculators. Present prices for Coast mealies 

 run about lis. 6d. per bag delivered Durban. 

 Good up-country grain is worth Is. to Is. 6d. 



Mabele is offering more freely now, doubtless 

 on account of the weevil, which soon gets into 

 this article. Some good samples lately realised 

 178 6d bag, as against 21s. a fortnight back. 



Seed ^?a<s. -There is some inquiry for Algerian 

 and Tartarian. It s sincerely to be hoped that 

 farmers will take courage and plant a little 

 ground during this grand spring. 



J. RAW & CO.'S CATTLE SALES. 

 The monthly stock fairs of the Mooi River 

 Farmers' and the Nottinaham Road Farmers 

 Associations were held as usual at Mom River 

 and Nottingham Road on the 9th and Ibth in- 

 stants respectively. - +n 



There was only a fair quantity of cattle at 

 both fairs, at Mooi River being chiefly slaughter 

 oxen and at Nottingham Road young untrained 



°^Onelot of sheep (a mixed lot) at Mooi River 

 realized 18s. each. if>= 



Slaughter oxen realized as follows :— i^l lUs., 

 £33, £32 lOs.. £21, £23, £18 10s £18, and £20 per 

 head. Devon bulls, £25, £26 10s., £30 each. Al- 

 derney-Shorthorn bull, £30. 



At Nottingham Road prices were :— Young 

 untrained oxen, £15, £16, £18 per head, Bull, 

 £15 10s • cows, £10, £lti, heifer, £15 ; cow and 

 calf, 10s -'cows', £13 10s £16 Ws. £18 10s. 

 each ; bull calf, £8 ; heifer calves, £8, £9 10s. each. 



On Saturday's m<trkets on the 12th and Wth 

 instant, cattle sold as follows :-Bull, £15 ; trek 

 oxfn,£19 per head! horses, 8 gns. to 13i gns. ; 

 bull calf, £6 2s. 6d. ; trek oxen, £16, £18, and 

 £19 10s. per head. 



The American trotter is first shod when about 

 six months old, and then only on the hind feet, 

 the shoes being required to give holding for the 

 lightest of protecting "toe boots or scalpers 

 Practically all trotting colts strike their hind 

 feet with their toes in moving at all fast, and tbe 

 pain is apt to upset them and make them break 

 into a gallop; whence the necessity for toe 

 boots " The action in front is stimulated bv the 

 application of " quarter boots" ; these are made 

 of soft leather and are fitted round the coronet 

 of each fore hoof ; these quarter boots carry 

 strips of sheet lead on their lower edges ; ihe 

 weight the colt thus has to lift improves his 

 shoulder action and makes him use his fore teet. 

 All four le"8 are protected by boots or bandages, 

 as the trotting colt is peculiarly liable to brush, 

 overreach, and wound himself. 



