672 



THE AGRICULTURAL JOURNAL. 



Market ReportSm 



( Responsibility 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 : — Only a week from Christmas, and 

 yet, so far as the usual conditions are concerned, 

 it might be months away. One hears from 

 almost every representative of trade the same 

 complaint, viz., "owing to the N G,R. failing to 

 deliver goods, it is a moral impossibility to 

 execute orders." The amount of profane lan- 

 guage thi^ state of affairs is answerable for, to 

 say nothing of the disorganizing of business, is 

 something astounding. A day or two back one 

 merchant in Longmarket Street received a con- 

 signment of goods by ox-wagon, and the only 

 way to save the situation, unless matters are 

 altered, will be for some enterprising individuals 

 to start transport riding. Very little r un has 

 fallen this month, and farmers are complaining 

 of the ravages made by grub. 



Mealies. — On the market prices have fluctu- 

 ated between 5s. 6d. and 6s. per 100 lbs. ; and 

 privately about the sam-i prices have been offered 

 and accepted. 



Forage. — Almost every morning forage is now 

 sold on the market at prices varying between 

 5s. and 8s. per lOO lbs ; one lot of extra good 

 quality realised 20s. per 100 lbs. 



Hay. — Good samoles have changed hands 

 from '3s. to 4s. per 100 lb'. ; bedding, from 5s. 

 to 15s. and 21s. per load. 



Green Barley .—From lid. to Is. 4d. per 100 lbs. 



Potatoes. — Recently the market has been 

 abundantly stocked, chiefly with Early Eoses 

 and good table samples have been sold at prices 

 varying between 6s. 61. and lis. 9d. per 100 lbs. , 

 inferior samples from 2s. to 4=. per 100 lbs; 

 f weet potatoes from 2s. to 3s. 9d. 



Mabele.— Prices have averaged about 8s. 3d, 

 per 100 lbs. 



CwioHs.— Market well supplied, and price, 

 have varied between 6s. 3d. and I63 6d per 

 100 lbs. 



Pumpkins. — About 6s. 6d. per doz. 



.Scaws.— Eed, 6s. 6d. per 100 lbs. 



Peas From 8s. to 22s. 6d. per 100 lbs. 



Butter. - While some samples have only real- 

 ised from 8d. to 9d. per lb,, others have reached 

 Is. 5d., Is. 8d., and 2s. Id. per lb. 



Ki/gs. — From Is. to 2s. lOd. per doz. 



Poulti'y.— Fowls (fit lor table), from 4s, to 8s. 

 each ; chickens, from Is. lOd to .3s. 4d. each ; 

 ducks, 6s. 3d. to IPs. Od. per pair ; turkeys, from 

 lis. 6d. to 32s. each; geese, 7s. 6d, to 9s. 6d. 

 each ; guinea fowls, 6,?. 3d. per brace. 



Strndrie-i.—Mutior, fn m 7d. to 9d. per lb.; 

 beef, 4i(<'. to 8d. per lb. ; pork, from .3d. to 8id. 

 ptr lb. ; bacon, from 6d. to 9d. per lb. ; ham, 

 from lid. to Is. 2d. per lb. ; rabbits, from Is to 

 2s. 3d. each ; fish, according to size. 



Fruit.— Apyles, apricots, bananas, grenadillas, 

 lemons, limes, mangoes, oranges, strawberries, 

 &c. 



Vegetables. — Beans, beetroot, cabbages, cucum- 

 bers, carrots, lettuce, onions, peas, rhubarb, to- 

 matoes, and turnips. 



IFoofZ.-From 9d. to Is. 3id. per 100 lbs. 



DURBAN.— Mr. W. H. Edmonds, Box 44 

 writes : — 



General. — Business is fairly brisk, but the 

 manner in which it is hampered is sufficiently 

 indicated by the recent loud complaints of up- 

 country merchants regarding the extreme diffi- 

 culty of procuring stocks by rail. 



Mealies. -The market is dull, and with weevil 

 forcing the hand of the speculators, farmers 

 and others, any improvement must arise from 

 extraneous causes. Local dealers are offering 

 12s. per muid. 



Potatoes. —The new crop promises to be a very 

 fine one, and parcels coming to market are 

 superior to those of recent years. Rates have 

 slumped enormously, and quotations on paper are 

 practically illusory. 



Forage. — Plentj is on offer at all prices, 

 according to quality, and Jthe quantity in the 

 market shows clearly that rust is becoming a 

 negligeable quantity. 



Mabele is offered freely at 16s. 6d. per muid, 

 and rates have dropped smartly in this line. 



WOOL. 



Mr. James Egner writes :— Prices were very 

 firm at the last sales, 7Jd. being the top price ; 

 this is the highest price since the opening. 

 Ordinary skirted wools ruled from 6jd. to 6|d. ; 

 unskirted from 5|d. to 6id. The market was 

 fully a farthing stronger, which is accounted for 

 by the fact that a ship of the Bucknall line was 

 available, and freights in consequence were down 

 to .5s. per bale. This matter 1 explained in my 

 last. The London market closed steady for 

 Merinos, whilst lower c'asses were 5 per cent, 

 and cross-breds 10 per cent, lower. 



In 1761 Mr. Jenison Shafto bet Mr. Hugo 

 Meynell 2,000gs. that he would find a man who 

 would ride a hundred miles a day for twenty- 

 nine consecutive days on any number of horses 

 not exceeding twenty-sine. Mr. John^ Wood- 

 cock was the person on whom Mr. Shafto's 

 choice fell, and he began his task on Newmarket 

 Heath on May 4th at one in the morning, and 

 finished on June 1st at six in the evening He 

 used only fourteen horses, seven of which he 

 rode three times. The course was from Hare 

 Park to the ditch, making three miles, and thence 

 three miles on the flat on the side of the ditch 

 nearest ISewmarket. Lamps and posts were put 

 along the course to enable Mr. Woodcock to 

 start before dawn, and so avoid riding ia the 

 heat of the day. 



