392 



Provision Trade in July, [august, 1908.] 



the quotations are 5.?. and more below what was realized in June, 1907. 

 This has resulted in a loss to those who made contracts on the basis of the 

 previous extreme prices. 



Advices from America report good demand for all hog products, at higher 

 prices than are obtainable in England, so that, apart from shipments to fill 

 contracts, arrivals have been small. 



The demand for English bacon was good, and, although dear, it is rela- 

 tively cheap in comparison with imported goods. There are not enough 

 bacon pigs to supply the demand, but a good many young pigs are reported 

 in the country, and unless the high price of meal forces them on the market 

 as porkers, there should be a better supply during the coming winter. 



Cheese, — Canadian cheese has shown a smart advance during the month, 

 and present prices are considerably above the normal. For the first ten days 

 the spot demand was very quiet, and merchants were afraid to import at the 

 prices then asked by Canadian shippers. By the third week the demand 

 had much improved, and at the end of the month importers paid y. to 4s. 

 advance. The make of Canadian is generally reported to be about 10 per 

 cent, less than last year, chiefly on account of the extremely dry weather in 

 the principal cheese-making districts during June and July. The weather 

 has since improved, but it is feared that it is too late to replace any of the 

 shrinkage. The quality is generally good, but much immature cheese is 

 reaching this side, the Canadian farmer being doubtless eager to put his 

 goods on the market at such remunerative prices. 



There is a large make of cheese in progress in this country, especially in 

 the Cheshire and Lancashire districts and in Scotland, but in some parts of 

 the South and West of England there is possibly less on account of the dry 

 weather, and also because farmers have been making such good prices for 

 their milk for drinking purposes. The demand from London alone is unusually 

 large. Prices for English cheese ranged from 2s. to 4s. below, and Canadian 

 is. to 3J-. above those current last year. 



Butter. — As was anticipated, prices of all kinds continued to advance and 

 showed during the month a premium of from 12s. to lSs. per cwt. over July, 

 1907. On account of these abnormally high prices, buyers operated only 

 from hand to mouth. The arrivals of Siberian have been very large, over 

 25,500 cwt. casks being delivered in London in one week. Canada has 

 shipped 46,552 packages between May 1st and July 18th, as against 15,369 

 for the same period in 1907. 



The large number of daily visitors to the Exhibition results in a largely 

 increased consumption of butter in London, and it is anticipated by a good 

 many in the trade that abnormally high prices will be experienced through- 

 out the season. 



Eggs. — The demand during nearly the whole of the month has kept 

 exceptionally good, and prevented any accumulation of stock. In con- 

 sequence prices have been maintained at a higher level than usual at l his 

 time of year. The warmer weather at the end of the month affected the 

 consumption to a small extent. 



