1909.] 



The Provision Trade in June. 



343 



be accumulating. However, present shipping rates are several shillings 

 over spot values, so that very few are now being shipped, and directly 

 we experience some warm weather present stocks will be quickly 

 used up. 



In America hogs have been marketed in less numbers during the 

 month, and prices have touched as high as $8.15 (the average price for 

 that week being the highest since 1896), against the top price of $6.50 

 during June, 1908, and $6.10 during June, 1907. 



The scarcity of English pigs becomes more accentuated ; some of the 

 leading home curers cannot keep their factories fully running, necessi- 

 tating" the discharge of some of their workmen at a time of year when 

 they should be fully occupied. 



Cheese. — The consumption for the month has been very disappointing, 

 and most of the merchants still hold some stock of last season's 

 Canadian and English. Arrivals of new makes have been quite up to 

 the average, but, on account of the high cost, sales at a profit have 

 been difficult. The quality has been only fair. 



Canadian cables ask high prices for June makes, say about the same 

 as those ruling at the same time last year, but importers are operating 

 sparingly, feeling that prices are too high, and that with a fair make 

 in progress we must have a lower range of prices in the near future. 

 The receipts into Montreal from May 1st to June 12th total 208,788 

 cheese, against 211,557 for the same period last year. 



New Zealand cheese has arrived in large quantities during the month. 

 One week the imports of cheese from all parts show an increase of 

 nearly 20,000 cwts., and most of this increase would be made up with 

 New Zealand's. 



There is a large make of English cheese in progress ; it is estimated 

 to be fully equal to last year's, the unseasonable weather having cur- 

 tailed the consumption of milk, so that increased quantities have been 

 available for cheese and butter manufacture. 



The estimated stocks of Canadian and States cheese at the three 

 principal distributing centres (London, Liverpool, and Bristol) at the 

 end of the month were 104,000, against 99,000 at the same time last year, 

 ^.nd 129,000 two years previously. 



Butter. — There has been a steady trade in butter throughout the 

 month, with prices a little higher during the early part, but they eased 

 01T later. Arrivals have been fair, but less than during June, 1908. 

 The make in Ireland has been quite up to the average, but the 

 shipping trade has been hampered by the labour strike. There is a 

 large make going on in Siberia, but Germany appears to be taking their 

 excess quantity. 



In Canada the make of butter is a little larger than last year, as the 

 following receipts into Montreal prove : — May 1st to June 12th, 1909, 

 60,633 packages, against 56,039 packages for the same period last year, 

 but prices are still above an export basis. 



Egg s - — Eggs have again experienced a satisfactory month's trade, at 

 prices above those current at the same time last year. By the end of the 

 month there was an appreciable falling off in the demand, which is 

 usual when fruit becomes more plentiful. 



