191 1.] The Corn Markets in October. 



705 



(Hampshire), Cricklade, Devizes, and Westbury ( Wiltshire), Wellington 

 (Somerset), and Cirencester and Winchcombe (Gloucestershire). There 

 was a scarcity of men for permanent situations in the Godstone 

 (Surrey), Chippenham (Wiltshire), Dursley, Gloucester, and Stow-on- 

 the-Wold (Gloucestershire), and Truro (Cornwall) Rural Districts. 



THE CORN MARKETS IN OCTOBER. 

 C. Kains-Jackson. 



Unusual animation has marked the October exchanges, at which 

 the offerings of British new crops have been much above the average. 

 The quality being the finest known for many years, liberal deliveries 

 have induced no decline in prices. The trade in imported grain, after 

 showing remarkable steadiness, was on the last two days of the month 

 against holders. 



Wheat. — English wheat has averaged about half-a-crown per qr. more 

 than in October, 1910, and the advance from September, 191 1, has been 

 sixpence to a shilling. The home product has remained far and away 

 the cheapest sort of wheat in the market, 345. to 365. commanding 

 504 lb. of dry hard red wheat, and 365. to 375. the best white, sometimes 

 512 lb. to the quarter, while the inferior types of Indian have started 

 at 355. per 492 lb., and the best Canadian reached 415. per qr. on the 

 16th, though parted with a fortnight later at ninepence under that 

 price. The production of new crosses and varieties of wheat has been 

 a feature of the month's markets, that is to say, the crops of such 

 crosses and varieties have come on offer in sufficient bulk to admit of 

 agricultural as distinguished from a scientific judgment on them. Great 

 satisfaction has been expressed, and the enthusiasm of farmers over these 

 new developments has taken the form of large purchases for sowing 

 purposes. Shipments from the exporting countries were 704,000 qr. from 

 North America (largely from Canada), 301,000 qr. from South America, 

 828,000 qr. from Russia, 1,030,000 qr. from Europe S.E., 261,000 qr. 

 from India, and 438,000 qr. from Australasia. Russia has sent off 

 an extremely small total as compared with the 3,942,000 qr. exported 

 in October, 19 10, but some think that this is a husbanding of resources 

 by Russia, rather than an indication of greatly reduced crops. The 

 quantity of wheat on passage is stable, and about an average. 



Flour. — The credit and delivery price of Town households has hardly 

 varied from 285. per 280 lb. sack ; the cash ex-mill price has been some- 

 times 26s., sometimes 265. 6d. The top price has been motionless at 

 325., and best makes of fine American wheat ground in the London 

 mills have been very steady at 285. 6d. A mixture of such makes with 

 Town Households would cost 275. 6d. per sack, and give very fair bread 

 and a reasonably tall loaf. Country flour during part of the month was 

 pressed on sale, but firmness was recovered before the close, prices being 

 2$s. for straights and 245. for roller whites. Stone-ground flour is by no 

 means uniformly cheaper than roller-ground ; the days when the stone 

 mill was despised appear to have passed. Hungarian flour, after being 

 maintained at 40s. to 415. per sack, has come down to 39s., and at this 

 price is in improved request. American flour on the last two days of 

 the month was is. cheaper to buy forward, and spot prices were affected 

 to the extent of sixpence. Quotations included 315. for best spring 



