( XVJII ) 
The following remarks relating to Irish and Foreign Butter and 
to Cheese are extracted from ' The Grocer ' : — 
Irish Buttkr. — The quotations throughout the month of January- 
were high, influenced no doubt, to some extent, by the drought of 
last summer having lessened the make ; and transactions were very- 
limited. In February a great deal of heavy rain fell — almost from 
the beginning to the end of the month — checking agricultural 
operations to a considerable extent. Transactions this month were 
limited, the wharf deliveries scarcely amounting to 600 firkins in 
four weeks. The lock-out of miners in Wales continued through- 
out the month of March, and many of their families were in great 
distress ; in Lancashire a lock-out of 45,000 cotton-spinners was 
threatened. These matters were a great check upon business 
operations ; there an as a difiSculty in effecting sales, the wharf 
deliveries were again small, scarcely averaging 200 firkins weekly. 
In April vegetation was backward ; and the lock-out of the mmers 
in Wales — which had now lasted fourteen weeks — still continued, 
causing great distress in their families and much interruption of 
trade ; the stocks of Irish were small, scarcely exceeding 400 
firkins at the beginning of April, and only 125 firkins at the 
wharves at the close. The market was exceedingly dull, piices at 
the close of the month showing a reduction on nearly all descrip- 
tions. In May many of the Welsh miners returned to work : au 
idea of the business done this month may be formed by the fact 
of 130 firkins lying at the wharves at the commencement^ of the 
month and 200 firkins being on hand at the end : the arrivals were 
only about 1500 firkins. Throughout the month there was not 
even any quoted price for Clonmels or Limericks. In June the 
.sales were few, confined chiefly to Corks, and the greater portion 
of these were low qualities ; there were no quotations for Clonmels 
and Limericks during this month. In July the sales were sparingly 
effected, quotations remaining in the same state as at the two 
previous months, until the third week ; the little business done 
was again confined chiefly to Corks, and for these, prices remained 
