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buyor. In September ancT October, 18G1, after tlio beginning of 
the war, plenty of the best butter retailed in the market at 21 
to 22 cents. At one time during the war it went up to 75 cents, 
and farmers long clung tenaciously to war prices ; but eventually 
the price of butter found its level in the summer between 30 
and 50 cents. In the early part of last summer it started at 
35 cents for the best, and now stands at 55 cents, with occasional 
choice lots selling as high as 65 cents, the latter being obtained by 
first-class grocers up town for fancy customers. Speculators are now 
at work scouring the country in every direction, buying up all the 
best butter they can lay their hands on. They go to country villages, 
ten miles from railroads, and make arrangements with storekeepers 
to buy in from farmers at 38 cents, the speculators paying 40 cents. 
It costs about 5 cents to get it to market, including commission, from 
any point in this State." 
Chekse. — The reporter in 'The Grocer' takes the "finest Cheddar 
and Cheshire to represent English, and American the foreign. 
The variations in prices, in the year 1870, have been unusu- 
ally small. Best Cheddar was 94s. in January, and continued 
at that price until about the beginning of August, when best 
new was ofi'ered at 86s., and continued at that price for little 
more than a month. The etfects of the dry summer then began 
to be felt, and prices were gradually advanced 4s. to 6s. per cwt. 
In December, holders of very choice, anticipating the want of 
really fine as the season progressed, advanced the asking prices for 
choice to 96s. to 100s. Throughout the season, commoner kinds 
have been obtainable at quite 10s. to 20s. less. Best Cheshire began 
at 90s. in January, and continued at it to the middle of February; 
it then ruled at 86s. to 88s. to the middle of May ; at the latter end 
was 90s., and continued so to the middle of August, then 88s. The 
greater part of the remainder of the year has been at 88s. to 90s. for 
choicest. Inferior parcels have ruled at 64s. to 66s., January to 
June ; and at 56s. to 60s. the remainder of the year. American 
ruled from 60s. to 64s. for common kinds, from January to the end 
of May, and best at 76s. to 78s. In June some new appeared, and 
prices ranged from 70s. to 74s. for best, IDs. less for common ; from 
July to the middle of September best ranging from 68s. to 70s., 
common lOs. less. October began with best 2s. higher, and so 
continued. Some inferior parcels of hot weather make at 54s. to 
60s. In November best was saleable at 74s. to 76s., and is now held 
fii-mly for 78s. to 80s. Some few common parcels can still be had 
at 10s. to 15s. below these prices. The stocks lying here are known 
to be light, and, the summer having been a dry one, holders show 
B 2 
