( XXVI  ) 
butters,  and  if  the  standard  of  the  mild-cured  brands  of  Cork  were 
raised,  and  inspection  more  even,  there  is  no  reason  why  Cork  mild- 
cured  butters  should  not  obtain  the  same  high  prices  as  French  or 
Danish. 
Contrary  to  general  expectation,  Cork  prices  remained  stationary 
all  through  the  past  summer.  From  May  until  September  the 
fluctuations  did  not  exceed  5s.  per  cwt.  on  any  quality.  It  was 
only  in  October  that  the  price  of  firsts  advanced,  and  the  advance 
in  seconds  did  not  take  place  till  the  month  of  December.  In  the 
months  of  November  and  December  the  supplies  collapsed  most 
suddenly  and  unexpectedly — so  much  so,  that  before  it  was  under- 
stood that  supplies  were  exhausted,  merchants  had  let  their  stocks 
run  out,  believing  they  could  .replace  them  later  on.  This  they 
were  unable  to  do,  and  the  end  of  the  year  left  the  trade  of  Cork 
with  a smaller  stock  to  meet  their  winter  demands  than  has  teen 
known  for  many  years  past.  As  it  is  with  the  Cork  merchants,  so 
also  is  it  with  very  many  of  their  customers,  who  in  former  years 
held  heavy  stocks  at  Christmas,  and  who  now  have  to  face  three 
months  of  extreme  scarcity  with  empty  cellars.  So  far  as  we  can 
ascertain,  all  the  other  Irish  markets  are  equally  bare  of  fino 
butters,  and  therefore  we  shall  be  very  much  surprised  if  we  do 
not  see  extreme  prices  quoted  for  Cork  butters  this  winter. 
Irish  Butter. — The  quantities  of  Clonmelsand  Carlows  on  offer 
in  the  early  part  of  the  year  1882  were  small  from  the  first  week 
in  January  to  the  end  of  April ; quotations  were  from  116s.  to  128s., 
according  to  repute  of  brands.  The  new  season’s  butter  began  in 
May  with  prices  at  106s.  to  112s.,  and  only  varied  from  2s.  to  4s. 
to  the  end  of  August,  being  then  116s.  The  highest  price  in 
October  was  128s.;  November,  132s.;  December,  140s.;  the  demand 
far  from  active.  The  year  began  without  any  first  Corks  on  offer; 
seconds,  the  first  week  in  January,  127s.;  the  first  week  in 
February,  130s.  to  148s.;  thirds,  the  first  week  in  January,  127s.; 
the  first  week  in  February,  110s.  to  128s.  The  new  season  began 
in  May  with  firsts,  114s. ; seconds,  104s. ; thirds,  97 s. ; at  the  end  of 
the  month  firsts  were  107s. ; seconds,  100s.  ; thirds,  95s. ; then  to  tho 
first  week  in  September  they  had  varied  little.  In  the  middle  of 
October  firsts  were  10s.  higher;  seconds,  7s.  ; thirds  scarcely  altered. 
At  the  end  of  December  firsts  were  nominally  148s.  ; seconds,  120s. 
to  133s.;  with  thirds  a moderate  extent  of  business  was  transacted 
at  106s.  to  110s. 
Foreign  Butter. — Tho  demand  throughout  the  year  has  rested 
upon  finest  qualities.  Best  Danish,  the  first  fortnight  in  January, 
1358.  to  170s. ; tho  first  week  in  February,  135s.  to  160s. ; early  in 
