COMMERCIAL.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume III, Issue 545, 27 January 1882, Page 2

COMMERCIAL.

Ashburton Guardian Office, Friday afternoon. Up to the present time there has not lieen much, business doing in the grain i oarkot this season. A few lines of old irheat have been disposed of at 4s 3d j.0.b., but prices for the new crop are not yet by any means fixed. We have heard of several sales, however, of prime ilamples, at 4s, but it is possible that prices will be felly 2d per bushel lower than this. The weather during the week lias been changeable, but has done great |Uod the crops, particularly the late I own. In some places the rain has <larkened the color of the cereal crops ifhich were in stock at the time, but on the whole very little damage has been Cone in reality. The turnip crops have lieen greatly benefited, and autumn (grasses are already showing signs of obundance. Harvesting is now in full owing throughout the county, and a large ilicreage is cut and tied ready for favorable feather for stacking. During last night nnd to-day a very strong nor’-wester has lieen blowing, and it is feared that all the (standing crops will have suffered in consequence. In many places the uncut orops are dead ripe, and such a wind as we experienced this morning must have done very great damage. The yields are 'aiming out much better than was expected, and the samples generally very icai?/'-blit not quite equal to last year in pou t of color and quality.

The New Zealand Loan and Mercantile Agency Company Limited, report, under 'yesterday’s date, as follows : —The third series if sales for the current season were held on the 17th and 18th instants, when 3,277 bales were submitted. Our catalogue comprised 1,244 jales, chiefly merino clips. 747 bales were putted aif full rates, the highest figures reached 1 being lij4d for 76 bales greasy merino, of the Worlingham clip, purchased by the Local Manufacturing Company, and g%d for 42 'bale s greasy half-bred, from the Highfield estate, Kirwee. : Since the sales, we have placed 397 bales privately. Under keen competition from the representatives of foreign and local manufacturers, prices are well sustained, — Some large lines of rye grass seed have changed Kamils at 3s 6d to 4s according to quality and pressing. The demand for outside orders is ijootl, and higher rates are anticipated as the {season advances. —Cocksfoot is being gathered (throughout the Peninsula The crop is not a jlarge one, but the quality is good. Sales are reported at at Akaroa, and to 4d f.o.W ‘Lyttelton. The demand is unusually brisk for so early in the season.—Harvest is jnow in full swing, and would have been {further advanced but for the heavy downpour |of rain on the 20th, 21st, 22nd instants. Some of the heavy wheat crops are laid, but the {damage sustained in this respect is more than Icounter-balanced by the immense benefit ‘which must accrue to the late light crops, roots, and pastures. The yield will be a fair average, and the quality should be excellent if jthe .present favorable weather continues. ■Stocks of bid crops of wheat are almost exhausted. Sales have been few and unimportant it 4s 3d to 4s 6d. Transactions in new crop — February-March delivery—are reported at 4s to 4s 2d for velvet chaff, and Hunter’s white lap to 4s 4d for long-ben led tuscan.—Only a limited business has transpired in oafs during the month, and until the new crop is brought to market, no improvement can be looked for. The area sown this season is less than formerly. Coupled with a light average,” this fact will no doubt help to stiffen prices, seeing alsq fhat old stocks are not considerable. Our are for old crop. The new crop will probably open at 2d per bushel below these rates. —Parcels of good malting barley are now rarely met with, but any offering are bought up at about 4s. The area in crop is unusually small, and as the yield does not promise to be heavy, improved rates are looked for by growers. Inferior lots suitable only for feed, are offering at is gd to2s 3d.

Christchurch Com Exchange.

The Com Exchange reports for the week tending Friday evening, the 27th inst.; —The past week has not differed in any respect from ■its predecessor ; business is very quiet, very few transactions have as yet taken place in the new crop. ■ The weather, which had broken and had for a few days a very threatening appearance, has cleared up, and is now all that couldbe desired for harvest operations. It is still difficult to form a correct estimate of the yield, as accounts from the different country districts are so contradictory. On some farms the crops are exceptionally heavy, while others, particularly on light lauds, are just the reverse.—-Wheat: Old wheat, good milling samples-are worth 4s 2d to 4s 3d per bushel; goed second quality, 3s 3d to 3s 8d ; chick wheat, 2s 61 to 3s per bushel. New wheat A large sale his taken place contiguous to Timaru, the pries being 4s per bushel de.livettedi at ■’ the • station.—Oats : Old oats samples) are being sold a t from 2s to 12s id,'ex store ; tartarian, is lid per bushel. |The new crop is hardly yet in the market, and Iprieteft ares hot y.t established, —Bailey: No -samples, of the new crop have as yet made thqirjappearauce. All accounts agree as to short supply of this cereal. In the absence of trapsaetions, it is impossible to quote values.— ;GrilWseed : Well cleaned farmers’ samples arte worth from 3s 6d to 4s per bushel; other, parcels, 'according to sample.—Cheese and Butfter : The former is in good demandat > the latter also in good demand, and is Itafeable at 6d per lb.