Agricultural. REVIEW OF THE BRITISH CORN TRADE.

Waikato Times, Volume XXVII, Issue 2182, 3 July 1886, Page 2 (Supplement)

Agricultural. REVIEW OF THE BRITISH CORN TRADE.

Easterly and north-easterly wind* have again predominated during the week, May Btu, and vegetation has not made that pro-gref-a which nii>rht have been expected from the brilliant sunshine we have at times enjoyed. The general aspect of affairs however, remains mostly satisfactory, and the orops generally are strong and healthy, although a good deal of lost ground- has yet to be recovered. Business in the grain trade during the week has been very quiet. The Easter holiday* have checked operation.*, and have rather accentuated the dulnes>» of the market, already sufficiently apparent. Wheat has been about the same iv value. Fresh supplies were short, both from home and foreigu souroesj <but they were equal to the demand* iwhioh. has at no time been characterised,, , by I any semblance of ; activity. .jWhiUfc buyers have been very sparing in, tbdiu- purchases, factors have ahowu no,,esgernesH to force sales; in fact, from .theitf attitude they seem to ; have adopted the opiuion that the lowest I level of prices has been reached. The re- j turns from the principal markets show a ■ slightly higher average, that for thft past \ week being 30s lid per quarter, but the j average for the season is still very low — namely, 30a sd, ayainsfc 32a 7d per quarter' last season — a difference of 2s 2d per quarter. There is no special feature at present influencing the trade. Statistically the position has not varied appreciably ; at least, nob to such an extent as would affoot value-*, although the variation should be in favour of firmness. Foreign, importations were less than usual, but then no doubt averse winds have rs« tarded the prrival of sailing vessels, and this loss may therefore only be regarded as temporary, to be made up later. A quiet, but fairly steady trade seems to be promised for the immediate future. Melbourne advices sppak unfavourably of the result of the Australian harvest. The flout 1 market has been in an inanimate condition. Fair supplies of produce were offering, and the demand was quiet, prices being about the same as last week. There is nothing new in the barley trade. Fresh arrivals were short. Neither for malting nor grinding produce was the demand at all active, and prices are unaltered. The oat trade has been dull. There were moderate supplies offering, and not much demand was experienced. Prices were unaltered. In the maize trade there is nothing new to report. Beans and peas have met a quiet sale, at about late rates. Reports respecting the appearance of the crops in Austria-Hun-gary are in the main favourable. The winter crops have been protected from the severe weather by the snow. The American trade has been in a quiet state. Wheat has been dull, and has finished up, at a decline of two cents per bushel. There is no alteration in flour, but miize is 2£ cents lqwer. The holidays have rather cheeked dealings at Mark-lane ; but whilst busiuesH has bson wanting in animation, the tendency has in the main been .strong. Wheat has been quite as dear as la.«t week, sellers having the advantage, though not quotably so. Flour alsohds somewhat hardoued. Birley was a quiet market, but full prices were realised for grinding samples. Oats and maize, though in fair supply, have not been pressed for sale, and have maintained the quotations current before the holidays. Beans and peas have sold on former terms. The Liverpool market has been quiet and featureless during the week ; but, whilst business was pot active, the tone was firm. Wheat realised full prices, with limited operations. Flour tended against the buyer,, and occasionally realised a slight advauce. Both maize and oats were held for more money, but actual advances wore difficult of attainment. Other articles were steady, but quiet. The other . loading provincial markets were all more or less firm, notwithstanding the want of animation in dealings The cfald weather has steadied values. Wheat haibeen /quite a^ dear, and has occasionally madeja slight adyance. „ Flour has tended upward^, Grinding barley, oats andm-ii-se were 'all strong sellers having the £id vantage. Beans t and peas were quiet, aud tinaltrefe'd.'^-The JMagnst.

Profits rnbji "ExiiLY 'cVicks. —Mr P. H. J icobs writes iri the Rural New Yorker: — u Thi«e depend upon the market 1 * and the location of the poultry farm. Experiui^nts have shown conclusively that up to the weight of three pounds, the cost of' production is five cents per pound. But this may be increased if the chicks are not properly brooded. When a brood of chicks are hatched by a hen early in the season, she will be successful' with them in proportiou to the care given her. If allowed to carry her brood wherever she prefers, and a sudden change of weather occurs, such as cold winds or rain, the chances will be that she may lose some of them ; but if she is* kept in a dry, warm location, well sheltered, and the' chick's" 'are fed regularly, the loss will be small.' The same rule applies to railing chicks in brooders. The loss of chicks atnony ; those under brooders ;i«?; i«? apparently greater than with hens : but' it ■ is well-known that a hen hatching out ten chicks will be fortunate if she raises eight of them. The same proportion among the brooder chicks allows a loss of 20 out of every 100, which, though seemingly large, is less than the usual loss with hens. Young chiokfl grow very rapidly when kept warm, and that is the secret of success — keep them always warm. They require feeding very often at first, for the reason that there is a rapid formation of feathers, and consequently the food should be highly nitrogenous (meat, milk, and eggs), while the ground grain should consist largely of phosphates (wheat and oats), though corn meal may also be given moderately, as it produces warmth. The practice of feeding chicks on corn meal is well enough in the spring", when the hen can carry them about and assist to procure other food for them, but in the brooders a variety must be supplied. Although it may be a repetition, it is safe to claim that the bowel complaints are due to colds contracted through insufficiency of heat in the brooders (from 90 to 100 degrees being required), and as crowding, disease, and debility are caused thereby, too much care in that respect cannot be exercised."

Zola, the novelist, failed as a journalist before he succeeded as a novel writer. Who knows what covert possibilities are chambered in fche newspaper men we think least of. In every deep there is a lower depth. In" the English State school system, which is just now beginning to make an impression, there are "Inspectors" provided who go round tapping the class to ! find by ordeal of quiz how full they are jof knowledge. One of these officers, in I Yorkshire, examined a class in English | literature. Reading from the " Wreck of the Hesperus," And the skipper hnd taken liis little daughter To bear him comp my. He asked, *• Why did he take her to bear him company?" There was no answer, and the whole class wa9 marked deficient. In another school he read from "The ' Brook, I move the sweet forget-me-nots • That grow for h.ippy 'overs, And asked, " Why are the lovers happy ?" The children Were quite unable to say, and that class, too, was reported deficient in literature. ; ' it • {