COMMERCIAL.

Press, Volume LII, Issue 9007, 21 January 1895, Page 2

COMMERCIAL.

GRAIN AND PRODUCE.

A retrospect of the pact four weeks affords little room for comment so far as business in grain and produce is concerned, the major part of the period having been devoted to the celebration of Christmas and the New Year's festivities. Of course the weather is the chief centre of interest, and the prospects of the harvest now commencing are almost wholly engaging the attention of producer and trader. Throughout December there was little or no' rain to speak of, but during the last fortnight there have been several heavy downpours, and at the moment farmers would be glad to see the weather again taking up and permitting them to get their crops safely garnered. ' heat—Local and interprovincial wants have absorbed' a, considerable quantity of the stocks on hand, and the unsettled weather of the last week or two has, well maintained prices at their present level. Fowls' wheat also has had fair attention; '

Oats—The first of the new crop is vow being offered, bub there is a great disparity between the views of buyers and sellers, so that no business of consequence has yet resulted. ' The crop promises to be a large one, and, with dull outside markets at the moment, prospects are not cheering.

Barley—The weather we are now ex-: is not favourable to the barley crop, which ia understood to be considerably above the average. So far we have not heard of any transactions in the new crop, and prices are nomiual. • t

Grass Seeds— Ryegrass is now offering very freely, and good seed meets with reidy buyers. Seed,, however, showing signs of the recent raius is not so saleable. The weather of the last day or two has told on the oocksfoot crop bo some extent, ac well as- retarding work. Very few samples, therefore, have yet been submitted, and prices are not fixed. * Given a spell of fine weather the quality and weight of the crop is expected to be considerably beyond the average. Beaks and Peas are both in narrow compa-s, with bat little business doing.

Daisy Produce.hue seen a very quiet four weeks, aud prices remain at much the same level as the/ were at the date of our last summary. The following are the quotations for the day :—

Wheat—Tuscan .. -» 2s6dto2s7d Pearl .. :. &6i to, zs 7d < , Hunter's .. 2a 5d to 2$ 61 Fowls' .. ~ 2dldto2d2d Oats—Milling (old) .. lssdLbng(oli) .. laid Jjund (old): (scarce) Is 3d to Iβ Gd (New) .. .. Nominal Barley—Prime malting ■.. Nominal , Feed .. .. Is6dtois9i Beans ... .. .. 2sSd . Peas—Blue Prussians .. 2s6dto2s7d > Feed . .. 2»3dto2s4d Potatoes (uD counery stations)— Blue derwena,. . .. nominal ' Seeds— Ryegrass, farmers' parcels .. „ 2a to 3a \ Ryegrass, Italian.. 3s od to 3s 9d Cucksfooc— Machine dressed Nominal Medium .* do< Cowtfr.iß3 .. 6}dco7d Flour, ia sack's (roller) .. £7 Oiimeal .. .. .. £10 Uran .. .. . .. *.2 . lollard £3 5s Batter—Prime Factory made .. .. 8d Dairy .. .. 8d Cheese (new). .. -.. 3£i to 4d New loaf .. .. 4*l Haroe and bacon 1. .. 7d These quotations represent the net value to farmers free of brokerage or commission, arid f.o.b: Lyttelton.