PROSPECTS OF THE FLOUR MARKET.

Otago Witness, Issue 658, 9 July 1864, Page 6

PROSPECTS OF THE FLOUR MARKET.

We (Ncio Zealand Herald) take the following from the Californian Farmer* The present high prices which rule here and in Australia will soon be reduced from such a source :—

The blessed rain is with us, and the countenances of men beam with glad looks of joy, gratitude, and thankfulness. All are happy, save those whose schemes of speculation have been thus early nipped in, the bud. God's promises are with us—" there shall be the early and the latter rain." His promises are sure, and our State is safe. These rains will stimulate the crops that were in a. suffering condition, will awaken them into new life and vigor, and make them valuable. A continuance of this rain, which ia almost sertain for several days, will set the ploughs at work and induce considerable planting of grain still, for grain has been put in in maoy locations as late as April, and baa done well in many years.

The appearance is that the rain has only yet begun, aud by reason of the long dry spell, we can and should expect a regular oid stormy time, and that the clouds will burst upon us in all their pent-up power, and drop of their richness upon the earth. This present rain will be felt to a wide extent over our State, and we shall have good crops yet. Grain and produce has had one tumble — it will have another- Well is it if the growers of produce took the golden opportunity and • Bold last week— that wa« their time, and we urged them to seize it— that was the flood-time for them ; i£ they have allowed it to pass they will regret it; for, we repeat, rains are open to us, just such copious rains as we had in the spring time of 1853, when Sacramento was flooded iv March.

We do most earnestly hope our farmers will seize the auspicious moment and improve every acre of land possible while the soil can be ploughed, and put in some varied crop. All need not plant to grain, other crops will do as well and even better, for we have qratn enough, on hand for the year 1864. Let all that can plant " root crops"— sugar beets, rutabagas, ka , for dairy stock, and carrots for horses -these ore cheaper and better than hay. Look to the grain market and see the fall in grain as the clouds come to give of their fatness in rain ; so do some men's faces darken with sadness at lost prospects of speculations that would have filled them with fatness. There is this •ifierence, however— the clouds of heaven give of their fatues3 to the great masses of the people, and they are blessed ; the speculation mania give of their riches to the few, and the people— the great masses— mourn. So let the people all rejoice, for the blessed rains are with us, and God's promises, that never fait, are making the whole people rejoice. The Supply —Says the Colusa, Sun of March 12th: '-Flour has gone up. at* Marysville and Sacramento, we learn, to five dollars with a prospect of goiner still higher. We believe, however, that the rise is spasmodic, andthit it is not bised on a scarcity. If there is not a grain of wheat raised in the State this year, there will still be plenty to supply the wants of tho people. Iv this country, last year, the crops were short, but there is now wheat and flour enough in the country to supply the consumption for eighteen months more that is aside from what will be sown. It ha 3 not been long since we read of immense quantities of wheat in .store at Napa, Hetaluma, •an Francisco, and other points. Then there will not be an entire failure of crops throughout the State, ns ma'iy are so situated as to be able to flood their lands, and} in places along the coaat and bay, the fogs will prevent aa entire failure. Then our neighboring State of Oregon wi'l have good crops, and will, be glad of an opportunity of supplying us at a small advance. Beside this it is not too late for rains to do good, even in this county."

Sisgular "Recovery of Stolen Propebtt. — A few mornings a«o one of her Majesty's keepers was snaking his customary inspection of the royal deer in Windsor Green Park, and on oassng to the deer-pen by Bear's Haila, observed his dog to remain for some distance behind him, and to Kave the place reluctantly. The keeper returned to the spot, and found the dog had scratched a hole in the earth. The dog oonUnued tearing up the earth until he at last came to a handkerchief, which contained a large number of valuable gold, and silver watches, also a quantity of gold and silver chains. The property had evidently been stolen, and placed there during tha night, as many of the watches were still going, withtha right time of the morning indicated. It is now understood that these articles were a portion of the plunder from & home at Hently.ou> Thames which had been broken into robbed the night previous.