The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1876-01-01 00:00:00

PRICES OF PROVISIONS.

AR regards the productions of the past season as re
presented by the markets now, it is only too evident
that we secured something of a harvest by the skin of
our teeth. Of winter fruits there is abundance, and
the quality is all that could be desired. Apples and
pears are plentiful and cheap; poultry and game have
for several weeks past realised less than the average
prices of the season, and butcher's meat is certainly
not dear, considering the standard of prices we have
become accustomed to. The poor man's friend, the
potato, shows more decisively than anything of its class
the narrowness of our escape from sheer scarcity, by
reason of the unfavourable weather of June and July
last. Potatoes are rising in price and importations
are increasing, two sure signs that the stocks of home
grown roots are running out. In many instances
they have been forced on the market from fear of
the spread of disease in the clamps, and conse-
quently we shall be more dependent on foreign
supplies as the days lengthen, and the buyer of seed
competes with the buyer for the household. But
famlne prices, we shall not know; for, although the
disease made considerable havoc, a heavy crop was
lifted and France and Belgium can spare all that we
need, to make up our own deficiencies. With bread
and potatoes comparatively cheap we may be able to
face winter weather without fear, and happily trade
has been and is sufficiently active to ensure employ-
ment for that large class who are always hovering on
the brink of want. These will first feel the pinch
should the weather be unkind, and their case will
remind us all of the duties that have to be balanced
against the comforts of Christmas. Gardener's
Chronicle.

FOR THE CENTENNIAL.
The Yreka (California) Sentinel notices the arrival of
a Mr. Miller at Ashland, Oregon, from Lost River, in
the Klamath Lake section, bringing with him a great
steer called the "Lost River Ranger," to be taken to
the State fair at Salem, and then to California to
fatten during the winter, and on to Philadelphia for
the Centennial. The animal is described as being 19
hands high, 20ft. from tip to tip, and expected to
weigh 5,0001 b. when fat; _ _ _

The Omaha Bee gives a full description of a section
of a big tree of California, arrived in that town, also on
its way to the Centennial. The Bee says :—" The
tree grew on the west slope of the Sierra Nevadas, at
an elevation of 6,500 ft. above sea level. The age of
the tree as indicated by the yearly rings was about
2,250 years, the rings being so close on the outer edge
that it was also impossible to count them. Tihe height
was 276 ft. The diameter at the surface of the ground
was 26ft., 100 ft. above the ground, where the first limb
projects, 141 t., and 2001 t. above the ground the diame-
ter was 9ft. The bark averaged lft. in thickness, and
in some places it was 16in. thick. The bark of some
of this species of tree is 3ft. thick. The estimated
number of lumber feet that it would make was
375,000, and the number of cubic feet about 31,000—
enough to make lumber and poLla enough for 16 miles
of ordinary fence. The weight of the wood when
first cut was 721 b. per cubic foot, making the weight
of the lumber-producing portion 2,232,0001 b. It took
two men ten days' hard work to fell the tree, and
when it fell it broke in several pieces."