The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1859-10-18 00:00:00

SALISBURY.

TER CREME TRADE, Oct. 13. —The quantity
pitched at this day's market was not so !err by 50
tons as at the market of list month. It however
exceeded 200 tons, and the supply of fine cheese was
better than usual. The demand for all descriptions
was languid owing to the absence of many of the
factors at Weybill, but notwithstanding this no
reportable diminution in prices took place, although
in some cases less money was taken than at the last
market. Rather more than half the pitch changed
hands at the following quotations per cwt. :—Skinia„
36s to 40,; half-cowards, 56s to 60s ; doubles
(Wiltshire), 60s to ; Somerset., 63s to 71k;
Cheddars, 72s to The.

WEYHULL Hor Ftin.—This fair was resumed on
Thursday and continued on Friday with the sale of
hops, and business commenced rather briskly. The
general value and the extent of the demand for hops
at this fair being now fully ascertained, both hop.
growers and salesmen evinced a dispostion to make a
reduction in the prices previously asked ; and buyers
submitting to a moderate advance on prices made on
hops at late country marketa this reciprocal conces-
sion was productive of a steady demand and easy
sale. Factors were disposed to break bulk and
growers no longer insisted on buyers taking whole
growths, and thus anything approaching monopoly
exercised by speculators and extensive buyers was
reduced to fair competition. London agents and
factors were chiefly engaged in country rows, and ale
brewers were represented in the Farnham hop row,
selecting requisite samples for pale and other choice
ales; hop merchants also bought largely, and had
many choice samples on sale. Surrey hops, as usual,
obtained higher prices than the growth of any other
county; the singularity of this fact is worthy of re-
mark. Surrey has no pretensions as a hop county—
the adjoining county (Sussex) produces hops im-
measureably in excess of the former; and Kent, the
admitted hop garden of England, more than doubles
both the above counties, and is in the highest state of
, cultivation. Yet the peculiarity of the soil ha small
division of Surrey produces a sample of hops, which
for colour and condition no other county can equal.
The district in which thaw famed plantations are is
in the vicinity of Farnham, some gardens being close
to the village from which they take their name,
" Farnhams.' Before the close of the second day's
fair for hops a large sale of this prodigious accumu-
lation of land produce was effected, and many gather-
ings of hop plantations were sold and re-sold to meet
the convenience of buyers. Prices ran as follows :
Sussex hops varied in price from 58s. to 665. per
cwt. ; good useful qualities were sold at Ma. Kent
samples ranged from 60s. per cwt and upwards;
Weald., fetched 60a. to 70s. per cwt., and choicest
pickings, 755. per ditto; Middle and East Kends,
90s. to 110.. per cwt. Country hops realized 765. to
935. per cwt.; superior samples went still higher.
Farnhams made on the average £5 to £6 per cwt.,
and crack gatherings even exceeded these figures,
The fair remained open on Saturday, but the chief
of the business by that time was over. A vast
amount ot heathens has been transacted. Hop
Kent

growers have been firm in the prices asked.
growers held over for Maidstone fair on Monday,
and Hampshire and Surrey hop-planters look for-
ward kw Andover fair in this county (Hants), which
is held on the 17th of November for the sale of hops.
The cheese-fair remains open; a moderate business
has been done but trade is growing dulL Several
Large strings of valuable cart colts have turned out
unsold, and are in transit to Kent fairs. Weyhill
annual fair concluded on Saturday afternoon,
after occupying one week, during which an enor-
mous amount of business ham been done and a mint
of money has changed hands, the value of hops alone
forming no very contemptible item in the aggregate
amount.