The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1856-04-23

The PRICE OF FLOuR-THE FLOUR Trade
It has seldom happened, if ever before, in the
flour trade, when such wide margin has pre-
vailed between choice extra brands and infe-
rior or common grades To an outsider the
difference no doubt appears inexplicable. A
few words will likely tend to explain the
reason why the first grade of -four referred to
sells at $40 25, and inferior to good common
State at Sc Q Sc Pa difference of 81 per
barrel.
The supply of choice extra brands of -four
from the last crop of wheat has been limited,
and chiefly derived from Southern mills, or
from ST. Louis, with some parcels from Upper
Canada and southern parts IF Ohio and Indi-
ana. The Genesee valley, which has hitherto
supplied this market with large guam
titles of choice extra -four, including such
brands as Hiram Smyths, has this year sup
piled little or none, for the reason that about
harvest time the severe wet weather caused
the wheat to grow or sprout in the fields, and
to render it unfit for the manufacture of prime
extra flour. The Michigan grown wheat, to
great extent, shared the same fate, and cut
off prime extra flour from that source. Hence,
bakers and families were compelled to pur-
chase the extra brands from the points above
stated, and especially from the South and st.
Louis. Much of the -four sold in this market
as extra Genesee is said to have been ground
from Upper Canada good white wheat a.
the Rochester mills. Hence the continued Ii
mited supplies for choice extras in this market
has kept up prices. Haxall, Gallego and Rich
mopd mills, mostly taken for export to tropi-
cal climates, as it keeps better than any,
and enters very little into domestic con-
sumption. sells now at $40 50. The brands
Of st. Louis known as the -Four Aces, and
Franklin mills, with choice Georgetown and
Crenshaw's Richmond City Mills, are the
kinds at present used by those who desire
choice article, and range in prices from 50
s71 $40 rs; while medium to good State
and Western extras range from Sc so 81 so,
and common, fancy and ordinary extra South
ern at 81 so a IS rs.
The great bulk Of -four sold in this market
under the name Of inferior and common State,
at Sc q Sc %, is not deemed fit for domestic
consumption, either by bakers or families, and
is almost wholly bought up for export to Eu-
rope or to the British provinces, where it must
be mixed with better quality Of native grown
-four before it is fit for use. No baker in this
city would improve his business by furnishing
his customers with bread made from it.
Whence is supplied the immense quantity
Of -four known as common State sold in this
market?
The wheat from which it is produced is chiefly
known as Upper Lake, and is mostly grown
in Illinois and parts OF Wisconsin and North
err Indiana, and especially on the prairies Of
| Illinois, where the desire prevails to produce
quantity, regardless Of quality. Labor being
scarce, machinery is brought to lend its aid to
the fullest extent. 1t is cut by patent reapers,
| which take in much other growth besides
| wheat. 1t is then threshed by machines in the
fields, and afterwards shipped eastward; and
| from the want Of due care in the preparation
| Of the land before planting, the berries are
| small and light. This wheat is converted into
| -four chiefly at Oswego, Black Rock and Lock
| port, in this State, where many Of the miilers
! pursue the same course as the growers, and en-
| deavor to manufacture the largest quantity
with little regard to quality. They do all they
can by machinery. Their barrels are nearly
| all made slaves, heads, &c.-by machinery,
and often roughly and badly hoped with split
poles, sent forward to New York, and sold as
! common State flour, and thence shipped to Eng
| land and France, where American flour is often
atu'ts - 'eing II: poorest IN thc world. SO