, 1875-01-01
HROCERIEa

WAS noa1ly the same AZ that of 1879. The capi-
tAl now engaged In the busincsa Is not very far
from ~, 600, 600. This is so1ne 1900, 001 more
than in 1878 ; tue result Of profits in business
added to stocks. There has been no increase in
the number OF 1obbers, no failures, aud no
changes save those incident to \ rapid expansion
III tho volume Of transactions by tue houses es-
tabli4hsd more than twelve months ago.
The year 1874 has bcen much more protltA-
bic one than its Immediate predeceaeor. In 1873
tic utmost caro- WAS necessary to prevent loss,
as it was scarcely possible TO buy an inyoico Of
gooda East on which thcro would not boa shrink
age in prices by the time It arrived in this city.
During the past year tho market has been
generally steady ono. there being worry few
nha1p fluctuations Collections Ia tho country
baye been good throughout; they wero neyor
better than during tho last sir months OF tho
Tear.
THE GROWTH OF THE TEA TnApn
has been almost marvellous. Largely increasing
zach year snce tho opening Of tho Pacific Rail-
road fret permitted direct imporsations from The
West, It las grown moro than ever during the
rast year. The recent dullneBs Of other trade In
the East has tended to concentrate the toa busi-
mesa here, and make Chicago tho ceutrs dis
.ributing point Of tho United States for teas.
Our merchants now import teas direct from
AAiatio potts, Receiving them from Iokohama,
7iA San Francisco, IN Boyen weeks, inatead
pt tho flvo Or six months consumed In
tito voyage to New York or Boston. This
Gives 4 great saving in capital, which can be
turned over four times as rapidly as formerly.
But it effects still greater saving iu quslity
tho goods Airivo here fresh, aud stroug, inatcad
Of being detorioIntod by i long voyage, through
tropical seas, These considerations arc now.
t,St TIM cf
tho Atlantic gehboard now prefer 10 receive
their teas by tho overland route, Through
Ch;cago. OF courae they cannot carry them
1,ooo miles past our doors, and "a
far back again. to compete with those laid down
here bY tho shortest route. Hence the East has
practically "gos through" supplying tho West
with teas. Tho tobhinE sales Of this city il 1874
we're fully 1U0, QUO hait-chests. ........
one-half tile bulk Of lhoBe sold in this market.
They are cheaper, und gsvo bettor satisfaction to
1nany consumers, tlan tho Chinese teas. uepco
very ratid incroase ia tho volume Of supply.
A few yea,a siLco, japan teas Ssto scarcely
known In this market.
COFFEE TRADE,
Prices Of the leading stnpio groceries, Rnd
moat side articles ~ well, have ayerAged lover
than the previous, year. Tho coffee. crop OF
1874 ia said to bo the largest ever realized. On
tho 1st Of August. 1871, ths stocks in Europe
wero 1856, 00v cwt.; on the same data OF 1879,
1.sl3, 900 cwt.; In 1878, 1,705, 900 cwt.; aud in
ls74. 1.79G, 900 cwt. Tho Amsterdam Hdndeist'dA
ssthnated ths crop Of 1874 u. ~ s,aoa ac o9o
Bahia; altogether over 100000 bags from
Brazil. In Java q very full crop mas made. for
the otlciAl figures givo it 1t 0f9,017 baga Gov
ornment, Which, together with tho coffee pro-
duced on private plantations, swell tho produc-
items OF tito Dutch Colonies, including Iadang.
TO 400. 900 bags. Thus the total crop Of cotiee
in all countries will be over 5000 600 cwt- The
year opened at 3s1S@s7o for Q. G. Java. and At
GJJ <o1n. <r.n EtsI ffh {tt1A
pricea had declined to a3@s4c for tho former,
and to 241{@25>{o for the latter, while closing
quotations are 3S@34c aud 23@2lo roapac-
lively, thus showing deciine for the year
prices have materially stirnulatod tho conaump-
tive demand, the aales Of 1874 largely e1eoedng
thoas Of 1878. Prices Are still relatively hiXh,
and further shrinhAge is predicted.
sU0AR wAs FULL CROP,
and. notwithstanding q moro than ordinarily
active oonsumptiyo demand has existed. pr!ces
solnerr have fouud it an exceedingly
improbable year, and = number Of tho Eaat-
e1n reane,ies havo boen closod,-not to reopen
until .hs product can ind market st profit.
On Jan. / standard As ncre quoted at 101@
l0sSc and Oh June 25 at 1oM@lo19c. Tho
closlug prices are 10HG110hc. For silups aud
molaases the market has bacn characterized BY
with tho aeaaon OF 1873, prices hayo ruled s@5e
lower this yeae. The price Of fess has
been $3.50 lower thin during 1878,
the average Of green having been
about 7oG075c, and OF Japan 6b@70c. The im.
portatlons It Chicago show m increase over 1873
Of fully Is per cent-the bulk Ut tho imports
tionA consisting OF Japan.
SPICES
tavo commanded higher pricea than prevailed 7
year previously. and With the stngls exception of
cAssis, the diTeront varieties are firmly held.
Tha deficiency in the cioro crop amounts
to fuils 80 Per cent, and prices dur
Ing the past season haTo reached
higher point tllan 1t any previous period within
tsu year9. This spice Mill continue aoatce for
several yearB yet, owing to the almost total de-
RtNcaon OF the clove-tleea III zanzibar w tue
cyclone which passed over that country IN Apttt:
1879. Tho importation Of pepper into tue United
States has been a,0o0 peculs more than IN lo!3'
but, "a the war in aumatra {whenco our supplies
chiefly come) has ca,1sed detuency II the |ast
crop, aud tho stock in London III only about halt
~ large as year ago. 1t will be seen that tho
rohltlon Of tho market Ia . firm ono. cRssia Is
tending lower. This yoar1 smportktiona have
been light, but Ut tho close OF 1878 the stock on
hand amounted to 4,G00, coo pounds. or about
two years. supply. Gtocks Of nutmagH are
ample, md tendency Is downward.
CANNED GOODS AND PICKLES,
4 DEuREAsE APPARENT.
In this department OF trade tho bus!ness os
thA yssr ncut r1o s{nu RhoHR an apDAtent do