, 1877-01-01

caFFEEs
ruled more than ordinarily stcady throughout
tho yeaf, at prices averaging tritc lower thar,
fur tho previous season. Tho year opened. at
2lQ7244c for clIofco RIO, from which point the
price gradually declined until midsummer.
when the quotation stooi at 3ielIMs:c. la There
tioDs until the begtDniug Of Octobc't since
when MI advance to G}s4c llns been noted. The
1879 crop was considerably at.ort of a. average,
nd IN auality rso vas tnerior rcr coee
vail during 1877.
has not been Ia al prosperous condition as In
son'c previous years. Gauged BY tho number
most successful of any that our tobbcrs have
ever e1pesieuced; the total sales having cx-
cecdcd by several thousand chests that Of any
former year, but sl,rlnkagc IN values equal to
30135 per cent ate up nlucl, Of tho profits ot the
business. As distributing point for teas Chtca-
e., now stands only second to New York, and Mt
tic rapid atridca she Is aow making a very few
New York. During 1916 tho direct importatlons
Into Chicago reached EO00O packages, against
45,907 for 1876. andSG, b20 for 1874.
THE MAIskET FOn sl'lcEs
wns characterized BY 1l0sc steadtncss than
during tia two or three. preceding years, but
lover prices have prevailed for most articles In
the list. Pepper aud uutmegs opened weak and
continued downward until midsummer, wien
Subsequently, a reaction set IN, aud tic closlnE
months OF the Ycar witnessed llrin
ger, and caassfa there can 10 little
doubt that "botto,n 1gurcs" hare been reached.
Cloves nnd nlfHpccs have ruled comparatively
high, particularly tho latter. Cloves have been
remarkably steady throughout the year, in u.ark-
ell contrast 10 tho two previous SEASONS, Which
were characterized BY frequent and violent tac-
tuatlons IN tho price Of that article. Almost all
the cloves that como tn the United Statcs arc
from Zanzibar, I'M Island OIL thu sast e.'n.t of
Africa. Tho iinportations lave fallen OF large
u during tho last few years, owing to cyclone
In 1879 on the island mentioned, which destroy
cd d lnrxs percentage OF tho c]uyc-trees. Be-
fore the cyclone tho annual erop OF Zanzibar
was about 100, 900 bales Ut 140 pounds, hut stncc
then the crol, has nut averaged t0,OO0 tales
The Imports at New York for tho eleven mouths
ending Will November were ,1ly pounds,
agaiust an ,0}2 pounds for same period last year
In 1874 tl.s reeepts vera 1,o7A,5&s pounds, and
IN 1879 ,2aS9, ,G57.
IN this connection It mny be noted that tho
salea Ut whole spices hare materially declined
during tue last two years. This Ia not duo TO
| any falling OIL Ia the consumption, but to tho
constantly increasing demand Tor ground goods,
| which has bcen stimulated BY ths "g.tt" plan
| now 40 extensively In vogue among nlnn1ifac-
| turers. lrfxes Of clocks, scales. chccsr-safcs,
spoons, etc., hayo been offered BY rnanufartur-
crs rs au tn1nccnent to stprck1epcrs and cou-
guIncts to buy their spurious Euoas, the Balcs
| OF which have titus been immensely Increased.
Parties who arc IN position to know assert that
10 ground goods ars absolutely pure, whic
ndulteratetl III the groatrat manner. Instances
are not wanting where the article 80 offered does
not contain particle Of tho apiece named On the
\ label,