New Ulm weekly review. [volume] (New Ulm, Minn.) 1878-1892, 1880-02-25
London Letter.
Irregular Correspondcnce.)

Although occasionally bright, the
generally speaking, has been
dull and foggy during the past week.
and inland navigation has once more
been interrupted by severe frost.
Thrashing operations have been carried
ON with increased vigor, rs the more
liberal offerings of homegrown wheat
testify, and some slight improvement
in the condition of the grain market
ed has been apparent. All outdoor
work has been stopped by the frost;
but a large proportion, of the arrears
into Which wheat.soWing had fallen
had fortunately been made up during
the recent open weather. AS the tenn
perature has been so low. no apprehen.
sions have been felt as to the two r;.-
pid development iot the growing
wheat. Indeed, in some districts, no.
tably in Yorkshire, fears are express.
ed that from some cause the plant is
deficient in vitality. This may be
owing either to the severity of the
winter, or to the fact that seed of a.
suitable character was not sown. Many
of the early .sown fields are neverthe.
less looking well, as far as it is pos
sible to judge at present, and it is
thought that Yorkshire advices do
not furnish an index of the general
state of the English crop. In Scot.
land farm work is tolerably forward in
the earlier districts, but of course
there has been no ploughing since the
frost returned. The offerings of home
grown wheat at the country markets
have been on more liberal scale, and
some improvement has been notice.
able in the condition of many of the
samples; but in spite Of the general
firmness OF the trade, all, except the
choicest lots have been neglected, and
difficult to sell. The imports of for
eign wheat into London continue on a
moderate scale. Last Mondays list of
arrivals only slightly exceeded 10000
ars., of which quantity only 1882 qrs.
were from America, a smaller arrival
than l have had occasion to note of
late. Business has been quiet, as des-
pite the undercurrent of frnness
| which runs through the trade, the
weeks requirements have been of an
ordinary consumptive character, but
the scarcity of English wheat in good
milling condition has not unfrequent.
ly turned the demand on those des-
criptions Of foreign produce which
could be advantageously used as a SUBJ
stitute. The statistical position of the
trade offers few fresh features for re-
mark, but further increase of nearly
| 1000, 900 bushels may be noted in the
| visible supply in America. which now
stands at 3O,50( 200 bushels, against
! 1920, 900 bushels at the correspond
ing time last year. According to
moderate computations it is estimated
that the requirements CT Great Bril-
tain and France will reach twelve
million quarters between this and
August, exclusive of the quantity now
on passage. Notwithstanding this,
the trade continues discouraging to
holders, as with liberal stocks to ST.
lect from, and bad sale for Flour,
dealers have shown no desire to do
more than meet their present require
ments. According to the official est.
mate the surplus from the American
wheat crop for 1879 is put down IT,.
400, 900 qrs., of which some $4,000, 900
qrs. have already been exported. No
doubt the position is statistically Il
sound one for holders, seeing that
large rs available supplies are, they
are not in excess of estimated wants,
but it is difficult to convince BUYERS
OF this III the actual presence of good
stocks, the quantity of Californian
wheat atloat, and the increased ex.
port movement from India, and it
will be still more 50, should the sea-
son prove favorable to the growth and
progress OF the English crop. A de.
velopement of the forces now at work
upon the trade may be looked for in
May or June, but before then it seems
scarcely likely that any marked rise
can BIZ looked for. Under any cir.
cumstances it will be necessary for
the American "ring'. to hold over
their stock for some time longer if
their enterprise is to result in ulti.
mate success. Meanwhile the gigan-
tic attempt to force up the price Of the
staple food of the inhabitants of the
temperate zone is regarded with little
faith and less sympathy.