The morning call., 1890-07-09
CONDITION OF TRADE.
Upward Tendency of the Cereal
and Breadstuff Markets.
Exports and Imports at San Francisco = The
Money Market-0ur Rapidly Growing
Fruit Interests-Etc.

There is not much to be said Of trade this
week. Friday and Saturday were holidays,
and Thursday was not much better. A
large percentage of the mercantile COM
munity were out of town. and those that
remained in the city hardly did enough
business to pay their expenses. Money
was rather closer, owing TO the demands
for the usual semi-annual dividends and
settlements; but this always happens,
hence is hardly feature.
THE GRAIN MARKETS
The exports of wheat and flour (reduced
to a wheat basis from this port last crop
year, which ended June 30th, were 1920
O0O centals, valued at 500, S70,G00, against
16,110,OC0 centals at S23, S36,O coo for the pre-
ceding crop year The exports of -four
alone were 1,lS9,OC0 barrels, against $685.
4s5 tarrels during the preceding year. The
average price per tarrel last year was
S4 10, against 81 50 for 1SS9-90, and "a for
leS7-Ss, the latter being the lowest average
ever known. The wheat exports during
the latter year were also remarkably small.
Wheat is stiff at further advance, and
shippers are now paying 81 32A to 81 1874
for No. /. There is a good inquiry at these
advanced prices. Flour has been marked
up 10 cents per barrel in sympathy. Both
wheat and flour are finn in all portions OF
the world. No excess of wheat this year
is found if we may judge by the recent
steady rise in prices.
Barley too, has gone UP, and feed is now
selling up to 81 OK. Brewing grades have
advanced prUpoTti0nately in sympathy
There is a satisfactory demand for both de-
scriptions.
Oats and corn are quiet at about last
week S prices.
Rye has improved about % cents per ton
and is in fair demand with smaller offer
ings.
Ground barley has been marked up.
GENERAL COUNTRY PRODUCE.
II ay continues steady. Receipts are irreg-
ular, but not more than the market can
take.
Beans are steadieT, but dull and nominal,
there being but little Inquiry. Potatoes and
onions are coming i'll 1airly and both are
selling at slowly declining prices as the sea-
son advances. The market, however, Is by
no means overstocked with either OF them
and at The moment is steady.
Butter is III heavy supply and very dull
at the low prices. Cheese Is rather firm and
prices have recently improved somewhat.
Eggs are quiet, and most dealers report
weak and unsatisfactory market for all eX-
cept strictly choice eggs.
Honey comes forward literally and the
more or less Gull and prices are rather
weak
Hops rule strong. Buyers now bid IS
cents for new crop California, but growers
generally decline 10 sell under 20 cents. IL is
estimated that about 81 per cent OF the
Washington crop las already been con-
tTacted, and II cents is now the contracting
price there. The sales thus far foot up
$500 bales.
Hides are doing rather better and several
do NH how Aua
market cannot be called active, however.
Wool is dull, and holders have to make
concessions TO sell round lots
Fruit continues To attract attention.
Much complaint of the infenOrily of the
fruit sent 10 this market Is heard among the
public, while the commission merchants
who sell the fruit are disguised. The fact
is, ever since the Eastern demand for Cali
fornla fruit sprang up several years ago,
good fruit has been getting scarcer and
scarcer III the san Francisco market 1t is
all wanted by the Eastern buyers and local
Gamers aud packers, and when these three
interests have got through buying there is
not much lett for US except culls, wiudtallS
and wOrmy and overripe stock. Briefly,
the orchardistS send TO this market only
what they cannot sell East or to Gamers.
This is fine for the Orchardsts, who are
making money, but the citizen OF San Fran
cisco has TO eat poor fruit all the same.
Dried fruit is bringing good prices. New
cents. and new unpeeled bleached peaches
at 1919 cents at Fresno. Contracts for new
California pTuneS are reported drawn at
and 8 cents, while the price for raw prunes
has gone up to ~ 10 rs cents per pound
on the tree, the buyers TO pick and haul
away. Raw peaches and apricOts continue
in brisk demand, and both varieties are
higher than last week.
The meat market shows no further
change, mutton being scarce and firm and
beef plentiful and weak.
GROCERIES AND PROVISIONS.
There is an active inquiry for sugar at
unchanged prices, this being the lively
time of the year.
OF coffee, the circular of r. Hochkofier
just issued, says:
By referring 10 the statistics OF the first half Of
the year II Will be seen that imports were consd-
erablY below those of the preceding year, The de-
hcieney being most marked in Guatemala aud
Salvador. Receipts from Costa Rica, on the con-
trdry, were IN excess OF fOImer yeats. which ac
counts ID a measure Tor the comparatively lower
prices for this description Than Tor the fOrmer
II Is positively asserted that The receipts nom
Central America during the remainder of the
season Will be less than the average of the last
four years, from which should result a strong
market, although prices Will naturally be gov
erned 10 certain extent by those ruling else
where. Distributions for home consumption
were less Than Ill previous years and not equal TO
The average consumption OF the last TWO years.
| The latter may have been SOM what af-
fecled by high values, but the reduction Of
sales from first hands is TO be attributed
principally to the bland 10 mouth" policy
pursued by dealers. Stocks in the latters'
hands are very moderate. Sales overland have
been restricted by The scarcely OF good washed
Guatemala, which is The qualify preferred ID The
GENITAL markets, and the same cause viii ope-
rate against shipments during the next five
months, Notwithstanding The liberal reduction
in the rates Of railroad freight Since last report
the market was less active owing 10 the decline
of the article III New York. In fact The
local market is Influenced daily by the course
of tie former, jObbers being ready buyers on an
| nd FeIlI n N n "a Phi
also influenced TO certain extent by The same
| cause but at present we have no peicepti0le
change to note. Holders, however, Lave shown
more disposition 10 meet The views of buyers
Salvador, good green unwashed. has been sold at
1898 cents. and some parcels of slightly
bleached. received by last steamer, at 1885
cents on wharf. The demand continues good
| for medium aud fair Guatemala. Other descrip-
| tions and qualities were neglected
The circular gives the receipts at this
| port during the first half Of 1880 at 106, 79S
| bags Central American and 6725 bags from
other sources, against 1876 bags Central
| American and 5190 bags from other sources
| during the first half of 1889. The stock in
| first hands July 1st was 40,747 bags Central
| American, against o. go bags on the same
| date last year.
| Rice is strong, and Chinese goods have
| again advanced. Provisions show no vaTia-
| tons worthy of note. Stocks of hams,
bacon and lard are ample.
Canned fruits are as firm as ever, and in
favorites. The demand for our canned
peaches East this year is enormous. The
Gamers refuse 10 sell any peaches unless
| the buyer takes some undesirable fruit
along with them.
Canned salmon is very dull and prices
for some descriptions are again lower.
MISCELLANEOUS.
Merchandise showed the effects Of the
holidays last week and was very quiet
with few fluctuations. Coal continued
steady at the recently adjusted quotations
Iron, tin and tin-plate exhibited no new
features. Quicksilver was unsettled and
largely nominal, owing to the increased
supplies, and quotations had a downward
tendency. The receipts of Quicksilver az
this port during the first half Of 1890 we're
6025 TASKS, against sos during the same
period in 1889, ana 1906 in 1885. In order
to supply the deficiency here observed con-
siderable Spanish quicksilver has been i'm
ported, both from HoDg-Kong and New
Vnr fnr mt nf fa