The Irish standard., 1896-03-21
FLOUR AND COARSE GRAINS.

FIOUR-MlllerS continue to look upon
the situation in a more hopeful way for
the near future. Their correspondence
with buyers in all parts of the world leads
them to believe that it can be but a COM
paraItively small time before there must
be a revival Of buying and that when that
revival does come it will find the reserves
Of flour in this country all too light.
There has seldom been time when sup
plies i'm the hands of the trade were as
small as they are right now, and also, it
is seldom that reserves in the hands OF the
millers of this country as whole were as
light as they are. The fact is that the
flour of the country is now in the hands
Of Minneapolis millers, as the mills at
other points have been running on very
short time this winter, and the winter
wheat mills have done practically moth
ing. These supplies owned by the local
concerns, while large for individual con-
Germs to hold, are, small compared with
the general supply Of a country, and as
soon as the trade comes back into the
market to replenish Stocks. these supplies
will melt in short order and with the nee
essary adNance~in prices the outlook tends
to portray larger runs everywhere The
foreigners are still supplied fairly with
English ground flour, and in the United
Kingdom the French flour is offering quite
freely, but there is a, trade there for the
pure American product which cannot be
induced to change over to anything else,
and as exports have been light lately, it
is evident that supplies there of this kind
of flour are running light. Flour factors
Of the United Kingdom are sending good
many cables Of late, and they all Indicate
growing strength over there advancing a
sixpence now and then, and with small
concession on the part of the miller there
is considerable sold for shipment at the
opening of lake navigation And feat
ure which the mills are inclined to look
upon with favor is in the fact that when a
u E11yT,
on the part Of. the buyer to get it deliv-
cred. The wheat receipts are running
rather light, and with cash wheat at a
good premium over wheat for May dellv-
cry it is found necessary to hold firm at
prices. quoted rather than, allow conces-
wheat in the Chicago or Minneapolis pits.
Low grades are doing fairly we'll conlpar-
atively, selling at full quotations except
ing in some localities in this country
where sales are especially desirable to be
made, when an occasional concession is
allowed, but it is generally made up in
some other way. That trade which mas
now become regular extending through
the winter wheat country. is growing
every day, and while the individual orders
are small, the aggregate is very large
and to the mills that have cultivated that
trade the volume is large and has allowed
them to run uninterruptedly since the first
Of the crop year. Prices down there are
rather, low, but still on profit basis
which is somewhat better than can be
said Of Eastern prices during the past
month. to ID"
!. BRAN AND SHORTs-The demand for
these lines Of goods shows little change
from what it has been all along, but the
offerings appear a little larger, as many
of the mills are beginning to get pretty
we'll caught up with orders. Brokers are
able to set little more from the country,
and with the call showing no improve
ment. prices are inclined to be shaded.
That is, the quotation of 81 is now rather
out Of the question. The top. price for
bran is now $6.75, and some mills are will
ling to part with fine bran at little less
than that. Shorts are quoted at 25s less
than bran, although some mills are asking
full bran prices for this product.
+ { FEED AND MEAL-Millers continue to
quote unchanged prices for these articles.
Corn is being changed in value very little,
and millers, while trade is as light as at
present, prefer to stand the chance of sell
ing little rather than cut into profits,
especially when it is doubtful that q drop
in quotations would be instrumental in
are inclined to hold out Of the market. and
so long as corn and oats are cheaper than
the manufactured article, there is little
chance for a big trade. Corn meal and
cracked corn is quoted at 1918. Mixed
feed is held at s10@11, according to grade.
,iI1Ay-SuppNes of hay IN the Northwest
appear to be larger than usual at this
time Of the. year. owing no doubt largely
to the fact that shipments to market this
year have been much lighter than is gen
eraly the case Also it Is understood that
a big crop was i1nown last summer. But
the quality has generally been rather be-
low the average, and the offerings each
day at present are low In grade. Quo
tations stand unchangd. but are not close
" followed.
fBARLEY-Little doing Offerings lar
ger, but prices lower. No1ninally. quoted
at 2l@25c, according to quality.
.FLAx-Trade light Still quoted at
sa CORN-There was rather weak feel
tar IN the local corn market with prices
showing some decline In sympathy with