The united opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1881-1970, 1897-12-17
IN HUB MARKETS.
Butter Stocks Steadily Reduced
and Outlook Is Fair.

SObbers Forced to Sell at Close Margins
to Hold Customers Cold Spell Needed
to strengthen Egg Market.
Boston, Dec 15-The butter situation
is rather tame, and the tendency Is more
in favor of buyers than of sellers. A re-
action seems TO have set in in New York
and the west, where prices are half to one
cent lower than a week ago. So far,
there is no material decline here, because
at no time were our prices as high as in
the other places; but the reaction has
made buyers rather cautious and has
taken the vim out of the market.
The closing weeks of the year are
usually quiet in the butter trade, and
there may not be much activity until
after the turn of the year. Poultry will
attract most attention next week, and
if the butter market holds its own it will
be doing well. Consumption is fair,
stocks are being steadily reduced and the
outlook generally is encouraging. OF
course. the weather in January will be
an important factor, for if there should
be mild winter the new make would in
crease faster than if there were heavy
SHOWS and severe frosts.
The receipts of butter for The week
We're 1O,626 tubs and 1890 boxes, a total
of 51S069 pounds, against 502S47 pounds
the previous week and 584 513 pounds for
the corresponding week last year This
shows a slight increase as compared
with the week previous, but a decrease
as compared with last year. The exports
were 5,944 pounds, against 81, 80S pounds
the corresponding week last year, and
the total for the season is 1924, 766
pounds, against 2,478,831 pounds for the
same time last year. TL~~ satement of
the Quincy Market Cold Storage COM
pany for the week is as follows: Put in,
3S9 tubs; taken out, 1857 tubs; stock,
1925 tubs, against 100, 1862 tubs same time
last year. For the corresponding week
last year TAI tubs were put in and 12217
tubs were taken out.
Strictly fine fresh Vermont and New
Hampshire creamery has been held at
about 20 cents in assorted tubs, and 23b
to "a in boxes. Buyers looked for a de-
cline and refused to operate except in a
small way. Sales were made at 221a to
% cents in tubs and 20 to 231a cents in
boxes, but at the close buyers were not
willing to pay more than the inside
prices. Grades not fully up had to be
Offered lower j
Western creamery as a rule was slow
and easy. A few lots of the highest grades !
were billed ,ut to customers at 20 cents, |
but for lots on the market it was hard !
to get over % cents, and they had to be |
real good at that. The proportion of |
very fine butter now coming in from
any section is quite small and the bulk
of the receipts is more or less wintry
Perhaps Il to % cents would cover most
of the western creamery Offered. Fresh
limitations at 16 to II cents were in fair
demand, and June ladies at Ia to Is cents
were wanted. These grades have run
short, and they are likely to be scarce
for some time to come. June creamery
has been selling moderately at 20 to 81
CENTS but there is not the call for it that
there was last week. Holders are not
forcing sales, being confident that all
will be wanted later.
Jobbers had a good trade last week,
and worked off a liberal quantity of
butter at 20 to 25 cents. They are SELL
ing at the same prices this week, but
buyers are not SO willing to pay the out
side rate. Jobbers have to sell on very
close margins in order to hold their Gus
toners.
There has been no improvement in the
demand for cheese, but holders are
frmer in their views, and there is no
disposition to force sales at any conces-
sions.
Choice selected lots of eggs from
Michigan, Indiana and parts of Illinois
have sold at % to "a cents, but the bulk
of the supplies under the head of west
r 1Q 10
ity. They are largely mixed with held
eggs. Fresh eastern will command rs
to 26 cents if all right, and fancy lots go
higher but here as in western the con-
signments are mixed and prices are a
low rance. Refrigerator lots were quiet
at 10 10 IA cents. cold spell is needed
to strengthen the market The cold
storage stock was reduced last week
4241 cases, and stands at 2S,5S3 cases,
against 13,2S5 cases for corresponding
week last year.
Mild and wet weather has a depress-
ing effect on ahe poultry trade, and prices
rule very low. For the best western
turkeys Is cents is a full price and for
most offered 10 to II cents is the rate.
Fowls and chickens are plentiful, and
most sales have been at to 10 cents, with
a few fancy at II to IA cents
Choice potatoes from New York state
run up to 80 cents per bushel at the
roads, but for most of the eastern 20 to
20 cents is an extreme rate. Beans quiet
and easy.
The apple market maintains a steady
tone. Receipts have been meeting a
steady sale, and choice baldwins are
kept sold up at $275 to 49, % per barrel.
N m m ]
to $3.50. Some fancy varieties run up to
$3.50 and 81.
BOSTON PRODUCE MARKET. 1