Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1899-04-21
IN THE BOSTON MARKETS,
Quotations on the Leading Pro-
duce in Demand.

Boston, April 19.-There Is a declining
tendency in the butter market This
was foreshadowed last week by the light
trade and gradually increasing REGENTS
The warmer weather in the west has had
its influence, and a drop there of over
cent is reported this week. Anincreased
make is noE expected in all sections. and
the market is likely to rise more or less
in buyers favor until the product has
some keeping qualities.
How low prices will go before bottom
is touched it is hard to tell. There are
no large accumulations so far. and if the
lower rates should increase the con-
sumption receipts might readily be dis
trlbute1 for week or two more. But
the outlook is very uncertain, and coun.
try shippers must be prepared for irregu
lar values until grass is struck.
There is some difference of opinion in
regard to the opening of the new season
in the west. Most of the creamery men
in Illinois think that the grass season
will be at least 10 days or two weeks be-
hind iast year, while others say it will be
later. But all agree that the output will
be about the same, if not larger. on the
subject of prices the prevailing opinion
in the west is that grass butter will be
held 1T about the same prices as last
year.
The drop in prices at other places un.
settled the market here, and sellers have
been forced to make concessions from
the lowest rates of last week. For the
finest lots of northern 1912 cents is asked,
and may be obtained in special cases
but the general top selling rate is 10
cents, and receivers say there is not
much demand at that Some sales are
reported at 1872 cents, and the range may
be given at 1S1a to 10 cents.
The stock of old cheese is reduced to
very small proportions, and sales are
mostly in jobbing way. Prices are
firm at 1872 to IS cents for choice, with
some fancy twins a little higher. In fact
holders of what little cheese there is
here can make about their own figures.
Small lots of new make are arriving, and
the best are sold at II to 111a cents.
Really choice full cream, properly ma
tured, cannot be expected for several
weeks.
There is a good trade In eggs at 1415 to
14& cents For choice fresh western.
Some special marks of northwestern
selected for storage are held at Is cents.
but very few sales are made at that
price. Most sales for current consump-
llOll oil &c ct lt12 GSlIlS. G4dS tern lTSSn HI
141s to Is cents, mostly in small lots.
Receipts continue comparatively light.
The stock in cold storage is 1879 cases,
against 1868 cases same time last year.
Receipts at all leading points are smaller
than last year, and it is estimated that
the production so far is 25 to 80 percent
less than year ago. owing to the cold
weather, it is supposed.
There is moderate supply Of sugar
and strip here, but not near as much as
last year. Sugar has been selling at IL
to 13 cents for small cakes and 8 to 10
cents for cans and large cakes. Only
strictly fancy brings over II cents.
Strip is easier, with sales at 70 to So
cents per gallon.
There are places in Vermont where
there has been a good deal of talk of late
about a new" method of raising cream.
It is sometimes called the dilution
method. The process is an old one which
has fallen into disuse, but which has re-
Gently taken on a new lease of life, large
ly through the efforts of several concerns
which are selling cans specially devised
for the purpose. These cans vary more
or less in minor details, which, however,
do not appear to affect the character of
their work. The process is the same in
each case. The milk Is diluted with an
equal or with a greater bulk of water;
the mixture is allowed to stand two
hours or more and is then skinned by
drawing off the skim milk. The advan-
tages claimed for the method are re-
duced cost lessened labor, durability and
the DEVIATION of ice storage and use. In
cidentally it Is stated that the cream is
got cleaner than with the creamery, and
that tho "a no In p ipbt1Ny ms nj cd
ell the cream will be obtained.
Some interesting tests or this method
have been reported recently by the Yer
mont experiment station. This new
dilution method requires more tank room
and depreciates the value of the skim
milk. Besides this the experiment sta
ton tests show that the Dreaming is not
so satisfactory
Flour is ruling firmer, with an ir-
regular trade. some sellers moving a
good deal Of flour. while others found
only dull trade. Prices are generally
very firm, however. Mill shipment
prices are steady at: Spring patents,
S425Q4.45; winter wheat patents. $S.4O
@4.2O. Trade committee prices are:
Spring wheat, clears, S3q3.5O; patents,
S4.1O9475; winter wheat, clears, $3.40G
$50; straights, $3,70q410; patents. 1886
@450.
The -four and grain trades are good
deal interested in the opening of lake and
rail navigation, which brings lower
freights. This opening is unusually
late this year. Late reports from Du-
luth say that the Ice is yet four feet
thick just out of the harbor there, and
that the clearing must be most remark
ably late. Frequently April l sees the
lakes clear and the lake and rail freights
well established.
FITTner nogs IN the west with Verl
small receipts, make the pork situation
firm, although quotations for this mar
ket are not changed: Barrel pork. $13@
1850; light backs. $12; lean ends, $14.5O
fresh ribs, TIC; corned and fresh shoul
ders, &c; smoked shoulders. 6%c; lard
SIC; in pals, 69sQ7Ac; hams, 9Q9hc
skinned B hams. 9Ac; bacon, ShQ9c
sausages, 7QSc; Frankfurt sausages, ~
Qsc; pressed ham, lie; raw leaf lard
7c; pure leaf lard. TIC; in pals, SQSAc
pork tongues, IS; loose salt pork, &c
briskets, &c; sausage meat, &c; bolognas
TIC; city dressed hogs, &c; country, &C.
Fresh beef has continued in small de
uapd with a rather eaSV market al