The Birmingham age-herald., 1907-05-11
Bradstret,s Review.

Nv York. May 10.-Bradstreet's tomor- row will say:
 Weather conditions as for five weeks past, are still the key to the irregular crop and trade reports covering a wide area of country. Freezing weather and snow have hurt trade and retarded crop preparations and growth in the north 1 west while low temperatures and heavy rains effect southern distribution and. crop growth and measurably influence distribution in the central west and east Despite the between-seasons period, the slowness of retail trade and collections there are few complaints coming from jobbing and wholesale lines except that filling in orders are light and that re- tail stocks are reported heavy. One ex- planation ofthis is that jobbers and whole salers had heavy volume of business booked, deliveries upon which have been slow and the slowness has enabled the latter branches to catch up measurably witli demands. Demands from wholesalers therefore, while smaller than some months ago. have been sufficient to keep all ac- lively engaged.
 Other developments of the week have been encouraging. The iron and steel in- dustrles are actively engaged current production is in fact at the maximum and other industrias are being actively pushed. Labor disturbances, taken as a whole, are not serious, excepting at San Francisco, where business has been brought to a complete standstill by strikes of street car hands and telephone oper- ators and at New York. where A nearly general strike of dock laborers has caused much interruption to the movement of freight
 Higher prices for cereals, cotton and other natural products are a result of bad crop reports and broadening specu- latlve interest European crop reports are little better than our own, and part ly explain higher quotations offered for wheat and corn
 Cotton advanced S5 points for spot. 50 points for May and 50 for July on con- tinuing favorable crop advices and re- ported improvement in demand for cot ton goods for fall delivery Some of the advance in futures was shaded later on realizing. Southern crop reports this week laid stress on the excessive rains reported in the gulf and lower Mississippi valley sections.
 Hog products are higher this week, pork advancing 75 cents, and lard points, while cotton seed oil went up cents
 The sugar markets are stronger, Europe leading with higher prices for best grades, cane sugars here following, and in turn affecting refined, which Is 10 points up, while raws are points up. Poor crop re-
 
 raw goods.
 Coke is still lower, despite the activity of blast furnaces. Anthracite coal is active but bituminous is dull. Copper is dull
 Business failures for the week ending May 9 in the United States number 154, against 163 last week and 162 in the like week of 1906. Canadian failures for the week number twenty. as against eight last wek and twenty eight this week year ago.
 Wheat. including flour, exports from the United States and Canada for the week ending May g aggregate 2,994 414 bushels, against 2,234,756 bushels last week and 2.l42.042 this week last year. For the past forty-five weeks of the fiscal year the ex- ports are 146,794,9O6 busheis against 115,- 7S,2l1 bushels in 1905-06
 Corn exports for the week are 1744 800 bushels against 1877. .695 last week and 1.573740 bushels a year ago.
 For the fiscal year to date the exports are 63172,737 bushels against 1O5,41.l bushels in 1905-06.