Chicago Daily Tribune Newspaper, January 1, 1878, Page 3

1¢@13¢e ber Th. The market I8 now down to :i,r nm(o-l\‘nr natds, mud there are substantial reasans for thunklug that the season of 137 selll see the {nauguration of more prosperolis times for eattle men. In comparlson widh 157, he receipts show a "m:cnz.ur, op 63,570 NEAD, S the total being 1533855 fead, neainst l‘ 00,747 Tiend for 1876, Tho fest three months of the year gave an Increase of 42462 head, and the lnl.ql_ T n decrcase of 102 heads March gasy the Jurgeat total,—103.518,—und July the nmn\“csil —64,012, The tfht rin for July was a result ol the “strike,’ which for the spaca of ten nlnl\'a serlorsly .[Ltocrupred frefuht tratfic on all the rajlroads leading lnto Chicago. fle business of bippiog DRBISED DEEF from here to the East cxhibits 8 ateady £ roswth, Meretofore such shipments were l-(mf_lnct to the perivd hetween Nov. 18 aud March 15, but noty Zthanks to the introduction of the refrigerator- car—the biislucss is_ruscessfully carriet an the year tound. Tho river towns af New Yorkand the manufacturing districtsof New England sre mainly supplied throueh that chan THE EXPORT TRADE bas expanded far l)t.‘{:unl the cxpectations of the most sanguioe. Early i the scason the Dusiness was givon a decided impetus by the reappearance in England of the rinderpest. wnm led to the Imposition by that Governinent of severe restrictlons woon tlic introduction of cattle from all European porfs. Lxeepting o brief perfod dutlne “the swnmer, when the prevalenee of excesslvely hot weather in En- gland and of exceptionally high prices lere caused an olmost eutire “suppression of the export movement, the husiness. has ,m"“!’m,c,l satlsfactorily, In 1476 New S’urk. Philadelpbla, and” Portland_exported 1 9,000,605 1bs of fresh beef, worth $1,755,191. T'ne past yenr Boston was added to the lm, and the reault of that and the lncrease at the other ports are that our totsl exports fur 1877 lave excecded 100,000,000 1bs, of the value of rome- thing like éll’).otl!.(lfl. Tho practieability of rending fresh beef 1 a perfect state of preserva- tlon to all parts of England, nnd selling it ata wrofit in competition with the English articte, lms been fully demonetrated, and the possibill- tles of the future of this trade are hevoml comi- vutatton, There wre few branches of Amcrican Lusfiees epierprise that at (his moment have prosperous an outlook, Its develupment but result profitabls 1o a Yargre varlety of inter- csta. The stock-raisers, the drovers, those wha prepare the cattle for the refrigerators, the trausportation lincs, as well as the ovean steam- stips, arc all partivs {v luterests - 1008, r The total recelpts of hogs were 4,026,600, against 4,190,006 for 1870,~a decreage of 163,100, The nnnvlnnl decreasy was during January and February, thore two months ahowing a falline off, as compared With the corresponding Lwo mouths of 1870, of 202,878, In threo months of the year only—March, April, sud Augusi—were he recelpts Targer than for the corresponding menths of 1876, Tiie Iargest number arrived in December, 631,070, aud the smailest n August, 249401, In the shipments the decling fs tyen more prouounced, e tres being, for 1570, 1.181,635, and_for 1877, 13,—a dilTerence of 178,73, Tho decrease in tho shipments was not uncxpeeted, the eastward movement of hogs laving shwwn a stendy falllng off sfnce 1874, since which tlinc summer packing ut this voint bas been prosccuted on a steadity ivcreasing scale. ‘The deflefency, 1 the - recelptr would, 10 doubt, lave been wido good durlng November and Decesber bad §t vot been thut the weather throughout almost the entire period was so warm that packini operations could not be car- ried on with any dezree of safety, and that the vountry roads by reason of the continuous rains were kept In o condition which rendercd tho movement of hogs next to lnpossible. To Weatern shippers the {cnr, was perliaps the most unprofitable they have ever expericnced. Trom the beginning of the season to the close the voursgul prices was alinost uninterrup*edly dowunward, and it scemed finpossible o buy stock in the country at a low enough figure to insure the shipper ‘ngalnst loss, so constautly was the shrinkage In values going on. n Jan. 13 prices stood av $0.05@ 0.0, About that tlme _the packers formed a combination to break down prices. ‘Chat they succceded is evidenced by (o fact that within the spave of eizhit Weeks tho market haat declined to 85.0025.00,—a drop of §1.0562 1.80 per 100 Ibs. From the begioniug of March down to the close of Muy there was but slight change fn volues, but during May and June the nmrket fcll off to 84.50024.85, Durine July and August the market reacted to_the extent of 50 @75, and about the 1st of October there was an advance 10 $5.40a0.00. In the sccond week of October o duwnward movement sot in, whicl continued until the middle of December, when the market touched $3.75@41.05, Clostug qug- fations wero $4.00@4.80. Iu quality the recelnts, judeed Ly the average walght, differed but slight)y from the provious year, the averagoe for the year being 245 1bs, ngainst 240 lbs for 1671, “The year 1877 Is entitled to the distinction of baving witnesscd tho largest recelpts ever re- ‘mrlcd for ono day, or fosone week, On Dee, 2 thero were recelved at the Unfon Stock- Yords 62424 hogs, and on tho followini do; 07,683, For the week cndlnli Dee. 15 the totul arrivals wero 230,012, The largest week's sup- ply ever previously recorded was 214,587, for tlio week cnding Nov, 21, 1574, SRR The sheep trade of Chicago dues not cut o very Important (gure, fully onc-half of the current recelpts belng required to meet the Joeal consumptive demaud, ‘The Jarzest num. ber ever recelved was fur 1875, amounting to 418818, During 1870 tho receints fell off to UH005 and during 1877 to 10,740, Prices were less steady than during thie previous year. Opening at 83.00605.25, they gradually crept upward “until tho middio of Muy, when the market stood at $L.0070.50, - From that Kynnt until the lutter part of August the mar- set steadily cascd off until &L7564.85 wns rcfihcd.‘ ‘slcm 'xlml dn\‘f \'Alufl have been subjested to very o change, the year clos- o ot 10024.80. y the followne tables complled from tho rec. ords in the oilicerof tho Unlon Stock-Yard and Transit Chmpauy, show the recelpts and ship- menta of live stock for the year 1877, The re- ceipts and alpments for tho last day of the yourare cstinioted: wECRIPTS, _vuitte, |_liogt. | Sheep. Tloraes, s 3’ 4 D184 7 B8 057 ThaT i, 84,051 w4170 e, Novemicr... December., Total, Jlecelyud T’ ta7d: IR Tr R N | 01 2,484 e ol 1,032,853 4, 0211, (003 18, 740 T43.3, 000 St g, ) ERTTTEIES i 40P B | _H73%,_ Races. Tiraer, a6 o 71 aLu Fuliy 3 B30 0, 4n7 LRI £nl IT::'" n it i Shinbed | PreigTices TUE NONTHLY AVERAGES M boge recelved Lor tho past slx_years were as (ollows, December, 1677, beluge Eldmllfll: 1572, 1873, 674, 1673, Aonik, N7, (3877, ETYF TN ETIET TUX ANKUAL RKCEIFTS of cattle, hous, aud skicop sinc tho Unlon Stock-Yards lul;o b?:‘nan‘:'r?z lu::"‘ ot Jaire. n 185 6,25), i dt S0t a3 o et +1OTh 833 41026, 000 310,740.5, 370, 13 — FOREIGN EXPORTS. TUE DIKECT YOREION EXPORTS from this city from Jau. 1 to Dee. 22, 1877, and for the whols of 1876, were as follows: 877, 1876, 53, 603 Vi, 280 L3, RIS 1,100,718 57,074 2,310,209 715 e ene 15T, 10, THE CHICAGO TRIBUNI: TUESDAY, 1878—TWELVE PAGES. and tha destination of the same, was ns follows: 58,420 Jinsen, Shioped to Chicrgn Ehiyped (o Ne Stopped to Shipped to othel Totaliiuueesens hris Aleonol, brie, Oil-cake, e, Thronghout the paat season the PRICE OF BUTTER was maintained at a comparntively hich point. Notwithstanding tha fact that Use bro luction of Leataer, i Oat-meal, bl Corn-ment, b “Fohacco, 1, . Cotton, 1he, 3ieceifancous, Tbe that staple during 1577 largely exceentl that for anv lormer year, and that the recelpts here were fully 10 per cent Jarger than ever hefore, the demand was of that well-sustalned charne- tor that there was ot no time so larze an aeru- mulation of stocks as to scriously affect Ym-ns, which abow an_ average for the year of folly 22¢ per the ‘The vear opeped with prices at 15232 Tor puor to fancy erades, where they reoalned until atiout the 1st of Mafeh, ahen they cased off to 123k, From the iiddie of April until the begiuntne of June the market gradually nettled until 20 was reached, That was the lowest point touched. In -lulf anupward moyement set in, which continued until the end of Octaber, when 934 8% were the current qio- tations, awl ot that range the market hua ruled ‘Total, tons .. seven 201,090 314,607 Theee fignres do not necessarily show the rol- ative magnitude of the export trade in the two years, a8 a great deal of produce Is ordered throughy but, beinz only contracted for to the geabuard, {8 not Included sbove. OTHER PI’RODUCE. RECEIPTS, ‘The following were the receipts of other arlt- cles of produce for the last three vears: 1875 comparatively steady since. The receipts of Beeds, tons . A7,003 | Lukter and chicese In Chleago for the past three lp‘xf;fl":u;:'h:"" ’"-'1'31" yeats have been aa follows: Sy NS 17 Cheote, ldes, 24,170 | 4o 3 Wwees. dein s 117,380 | 1875 1000 Waol, ton 247 | 1899 £hu.000 Tiotatocs, BN, 281 asssasniens 350, (ol toi k8 1,041,488 ‘The export of cheese from the United States Nay, ton: 30,804 | hias grown from 14,7 Iha it the year 1790, to Luniber, m 1,147.1053 | 107,384,668 1w In 1577, The total export for the ‘,‘g;- ;fi: veriod, iacluding both those years, has been gl B 2,671 1yse BIIPMENTS. The following were the correeponding ship- BSEEDS. THE YIELD OF ALL VARIETIES of seed was prolific the past ycar, and the qual ity excellent, A smaller quantity of sced was handled by the regular dealers, speculaturs and Eastern luyers having stepped 1 between them and country scllers and taken a good part of the crops, and the busincss altogether hag not been very remmnerative to the former. ‘The exports from this market were small, The crop of timnthy was large and excellent. ‘The acreaze fn some Jocalities was reduced, but this loss was more than made good by the large yletd, and on occount of the low price of hay nuany grass-ficlds were allowed to ripen, as the seed brought the farmer more moncy. The trade of the first six months of the yeor was fair, and the surplus of old sced was re- dueed to 25,000 bags when the new timothy was rendy for niarket. The trade in tho new crop has been heavy, and to a considerable extent speculative, the extremely low prices Inducing this class of operators to -purchase Hberally. The exports from this polut were small. Ex- porters purchased chiefly in New York, whence epectilators shipped Jarge quontities of sced during the scason of low frelgbts, and under- sold local dealers. The domestic trade has been falr. The stock held here fs estlinated at, 60,000 10 80,000 bags. This Is partly owped by Eastern dealers, and partly vy Investora who ‘can carry the seed until it will yield o good profit. » "Timoths has averaiged lower than sinee 1853, Prime old timothy sold ut $LTHELW in Janu- arv, aml off to §1.50 in July. New opened at 81.30 und declined to £1.25." The average price ments: 1878, 1877, 41,508 1875, 27,714 Reede, tons, 15, corn, ton finiter, ‘tona Tiides,'tonn... e, brin 1iaye 10M90s00s e Luinber,m feet,. Shinglos, Salt, brl Lead. ton Also received durlng the year, 3,734, poultey, 3,560 coops do, 1,760 pkas gain pkes caes, HOLSES boxes® cheese, 270,527 briy apples, und 63,034 bu beans. IIIGIIWINES. THE MARRET FOR HIGIWINES hns been slow and steady through tho whole yenr, The distlilerfes of this clty bave scarcely Leen run to three-fourths of thelr capaclty, owing to *troubles " with the Govermment on the part of some, nnd o lnck of demand with thorest. The production of the West lins ex- ceeded the demantd, and the consequence Is that on nbont equal cost of production the lnerensed competition of scllers has caused the price to average about 1e per gallon lower than in 1874, Wines from other points have heen freely offcred nt Iess than the cost of manufacture liere, though our distillers are very favorably situnted for operating at tho minimum of net cost. The volume of rales have been small.—~about 85,400 brie, ngalust 82,700 brls In 1870. Both uf these agiregates are much smaller than thoseof provious years, Ono great reason for this fs found i the fact that our distillers now us¢the continuous process more Iarzely than ever be- fore, producing the finfshed goods without the intervention of a denler between the work of distilling and rectifying. So much of this s done that the market quotation for highwines 13 now chivfly & mauge to the price at which other goods shall by involced, and fs not epe- inlly valuable of itself, Hence there is a grow- Iug temptation to make an artiflelal market by quoting wines }{c hizher than the fleure they could be actually sold for. - IRICES. The followIng table shows the monthly range and the averaeze price per gallon of tax-paid highwlues througliout tho yenr: Month, Loueal, Higheat, Arerane, i 45, of prime for the year was 8153, THE CLOVER MARKET hinn been declining ever sineg spring, There was au extraordimary export demand for seed 1n 1870, which extended to the early months of 1877, und, the domestic supply belng short, prives were high, and the old crop was ncarly exhausted In sutmmer. The new crop Is larze aud very goad, butthe bad weather and luw prices have kept the farmers from marketing it }rcch‘. and the fall trade has been Jeht. There Lias been little export demand vet for new clover. The result the previous season was not satisfactory to exporters, nud the erop of France and (ermany thls past year is large cuouga to supply Europe at presént. The highest price m.fif’ was $0.23, in~ February, and the lowgpst $4.75, in December, which in‘m the closing flg- ure. The avernge price of primesced wasubout The spring demgl for NUNG. AN AND MILLET was light, ns other crops promised to be more remunerative to the farmers, The replanted fiekls wery sown principally to buckiwheat, und €1,01! L 07t the crop of the Intter was probably Iminensu this T101 Loo" vnst year. ‘The bl weather fn the autwnn des 1 1.00 laved the threshing and marketing of Hun- 1 1.10 earfan and millet, and very little Is known 1 1.10 about clther crop, cxcept that tho few {0 1 1.08 samples recelved fndicate a flne quality. A duiy. 3 1 falr stock was left over, A lesa quautity of Bdguat o 108 Jin these variotles wan ruised 33 the States eastward, efobetor: T and tho btk of the crop Was broduced west. of oot s 1 108 tho Missiwiopl River, Primo old 1ungarian December. . o« eoees 1. 1.00 80l trom 85¢ down to 45¢, averaging Bic, and i 7 1,30 millet from 45@ (0, uveraging 5k, 1hie unusual 3 Fq0 demand for buckwhicat fo the spring eent prices N 1108 u to 81757180 per buy under comparatively e Wi Hzht supplics. New seed sold in December ot OxaThe. The Board of Trade m]'urcs represent the movement of **liquors and highwines," awd are far from eiving the precise Information wished for by dealers; but it would provably be very ddilenlt to deal with the matter mors closcly than now. It §8 also becoming yearly o matier of Jess consequenca what provortion the vol- umo of erude spirits beara to the whole. The reported totals of receipts and ehipments for uwI \ienr are given fu the tavle preceding this article. TIIE CIOP OP FLAX in 1877 was tho largest and best over ralsed, The productlon west of the Allezhenies waa uboul 8,600,000 bu, the average yleld per acre belng 8 bu, The crop was qulclder marketed, the btk of {1 passing direcly to the erushers. ‘The novement from the country throush to the East last full was targer than ever before, and less seed has been hamdled by the local dealers than In 1870, The elty crushers took about 500,000 by, The imports Eost were con- shlc.rumvficn than in tho previous year. The crop of 1817 sold at lower prices than that of 1570, but pald tho producer fairly. Durine the first half of the vl year crushing Max sold at 61.50¢41,85, and tho new crop (1877) brought 81,951,833, The average price of tho year was DAIRY IPRODUCTS. TOTHE WESTERN DAIRYMEN tho part scason takes rank among the mfbst prosperous. The product of hutter and cheese has largely exceeded that of uny former year, and thero was at all times a yeady outlet at romunerntive prices, ‘I'he scason throughout wus exceptionally favorable, both for a large production and a superlor quality, thero. belng an abzenee of protracted pe- rlods of oxtrems heat, while ralns were frequent and coplons Ot fhero favor- fug conditions producers avalled theinselves to the utmost, and they have the satlsfaction of knowing that not only have they turned out a much larger quantity than in any forier year, but that the quality hus been brought nearer to perfectlon than ever before, Althoughnmonast the Eastern trado thers hos exlated a deep- scated prejudice aeafust Western butter anl cheese, they have ot last been compelled to recoinizo thelr merlts, and wo now for ghe firat thme In the history of the trade sea Western butter and cHeese quoted in the New York mar- kets on’a par with the product of the finest aairfes " of their own State. Not only inthe Eastern markets, but with European buyera ns well, bns the reputation of our goods Leen steadlly growing in favor; aa fs ovident by the fmensa increase durlng the two years just' vast of our direct exportations. During the year 1877 the volume of oyr direct sbip- ments to Europe exhiblted a Jarge fucrease, ‘This s all the more gratifylug as prior to 1878 direct emeru ot Western dalry products had scarcely been attempted, There can be little doubt that Chicugo is destinea soon to ba the great Lutter and clecso centre'ol this country, as it is now of rruin, My ck; and lumber, 8o fur ua the jobbing busis with the Btates con- tiguous to Chicajo is ¢ rned, the past two years baye showu a cousiderable falling off In our The proposed smendment to the tarifl takinz off the duty on Kast India sced may reduce the home production of 1873, The crushers say they shull make small’ loans of sced to the furiners, as they thiuk that without the preeent duty the business would ben very huzardous oneto engaze lu. It {8 sald Lhat about three- ?unrlurl of the flax now sown s loaned tho farmees. Tho Ameriean furmer ought to bo able to compete successiully in his own country globe. BROOM-CORN. THE TEAR WAS A PAIR AVEIIAGE ONB as regards trade and profits, Prices wero low, and the fluctuations were confined to a rather ‘narrow range, The higheatfprices were paid at the beglnning and ond of the year, belog about the same at both perlods, whilo tue lower grades have been higher tho past fall. During tho first elght months trade was rather light, but the stock fn the West steadily diminlshed, and did not exceed 2,000 tons at the opening of the new crop year. The new crop wae late {u coming forward, and supplles did not accumulato until about tle middle of No- vember. The Eastern demand was first-class in the late autumn, but was suddenly arrested in December by 8 considerable advance in freights, aud the busiuesa has since beenof & local retall character. ‘The market advanced {n tho fall fn'the face of heavy reccipts, und closed strong, with the bulk of the broom-corn that is feft in the West fu the hands of local dealers; ana the stock East e uot heavy, Chleago is the principal supply polut for the tradc throughout tho country. In January broom-corn sold ut $00.0042140.00 per ton, The market declined gradually, reaching $70.00:¢110.00 tn October, and recovered subsequently Lo $30.002140.00. ‘The local stock at the close of the year la esti- mated to by 3,000 tons. There is conslderable corn vet In the futerlor, chivlly in Jlinols sud Nebraska. TIB NEW CROP was about 1,000 tons smaller than that of 1876, sud of average *quality, though deliclent iu cholee green hurl, The acreagu planted was uot so large as in the precoding year, bocause othier crops promised st the tine of plauting e pay better, The fiuest coru s now gmduccd ou the vew lands fu hansas aud Nebruska,which Btates avo taking the lead in the cultivation of this staple. The crop in liliuols and Kauvsas was sualler than fu 137, the %n:u(u{ decreaus belug in the former State, Tho crop of the West 48 cotimated as follows: Hiinols, 2,000 tons; Kansas 1,700 tq 2,000 tons: Nebrasks, 800 tunai Missourl, Juwa, und Wisconsin, 80 tons, New York produced 8 falr crop, aud Ublo about ball as much as in 1876, WOOL. THE RECEIFTS AND SOIPMENTS 1n 1877 wera considerable less thaa fu 1870, ow- wg chiefly to the ewaller tbrougn shipments trum the Pucliic Coast, which aro incorporsted in tho published statement. It s estimatéd that the quantlty of wool handled fu this mar- ket hus increased about 25 per cent fu the past two vears. The gulu is principally n Col- orado and Territorial wools, which are fnproving yearly iu quality and congitlon, aud guiniog steadily In popularity with manu- facturcrs. Chicago scews destined to soon bo- come tbe market for a large part of the woal- clip of the plains. Tho receipts of Northwest- ori wool bave probably not varicd much fa the CHEESR TRADE, This {s easily sccounted for, ‘The springing up of fsetories in all varts of the country tributary to Chicago has aflorded country buyers an o) fnnun(ly to purchase thelr ...pm&. lllleclr rom tho producer, and this they are dolog, an may be l:x&ocl:d tadoevenmore generally in the future. With the Soutn anid the Paciilc States wo done and the bave [ trade increased vith thosa is un & cash busls there 16 a disporition to foster it. ‘The growth ot the trade in those directions wil, It Is” expected, partially if not fully offsct the declino of business wltl’l tho near-by deals ers. Bau Francisco, 8t Louts, Loutaville, and Nashwillo have been large buyers here during the past sesson. Lesa capltal is employed in the jJobblng trade than mnucrl{; more thau one- half of the cheess now belr handled on com- misson. Notwithstunding the unprecedentedly ared'production, prices huve averaged slightly higher thau for 1570, Prices have Ja fact oeen better sustalned than for almust any other commodity. With labor well pald and times prosperous, 1@1le would be s good price for theese. The average for tie past year was about e, ‘The Yeur opened at {X@l3¥e, from Which polnt the market grudually advanced untii 160 was: reachied In March. fn April prices ok & turu. u the other d!muk’luu, and continued to work duwnward until the lat of July, when they stood at pSe, Hefory the end of July the market had worked back to O@d3ge. grum tho tildole of Auzust up to the close of ctober prices ly hardencd, beine quoted on Nov. Lat 10613 ge. * Theso bigh prives drove ¢xporters out of thy market, aud durlng Novem- ber and Decewber tha trado wus very dull, with vrlficl weak and variable, the year closing at 10 gl.c. The banuer county of the Weat, both ju o quality of the cheeso turnod out and in the quantity prods 18 Stcboygen County, Wis cousln. Hrrarr uct, [n pounds, was 4,250,000, ‘The number ol boxgs slinned from that county. business, sections EE with a product ralsed on the other sido of tho pant 2w vears, Wi condition of the domestle clip haproved elistiy, TIHE PAST SEAWN was auite x good one for the farmers, but not very prolitable for the dealers, The markets of the eountry were amost denuded of ofd wool whei the new season opened, and buyers msh- el into the West tozet the clip as roon as it v.as reardv to sell, Waonl atarted highcr than in the preceding v Washexl fleeces openen at Hgiey and were soou 10¢ higher, and other grades advanced propurtionately, * The Eastern Luyers bought heasily on the rising market, white founl dealers took hold eautiously, relllnz about as fast a9 they recelved the wool, In order to keep thelr stock low, a8 ther feared a rea:tlon after the fiest flurey. The Eastern markets broke n July under the WEIGHT OF LARAGR ATOCKS, and the Western weakenul In sympathy. Since that ducline there have been few fluctuations in orlees, In the early fall tende promised well, but suddenly fell off “In October beease the stock of woolens In manufacturers’ ands ac mulated rapldly, the miid autums hayinge the eflect of delaying the consumptive demand for winter elothing, During the last four or five months of the year the sales have been chien to Westery manufacturers, which fact has made e market independent of the East, year closed with o smatl stock of wool In the Jocal market, which will bhe needed by J anufacturers before the time for ‘There §s Jitthe wool in firat hamis and the stoclk In the Eaeternmurketss reported tohe light. New washied flcece wools apened At 8547 47e, advanced to g ide, and closed at B9edle, Unwashed wools ranzed from 2230, and tub from 37@44e. Colurudo and Wyoming ool sold at 18712 e —— TIAY, THE TRADE. IN HAY has been better than for a number of years pust, though prices have ruled wnusuafly low, 7 fully §1.00 per ton below the average of 1574, In the early part of the year the busi- noss, besides befng Jight, was conducted a nt to pressmen, who generally had made thefr contracts with the farmers preyiously, and the market did not turn as they exvected. The trade in April and May was fair. The falt bust- ness was large and moderately profitable. The Eastern demand was good untll the rise in frelghts tn October, which was uot im- mediately off.ct by a chavge in prices at. either and the shipments to Lake Superior, Can- adn, and the lumber recions have been greater than for a pumber of years: back, the crop of lay {n those sections having been light owlng to the drought in that belt of country in sum- wmer, ‘The market has been quite steaay, fluctu- ating usually in compnny vith freights, which scem to bave chiefly regulated orices, as the Eastern markets have varlcd but little. In'the latter part of the fall all grades advanced, the movement front the farma belng arrested by the bad weather and miserable roads, but the ‘mar- kew clored Jower under Increased supplies, with Hlittle else thap a focal trade. About as muct nay was suld by Jocal dealers as in former yiars, but a large percestage of the sales was trun- shipped here or forwarded fromn country points direct to destination at o considernble saving of expense to the shipper, TIE LAST CIOR OF TIMOTHY was an average one fu size, and better In qualt- ty than usual, the weather during barvest belng very favorable for curing ft. Prairle was a smaller crop than for two years past. The growth was ratticr thin, aud prices were 20 low that the farmers did not think it would pay to cat It Prairle {s already scurce and relatively Digher thun thnothy, Ol timothy rold at 83.007210,00, and nld pral- rleat #.00a8.00. New Nu. 1 timothy (I877) opened at 80,00, declined & 75¢ per ton, then advanced to $11.50, sud closed a1 $9,0074.50 pr ton. Timothy i suall wirc-bound bales was preferred East, and brought somctimes $1.00 per ton more than wood-bound bales. Unlund prairic opencd nt &7.00, sdvanced 1o §0.00% 0.5, and closcd at £8,008.50. The yearly avernge priceot No. 1timothy wasabont !-‘.u;mr tong and uf the best grades of prairie 86,9 per ton, In the suintuer and cariy fall the nelzhbortng formers supplied the city with loose hay. The system of fnspection adopted o few years azo hins not been in general use, the lack of laclll tles for dolng the work having made it 1ov ox- renu(ve in the present thne of Tow prices, | arize warchouse fs needed, into which the rall- roads can turn the freleht freo of charxe, and wlaw the hay to bo_Inspected ol a saving of time ond money., ‘This past ecaron bay has heen pold by the cstablished prodes, and the fn- spectors appealed to in easca of dispute, Iors, NOPS TAVE DEEN VERY LOW on acconnt of the enormous crop in the United Etates, and the business n this market has Been smalier than usual. The high prices of the crop of 1570 cuused an Increase In the acreage, and the yield was large and tho quality generally good, The domesticcrop of 1577 was cstimated at 200,000 to 225,000 sales, and was uat nearly all pleked. The prospect for ex- porters was slim early, the’ German crep belng o full one, bnt Amcrlcan hopa have been quitc freely exported to England during the vpast four months, the crop there belng rather below the average, and the low prices have induced Enclish brew- crs of al to stock up for future nse, The cx- ports from Sept. 1 to Dec, 21, from New York, were 83,753 bales, against 10,407 balea during the satae time fo 1530, ‘The hops have been seat over from Now York sad Wisconsin dircct, The home consumptlon is ahout 100,000 bales annually, The local business was light carly 1n the year, and a lareo stock of ald lops was carried over, Tho brewers gencrally stocked up or contracted for thelr supplics of new hops at the opening of tho sesson, and the market for the past three months has been dull and drooping. In January cholco hops eold o 23¢ per Ib, and_ declined " gradualiy to 8ellc in August. Now hovs sturted at 810 Sept. 1, a (f dectined Bugde, cloalug dull, Cousumers get the beneflt of cheap hops this season, but the crop has not pald cither farmers or dealers, and the former will probably plourh up many yards next epring, If the export movement ts liberal through the winter there is o falut pros- m:’t‘ that chojee liops will 1cteh more money in 2 - IIIDES, DOMESTIO HIDES haveimet with an excellent demand, ond the scason has been a rather better ‘one than the year previous for dealers, though the business has been conducted oun very small margin, Prices have ayernged higher than In the two preceding scasona on asccount of a seeming scurcity of stock everywhere and thokeen com- petition which has existed between dealers and tanners, Hlided at times have been relatively ligner than fn tho Eastern markets, and dear as compared with leather. Tho average price of green salted bides was 9.4, agalust 7.7 fn 1879, and 8.5 fn 1875, The continually good demand kept stocks down, and Jizht hides capeclally were relatively scarce throughout the season, This scarcity was partly accounted for by subvoging the farmers were unwilling to slaughter thelr young cattle while foed was so abuudaut and cheap as {t has heen the past full and sumimner, The ditlereuce between heavy and light bides widened, the turmer belog 1 lower thau the latter durisg the season. Hides udvanced as usual bn the fall when tan- ners commenced to stock up, but oroke under large receipts (o Octaber, and bave sltco been ruther quict, the bad weather baving lessened the rbce?ull und Interfered with trade. THB HIDE BUSINE1S OF THE WEST is-underiolug & chanze, belug now seattered aud cut up, und the resultivg competition ac- counts fu & iweasure fur the “high’' prices sud “emall’ profits. A few years ago the South Water street tnerchants handled a large propor- tion ul the bides received io this warket, but this trude bus nearly all been Just stuce interior citles becsmo rival markets acd the Western tanters bave grown to be lnrge consumers, The busluces alao Las natumliy fullowed the cattle-ratsing dudustry Westward, aud @s the country has been opened up by railroads, local dealers have catablished branch bouses at the best collecting polnsa, where the bides aro purchased and forwsrded to the home houss in car-lots, or prepared snd sorted, sad then shipped throwsh on vrders, During the past year Eastern houses also bave seut buyers into the country, besid: ming to the ord/nary dutributing ceutres for supplics, e SALT. TN RECEIFTS OF SALY In barrels, bulk, and sacks In 1877 probably exceeded 1,200,000 bris, agsinst 1,100,000 bris fn 1876. Nearly 60 per cent of tho receipts were Michigan salt, 23 per cent New York, 9 per ceot Canads, snd 8 per cent from other foreign ports. The shipments increased sbout 89,000 brls. A Jargo quantity of sals has been receved . and more than usnal here and at conn- try points by rali, ‘The production was larre, especially In the West, and prices have been unusually low; fine salt hasing been cheaper that for twenty years vast. I'he seazon has not been a money-making one, except to some of the Western mannfac- turers, who bave been able to produce largely at small expense, improve the quahity of the ealty and ship to morket atlow frelghts. Fine saltsold st $1.40 per brl, In January, and gradually de- clined, réaching fuAugust, and then ad- vanced to £1,10 In November, Oneof the new features of the season has bren the increasing demand for Bazinaw flne #alt for curing meats, fish, ete., ®hich {s due to ihe imoroved quality of the product, (leretor fure Michizan ne salt has not been consldered quite gowl enough for this purpose, but the uew process of manulacturh by steam has talsed the standard ¢ thst the product now contains 183 per cent of ealt and moisture and auly I percent of Gnpurities, whicn makes it sutlicicutly pure for most uses. This LNPRGVEMENT IN THE QUALITY of the Saginaw fine ralt has increased the frade with the Chicago packers, who have purchased during the season abuut 13,500 tons 11 bulk, of which more than hnif_came direct by rail fromn Baginaw to the packing-honscs at the Etock-Yards, thus soviug the transfer charges necessary when the product Is scot by the water rotute. ‘The Michizan Siate Inepector’s report wivea be production in 1977 as follows: Flne, G20,811 bries packers’, 20,5548 salar, 329107 und quality, 96,240, Total, 1,660,507 bris, of 8.304,455 bu. The eapacity of the ten napecifon districts of the Statc is 16,000,000 bu. At Sain- naw, eix steam blocks have been crected, And the same number of kettle blocks alandoned xince the previous annual seport. ‘The Iollowlug fizures show the product of Michigan during the past elgut years: Harrels, 021, 34% 8,175 The producing territory Is yearly fnerensing. At Gmrmuh, Canaga, new wellsore beltis sunk and the duction it Is expected will be in- crensed this year, The lower saline depordits in the tiodericli region have been found by analysia 1v be remarkably pure, containing less than a quarter of 1 per vent of furelgn matter, and the supoly secma to b Inexhaustible. The Western demund Is annually tncreasing, and bids fair to keep pace with the production. f POTATOE?. THE RECEIPTS WENE A LITTLE LARGER than {n 1870, and the shipinents less. Thecrop of the preesding year was short, and the high prices in the spring brought to this market ail the potatoes thecountry could epare, Peachibiows suld from store n lots at § 25 per bu, ond In cars at $1.75@2.00, in April. As soon as the planting season was past, and new potatoes be- rau to come from the South, prices fell, and when the home crop -sas ripe the neichbor- fng farmers supplied the city ut flgures that shut out all outstde competition. During four months the business was nearly all done with the farmere, and potatoes Were delivered fnall parts of the city at 80@aSe per bu, The crop of 1377 appears to have been & good one in size and qumity, and the receipts were liberal during October, and a part of the following montl. Peachiblows of the mew crop ranged frum 406 e perbu. and Early Rose at 352 icon track. The year closcs with a falr stock on the market. The demand during the past six weeks has been very llxht, and the receipts correspond- fugly smatl, * It {s believed that there are plenty of potatoes In the country to come . forward as £0on u4 the farmers cun houl them to - warket. ‘The stock liere Is not keegine very well, Dealers made money on the crop of 1870, re- tafled last winter, but the. new crop bas been handied at a small gain. POULTRY AND GAME. FOULTRY 1IAS DEEN UNUSUALLY LOW throughout the year, on account of the large supply. During the pust two months, which arcordinasily the best in the year, the market has been In a very unsatiafactory condition, The recelpts huve been heavy, snd’ the mild weather injured stock and kept shippers out of the mar- ket, thas leaving the supply to be taken by the city trade. Within the pust weck many tons of poultry and game were condemned as unflt for food, and carted away. The new year opens with a ltile better outleok for - shippers. Poultry sold at #¢15¢ per 1b, the aversgs range being sbout 7@11c. UOue of the uew featurcs of the year was the canuing of poultry for export to London, The experiment was tricd by a local Grn with falr success, and bids fair to grow into an important business. OAME JIAS PATED BVEN WORSH than ponitey during the pnst ten weeks, the un- scasonable weather in the helght of the season having injured the shipplag demandt aud ruined minch of the game betore it wus recelved or suld. The offerings have heen 1fberal, thouvh smasller than in former years, ana brobably (ces gatne than usual has been hunted and Kitled throughout the Northwest. Prairly chickens rold ut $23%d4.35 per doz, ouall at 7l $1,50, and wild ducks at $LOYELW. The ont- slde prices were pald _before the regular fall ecason commenced. Venlson sold at 7uel2ge. VALUE OF RECEIPTS, THE BELLINU VALUE of the recelpts of produco in 1570 was nearly as follow: Winen, CAc. Provisions, tallos bides, The decrease from 1870 i $qu‘).00\), or about 10}¢ per cent, t, The yalue of the retelpts of lumber, coal, and flsh are not included in the ubove, being ju- corporated {n tho following statistics of whole- uale sules, THE WHOLESALE TRADE. The general course of business among our wholesale merchants hias been more satisfactory, on the wholp, 1han that of any previous year since the panic of 1573 There have beén ex- ceptions to the rule, but the grent majority of traders have fared better. This hasuot been altugether due to improvenient in outside con- ditions, but is partly owing to the fact that our business-men have learncd to accommodate themsclves tothe altered circumstances which folluwedl the sevulsiun of mure than four years ago, DPrevious to that time they had enjoyed a twelve years' experience of almost uninterrupted prosperity, and had become accustomed to doing things on & grand scale, *regardicss of expense,’ [t has taken u'lovg time to learn huw to be economical without parsimony. Thers was a widespread bellel, extending throughout & perlod of three yeara, that the bottom bad been reached; that a few months more must bring around a reaction which would be nearly a return towards former prosperity, and that perscyerance in the good old way must neceesarily ba rewarded with sue- cess. But it bas been slowly learued thet what used b0 bo called prosperity was really an arti- flsad Inflation, that could rot be permancnti and there Is now & gencral disposition not to ex- pect o speedy return to the conditlons which were the results of war. Heuce busioess Is now couducted on & retatively safe baxie. The couutry fs still experfencins the ellects of the last paule, but can scarcely be sald to bo suffer: ing from It, unless as lossvs occur numivally Ly revaluations which should bave beeu made long azo. Banks and fnsurapce cownpaules liave failed, through depreciution of thelr assets; but only because that deprectation was not Tecoguized and compensated for previous to 1877, In the departient of me rehandise the process of scal- ing down pecunlary values was gradual aod continuous, and merchsats were oblied to luok the fact squarely fn the face aud act accordiogly. There was much less of this scaliug down in 1877 than in either of the three years next pro- ceding it. Many departments report reduced prices, aod very few have cxperienced a declded bardestog; but the decline was smatler, on the average, and suomitted to less willlogly by first scllers than herctofore. The fecling is really much steadler, aud the closo of the year has brooght a perceptible frmness in many direc- tivns. whick sugurs wall for the future. “Tha cost of production Is now confessedly down so near to hard-pan that few fears are entertained that {t can g0 much lower, except as improve- ments In machinery may warrant and invite to Increased consumption. The courre of recent events indicates thst the minimum has been reached and passed, and there s Much more confidence In the futore than was possfble twelve months ago. The fact that the West has again been bleat with abundant crops tends ma- terinlly to strengthen this confidence. Tho country Is now able to increase 118 consumption of the comforts which the ity standa ready to rupply, and the city itself is In a more flourish- ing condition ju consequence, though the reflex nction upon the city may be expected to be more fully felt during the coming year. The belief tbat thero s not likely to bLe a further serious decline In quotations, and that consumers will be more abie to purchaze, has nircady operated to induce retailers to stock up tnore freely than herctofore. They are carry- ing larger lites of goods, which in turn attracts busere. It ls, however, important to remember that the days of big and unequal retall stocks have probably passed away forever. Transpor- tatlon facilitics are now so smple that the coun- Lry merchant can obtain & consignment of goods within two or three days from the time of mak- ing out the order, which s often gent by tele: craph and answered by the next trafn, The country dealer 18 thus able to keep his stocks siways fresh, avolds loss fncident to having guods spoll by kecping, or going out of fashion while on his hands, and can always supply his customers with the Jateat and best, And this keept the trade of the city steady all the year round. Qur city merchants are not now rushed to death for a few weeks In the spring and automn, and ncarly fdle the rest of the yesr, They recelve and ship goods cvery day, keeping their force of clerks, porters, and packera cone stantly employed, so that the larzest husiness Is transacted without bustle or confusion, and at the minimum of cost for handling, while the rity stocks are. in turn, always fresh and attract- ive to the retall buyer, This mode of doing business renders pdssible the maintenance of the system of short credits whieh was lnstituted after the panic. A good deal of opposition was manifested at first, but country huyers are now satlafled that It 1s de- udedly to their ndvantage. They are not now obliged to pay prices which relmburse the city merchant for losses oceasioned by had debts, and are therefore able to obtaln their goods at the lowest possibie cost. As our merchants now fmport directly nearly all the forelm goods they.sell, they can supply these ou at least equally good terms with meschants on the reaboard; while the Chicago jobber has a de- vlded advantage in only one handling ol roods of dumestic manufacture. ‘Thesc.adsautazes ure now so well understood that comparatively few Western retaliers now go East for goods. Thev obuy In Chicago. The Centennial Expoaition of 137, which drew kome §10,000,000 of Westcrn tuogey to thie scaboard, scems tu have really benefited us by showlng to many that it 1s to thelr fnterest to trade in Chieago. These who bouzht goods on the sea- board while on the Exposition trip found that they could bave dune better here, and arc now umong the soundest bellevers In Chlcagoasa vlace in which to procure all the goods that they propose to sell to consumers. The area of our busivess enterprise s extend- ing, as well as fllilng vut. New customers in territory already occupled are followed by orders from new scctions. Our dry goods and our hoots and shoes are now being sent to the Pa- clfic coast, and find customers at nearly every Intermediate point where the foot of man or woman bas found a resting place. Trate has leen very much more satisfactory with the Eoutt than it was the previous year, and collec- tions are reported to have been equally prompt 08 at the North. In the last half of 1870 there was a good deal of distrust, owlng to the appre- henelons of grave trouble abcut the Presfdential nuestion. Some of our more conservative mer- chants, remembering the bitter experiences of 1861, would Il only such orders ns were ne- companfed by the cash, and scarcely aoy cared to tsust besond u swull amount, The Iresi- dential difliculty scttled, trade with the South revived, aud bas alnce been Dbetter than before tho partlal Interruption of the enfente cordiale betweon the two sectlons, Out in the Southwest our merchants reach past St. Louls with almost as much certsloty as if there were no Queen City In exlstence; and the wealth of our wholesule establishuients fs poured out Eastward luto Micligan, Indfana, and even Ohlo, where it a short time ago New York merchants held undisputed sway. The Eastern druminer s now almost 8 rara atis fo the West, 1le 14 an jostitution that has been found not to pay his way here, and has gracefully retired before the fnevitable. Butin his stead suother vhase of competition has come out rather foreibly, Eastern manufactur- ers have established agencles and depots here, and compete fu that way for the patronage of tho West, This is especlally the case fn tho Iines of timepieces, musfenl nstruments, tobac- cos, Morocco oods, glove-calf, shcepaking, and linings. Several uow adepots were opencd out during the pust year, nud arrangementa are un. derstovd to be in progress for msterially fne creasing the number. Trade was geverally folr during tho first four moutbs of tbe year, goud In the summer, and very brisk in September and the first halls of October, Then came a scason of about ten weeka of ratn aud mud, which practically stop- ped travel aver (ur throuch) most of the coun- try roads, The villazes could ba reschied from the farm only on foot, and that of the wascu- liue order, Hence, fvminine fadornment was slow, and dry goods and wilinery were espoclal- v dull in that direction, Old articles of apparel were made to do dduty so long Il it was judged « rencwal coutd be deferrea till anather season, and the milinces of the early part of winter hus caused many to delay the purchasing of what are ususlly understood to L scasonnble goody, Our wiolesale merchants have not been so severely hampered by unjust freight discrimi. nations as i sowoe former years, Freighits have been shalily against them, but vot to an extent which was Insurmountable by men whe unders stood thelr business, and preferred the nimble sixpence to the slow abilling. Wa do not give the number of dealers in each branch of our wholesale trade. It is simost hupussible to draw the lne, and we do not at- tempt it. Some of our largest wholesalers also sell ab retsll, while many who are properly re- tatlers do a small wholesale trade. Our igures are, however, lutendued to cover the transactions in the largee line, except In the oneortwo pitnor fnstances where the contrary is specified, GROCERIES, THE WHOLEAALR GROCERY TBADR has been satisfactory on the whole to those en- gaized In It The agggregated sales {a sbout §73,000,000, being tho same as in 1870, The bustness has increased somcwbat in volume, but the auginent is compensated bya further ehrink. age in prices, though this has not been so great as in the previous year, Staple groceries, and indeed most descriptions of fancy goods now rule lower than any preyious year since the tirst election of Abrabsin Lincoln to the Predldency of the United States. There bas been woin- creasyr fn the number of jobbers, nor in the capltal eiwployed, which {3 cstimated at a lttle aver §8,000,000. ‘fhe voluneof business in proceries would probably bave showo a rather lurge Increase but for the occurrence of tho strike fnJuly. This, and the bad weather o2 November, serl- ously finpeded the course of trade during the two months which aro ondinerily the most act~ ivu of the year, TUK NUMBER OF FPAILURRS among the grocers ul the West was fully astarge as in 1876, but the trade has not been materlally affected thereby. Indeed, our leading jobbers regard these changes of tho reccnt past asonicns of good. They say that the weak ones have now been well weeded out, sud the prospect for stability is better than at auy other time siuco the panie. Tho market ts now on a firm basis, 20d credits bave been alited 3o closely that loss from bad debts s likely to be & small feature of the trade during the coming year. The grocary busineas iu Chicasra is believed to be condncted on n sounder busts than in ang other eity of the Unlon, beine larwely transsct. & on actual capital, and {8 Tess seriousty sffect- €d by the hard timesthanmost otherhranches of trade. Our dealers are content to sell at small profits, and thus control a very Inrge ares, thelr trade stretching out far towards the Enat, as well as West and Routh, Onr jobbers do a larze business with Ohlo, Indians, aod Micnizan, while tlle{ virtm“ydmnlml lthe whols tradn ¢ tenth degree of jongitude fr Washdnarton, P e The courae of the market for FTOARS was disappointing; not fo the quantity sold, the sales exceeding those of any former year, cxcept asreganls prices. As arulethe changes in quota- tlous came without prevlous warning, and at fmportant periods of the scason took n course dircetly opposite to that thought to he the most natural: adyancing when jobbers were lightly stocked and declining when they were 1he best prepared for an ad- vanres 8o that, notwithstanding the unprece- dentedly Inrge sales, the season was far from being & satisfactory one. During the Jast half of August and the first iwo weeks of Scptem- ber thers was a very largs demand, and the trado had great difficulty in flling orders. Tho market was bare of stock for days, fohlers finding it utterly imposaible to bring forward supplics rapidly enough to meet the wanta of thelr customers. There was in faet a sugar fainine. At the East the heavy export demand which set In toward the Iatter part of August causnd & gharp advance Lhere, which, with tho urgent demaud, sent up prices heta to the ex- tent of IgS{c. The bighest price of the year was 13%¢, and the lowest DJf for Standari! A The highest ana loweat for'1876 werc 123¢c and (?‘& respectively. Opening prices fpr Standarg A were 115@113{c, but during January and February the market deellned to' 10%@10%c. In Murch a reactlon sct {n, and vrices rrmlna ly crept upward until the begiuning of Muy, wicp they stod ot 1914@12%c. From the frst o, Junie untll the muldle of August there was ¢ steady shrinkawe, the quotations on Aug, 15 be- g 103464107¢c. Later, thero was an adyance to 113@ilife, but the market again fell off tn November, und at the close of the vear atood at 10@10)c. The average price was about. 103{c. A rellable authority places, o round numbers, the consumption of fareigu and domcstle sugar In the Unlied States in 1870 at C38,000 tons, agalnst 655,000 tuns In 1875, 710,000 tons in 1574, 652,000 tons I 1873, 657,000 tons In 1872, 633,000 tons In 1871, and 530,000 tons in 1870. The ‘Im- rortnllann of forelgn sugar at all ports, exclus- ve of those on the Paclfic Cusst, are atated at 592,000 tons In 1876, agalust 662,000 tons in 1875, And u San Franclsco cireular gives the Importa- tions there for 1570 ag 69,177,511 1bs, mainly from Hawait and Manilla, but Including 5,047,000 Ibs reflucd sugar from New York. COPFEES ; in comparison with former years have ruled very steady. Excepting the Srst two weeks of January, during which period the market jump- «ed up nearly % per Ib, the Auctuations fo val- ucs Lave nefther been numerous nor violent, and, all things considered, the scazon was the most satisfactory that our merchanis have ex- perlenced for several years, The total product of the world s cstimated at about 009,000,000 pounds, of which quantity the United States fmports over one-third, or about 817,000,000 vounds, The chlef coffee-producing countrics, asiswell known. are Brazil, the Dutch Col- onies, the West Indles, the Central and South Amencan Kepublics, and Ceylon, During tha ast fifty years the consumptiion of coffec hins argely “Inereased, and fur a number of years” past the supply . has not kept pace with the demsud. While the im- Fortnunm have steadily Increased (growing rom _ $08,040 ba@s in 188 to 1.487,203 in 1876) the anpreciation in values has beon cven more rapld. The averaze annual fimporta- tions for the three years cnding with 153 were o, 1bs, of the valug of $20,700,000, while the averaze for the three i’vars coding witn 1875 was 2208,700,000 s, of the valuo of £50,800,000. Tnc above shows an increase in quantity of only 34 per cent, while the Increaso in value _{s 148 per cent. Of the 1,457,202 bags fmported In 1876, T3.481 bars, or nearly one- half, arrtived at New York. Prices opened ot 218{(it22L{c for choles to lancy Rio, snd beforo the close of January had advariced to 2d}g@c. The market roon reacted to 24@Uige, where it remainel without material fluctuation untit Sentember, when the price declined to 23i(@ 238{c, and In November to 22@225¢c, which were the clostug figures, THE TEA TRADE has not been (b avery prosperous condition. Judged alonc by the volumne of salcs, the acason was the mast eatisfactory of nfl that our mer- chants have cver experienced, the number of packages distributed materially execeding that for any former ycar, but 85 the Lusincss was done st a very small profit, or at an nctual loss, the trade do not feel particularly fubtlant, The supply has constantly exeeeded the deanand, and the nrefl:lrc to realize kept prices so low that ittie offno margin for profit remained, The angual consumption of tea in tha United States fa about 6,000,000 1bs, and is increasing ata rapld rate, the increase during the gut ten years hav- Ing been over 50 per cent. During the latter g:n of November und the first hatl of Decem- r, owing o the agitation ef the question of imposing a tax of 10c per 1b, there was develop- ed quite a brisk domand, under which prices ais vanced 3i25c, but at no other period of the sca- son did the market display much vitality, ‘Tho direet imports into Chicayo for 1377 were about. 0,000 packages, aguivet T0,U2 for 18765 45,007 for 1575, and 32,52 for 18 CANNED GOODS AND PICK- > LES, YOR CANNED GOODS Lhe scason of 1877, though showing a scarcely Inrger volume of sales than. was accomplished during 187, was In otber respects more satisfac- tory. [Prices wero moro steadlly mafntalned all around, there belng very litle shrikage as comparcd with the provious scason, The year's business has ylelded at least a moderate profit, and to that extent was an Improvement over the two or three that fumediately preceded it. The demand from first to last was strRtly In accord ance with current requirements, thus leaving to tho jobber the burden of carrying the bulk of tho stock; but that featuro of tho market was not peculiar to the scason, a similar course hav- ing been puraued ever sluce the panic. In plain and fancy PICKLES AND CIOW Cfiow tho scason's busincss makes a much more gratifylng exhibit. Not oniy bas thero beena considerable increase in the quantity distribu- ted, but prices throughout the sesson have been maintained at o polnt that Insured et least & Living proflt both to the grower 'sud manufuo- turer. In the plekling business Cnivago no longer hos & competitar, Bhe Is rocoguized East and West as the distributing centre of the whole country, and bere New York, Boston, Thitadetphis, and altoost the entire South now ook for their supplies. St. Louis is one of our laryest customers, ono firm here having shipped to that polat durlng the year Just closed thirty car loady of pickles. ‘This Is theouly paint in the United States where faucy packed plekles and chow chow arc_put up. “In quality thesa gooda rival the best English brands, snd the du- mand fur them (s rapldly Increasing, while the sales of the fported article are as steadily full- imgofl. It is ap undisputed fact that the WESTERN GROWN ARTICLE 1s greatly superior to that ralsed at the East. ‘They re better avorwd, oro harder, and cure more crisp, ‘Thelr superlority s evideoced by the fuct that Eastern pleklers to u considerable extent come Weat for thelr supplivs, taklug the ruw materil buckk o the East and puttiog them un thore. More avd nore each year the de- mand I running to uncolured pickics, and fu & seuson or two moru 6 1s prubable that very few 1f any arttliclally colored goods will bo offered forsale. About all the plekies put up hero are roduced fnthe fmmwedlato vicivity, viz.: in ook aud McHenry Counties. In tho pickting bustneas alous a capital of $150,000 is employed, aud the sales for the year Just closcd reuche about $600,000. TOBACCO. AB A TOBACCO MARKET Chicago sircady takes rank, among the largest and mast flnportant i the country, snd luis ouly nrcegsary that the preseut rate of progress bu maintafued for & few years longer to entltle ber to the distinction of occupying the tirst place. As an evidenco of the mrowlug inpor- tance of Chivugo s u tobacca market way be cited the fuct that all the promiuent Eastern manufacturers now think ft necessary to bave resldent agents bers, whereas formerly tbelr fo- tercats were solely lutrusted to trading sales- meu. Although values during 18577 shruvk fuliy B per cent, the year's sales show an in- creaso of 20 per cent, the total belng $13,000,- 000, 85 aguiust $10,000,000 for 1876, 'The capital euwployed ln the busiuess baa conaldersbly fucreased, aud now aounts $o $3,000,00, - cluding * that employed by those whoic- sale grocers who maks specially of tobaccos. While' tho buslnces has bein doneona very close wargin, the warket bas beea subjected to fewer fuctuations than usual; and {0 geterul result tho year has proved 3 fairly satiafactory oue, The demaud, wore