Show GRAIN AND PROVISIONS Chicago Dec wheat market was firm for the greater part of the day At the opening the May delivery wan up AS to at to TIle initial firmness was due chiefly to an advance in the price of wheat at Liverpool For Fora a time shorts fairly active bidders and the price of May rose to Un Unconfirmed confirmed reports Of damage b rain to the Argentina crop buying on the local board Iii anticipatIon of toe of time crop to Imort wheat was generally expected to tobe be bearish and timers was considerable selling by pIt This produced a temporary during which the theMay May option sold off to lug to official statistics the condition of wheat is compared with at the corresponding time one year ago Thu effect of this report was quick quickly ly dispelled by the of a large decrease in th visible supply of wheat the available stocks being me bushul durIng the week against an of bushels for forth th week of last year These figures a firm feelIng which until the close Demand by houses nd shorts curried the undo of Mat up to Tue market closed with May at ISI of an In the ear shortage situation m will enable the new Corp crop tp roach more promptly litoro sailing or lower Oils ill corn but firmed up itt sympathy with wheat May closed p at The provisions market was except the nearby delivery of lard fairly strong At time close Mar pork was off lard was down slid ribs ware lower Time leading futures ranged as follows r Open Low ii Dec i Open lUgh i Lou Chose ii Dee 46 41 tta 14 41 July I Low Close Dec May July MESS barrel I Low F Ci 11 May I 1353 1342 pounds I I ID D Jan t May I SHORT I Opeti t I 1 m 1 I Cash ware as follows 2 No 2 87 No 2 red I 2 16 No 2 yellow 45 2 31 No 2 whIte No S white 2 feeding 35 fair to choice Flax 1 90 No 1 northwest TImothy SilO Mess pounds Short loose clear boxed of wines Itee Flour barrels Wheat bushels Corn bushels Oats bushul Rye bushels I |