1838] 



FARMERS' REGISTER. 



611 



far too much sense to stick to any such bet as he 

 seems here to otl'er. But if lie dares to maintain 

 his offer, in <rood faith, and will put it in precise 

 and definite terms, so as to permit fair trial, com- 

 parison, and '• competition," and so as to clear up 

 fairly the point in question, (the superior <rro\vih 

 and maturity of the wood, in open or naturally 

 exposed culture, in V'irpinia and in New York,) 

 then he can have the bet taken up much sooner 

 than he wishes, and for a much larger amount 

 than he here /; re/ e/it/s to put at hazard. 



The concluding assertion, that '^ the truth is. 

 their (growth is as orreat in Rhode Island and Con- 

 necticut as in Virginia," is so grossly and mani- 

 festly false, that it does not deserve any other than 

 this mode of reply. I should as soon attempt se- 

 riously to disprove, what would be an equivalent 

 assertion, that the climate of New England was 

 as warm as that of Virginia, and the summers as 

 lonff. 



The numerous purchasers of the plants and 

 seeds of the Messrs. Prince, have submitted, si- 

 lently, lont; enough to their mode of dealing ; and 

 for them, in addition, to have also such gross im- 

 position as this attempted — such insult offered to 

 their understanding, is pressing too heavily, and 

 perhaps dangerously, upon their forbearance. 



The Messrs. Prince will not dare to repeat the 

 offer of their bet in precise terms, and on fair 

 conditions; or make themselves responsible for an 

 issue so made up. Anti-Puff. 



MONTHLY COMMERCIAL, REPOKT. 



The grain and flour markets have been in a 

 fluctuating state during the present month. Prices 

 advanced in England, until the average of wheat 

 reached 73 per quarter, when the duty being re- 

 duced to its minimum, all that was in bond, or that 

 arrived at the moment, was entered for consump- 

 tion, amounting to a million quarters, or 9,333,000 

 bushels of 60 pounds. The averages of the suc- 

 ceeding weeks were progressively lower, so that 

 the duty gradually advanced, and this has pre- 

 vented shipments of flour from the United States. 

 The price of wheat in our markets has been $1 55 

 to $1 75. Of flour ,S8 to 8 50— supplies have not 

 been large, except at New York, where receipts 

 by way of the Erie Canal, &c., reach 4,000 to 

 11,000 bbls. daily. The seeding of wheat in Vir- 

 ginia is unusually late— excessive drought, suc- 

 ceeded by rains almost as excessive, having pre- 

 vented the farmers /i-om preparing their land. 



The crops of wheat on the continent of Europe, 

 are reported to be much below an average. 



The price of tobacco has advanced in all 

 European markets, and is fully supported on this 

 side— ranging from $6 50 to ^13 50 for lugs and 

 leaf The crop now preparing for market is vari- 

 ously estimated from 20,000 to 30,000, and that of 

 Kentucky at 20,000 to 25,000 hhds. The quantity 

 inspected in Virginia, lor the j^ear ending 1st inst., 

 was 41,800, and the export to Europe 21,000 

 hhds. The receipts in New Orleans to same 

 period, were 38,100, and the export 37,100, of 

 which a large portion was shipped coastwise. 

 The stocks in Europe are very moderate. The 

 quantity manufactured in Virginia is 18,000 to 



20,000 hhds. exclusive of 7000 hhds. leaf convert- 

 ed inio stemmed. 

 The receipts of cotton are thus stated : 

 1837. 1838. 

 N.Orleans and Natches, 601,014 731.256 bales. 

 Mobile, - - 232,243 309,807 do. 



Florida, - - 83,703 106,171 do. 



Georgia, - - 262,971 304,210 do. 



S. Carolina, - 196,377 294,334 do. 



N. Carolina, - 18,004 21,439 do. 



Virginia, - - 28,618 32,000 do. 



Ai Northern pons inland, - 2,280 do. 



1422,930 1801,497 

 A considerable quantity of old cotton remained 

 in the country in October 1837, so that the relative 

 production of the two years may be stated at 

 1,560,000 and 1,660,000 bales. 

 The exports to Foreign ports were : 



1837. 1838. 



To Great Britain, 

 France, 



South of Europe 

 North do - 



850,786 1,165,155 bales. 



260,722 321,480 do. 



30,480 25,895 do. 



26,437 63,099 do. 



1,168,523 1,575,629 



The quantity consumed in the United States, 

 (not including the factories south and west of Vir- 

 ginia,) was, in 1837, 222,540— in 1838, 246,063 

 bales. These estimates are all made from Octo- 

 ber to October. 



The stocks in all our ports October 1837, were 

 75,820 and October 1838, 40,300 bales. 



The crop of the present year is supposed to be 

 smaller than that of the last, particularly in the 

 Atlantic States. In North Carolina and Virginia, 

 it is not only much less in quantity, but inlljrior in 

 quality. The price in Petersburg is 11 to 12 cents, 

 being ^ cent below that of old, the stock of which 

 is nearly exhausted. The mills at this place are 

 all in active operation, and the erection ofnew ones 

 proposed. 



The attention of some of our most enterprising 

 farmers is now directed to the culture ofsilk, fo° 

 which preparations are making, and no doubt is 

 entertained of its success. Speculations in the 

 niorus multicaulis are carried to a surprising ex- 

 tent in every part of the country, and fortunes 

 have been made from the reproduction of a few 

 twiffs. 



The extension of the great line of railroads is 

 now about to be undertak'en, from Raleigh to Co- 

 lumbia, S. C, which will nearly complete the 

 chain from Maine to Alabama— what, with steam 

 ships and locomotives, space will be annihilated. 



Oct. 29th, 1838. X. 



Our correspondent, T. S. Pleasants, having seen the 

 sheet (after the printing was finished,) containing the 

 extracts of his private letters, deemed it necessary, to 

 prevent the appearance of his having assumed too 

 much, that it should be stated, that T. M. Randolph, 

 esq., first suggested the scheme, and obtained from 

 the government the lease of the Bellona Arsenal, for 

 silk-culture; and that Pleasants became, by subse- 

 quent arrangement, one of the joint tenants and oc- 

 cupants of the property. 



