THE AORIGULTURAL JOURNAL. 



Market Reports. 



( Responsibility for the accuracy of the Statements 



the respective 



MARITZBURG.— Messrs. W. H. Walker and 

 Co. write :— The market remains almost abso- 

 lutely the same as a fortnight back. This may 

 in a great measure be traced to the fact that the 

 railway, during the greater portion of that 

 period, has, practically speaking, been closed. 

 Maritzburg merchants have laid their grievances 

 before the Commission appointed by the Gov- 

 ernment "to enquire into the delay of the de- 

 livery of goods from the Point. 



JfeaZies.— Grain is still falling in price, and 

 now that wevils are manifesting their existence, 

 it is depreciating in value. The average 

 price is about 10s. 6d. to lis. per muid. 



Forage. -Some very fair samples are disposed 

 of daily at prices varying between 2s, and 7s. 6d„ 

 and 8s. 2d. per 100 lbs. Of course price depends 

 in a large measure on quality. 



Hay.-'R^y still commands good prices, some 

 samples realising as much and even more than 

 forage. While some samples have beea as low 

 as 3s , others have realised 4s. 2d., and as much 

 as 5s. per 100 lbs. Bedding, according to size ot 



load. ,T •. 1. . 



■ Potatoes.— li is many years since Maritzburg s 

 market was glutted to the extent it has been ot 

 late with tubers. Some samples have been as 

 low as 3s. and 4s. per 100 lbs, Und one hears 

 farmers complaining of the loss in planting 



potatoes. . , ■ , - 1 c 



MaheJe.—GooA samples maintain high fagures. 

 Although mabele of inferior quality has been 

 sold at 4s. per 100 lbs., good stuff has realised 

 8s. 3d. per 100 lbs. 



Onions.— Vvom 2s. to 15s. 3d. per 100 lbs. It 

 has now been demonstrated beyond all doubt 

 that the soil in and around Maritzburg is pecu- 

 liarly adapted for the cultivation of onions, it 

 has been a serious question with householders 

 to be able to supply their tables with this whole- 

 some and nutritous vegetable ; but when as 

 much as 9d., Is., and more per lb. has been 

 demanded on our market for onions, one has 

 been compelled to forego the pleasure of this 

 luxury. At the last exhibition of the Pieter- 

 maritzburg Horticultural Society, some exhibits 

 were staged which far eclipsed many of the 

 imported article ; and more than one cultivator 

 expressed himself by saying: " 1 never dreamt 

 that onions were so easy to cultivate. 1 here is 

 no necessity for importing so largely if people 

 only tried to utilize some of the waste patches 

 of ground in and near our city. , , ^ „ 



Poultry.— CoxDOiou fowls from Is. Id. to ds. ba. 

 4s. Od. each ; ducks, 5s. to lis. Gd. per pair. 



Butter.- From 7d. to 2s. per lb. 



Ef/gs.— From Is. 6d. to 3s. Sd. per doz. 



Siindries.—Uutioa, Aid. to S'A per lb. ; pork, 

 4d. to 8d. per lb. ; pigeons, Is. 9d. to 2s. bd. per 

 pair ; rabbits, 7d. to 2s. each ; and bacon, 4d. to 

 7d. per lb. 



and Opinions oj the following Reports rests with 

 contributors ) 



Vegetables.— ThQ. market is now abundantly 

 supplied with beans, beetroot, cabbages, carrots, 

 cucumbers, lettuce, onions, peas, potatoes, mar- 

 rows, rhubarb, tomatoes, and turnips. 



Fruit.— K\)T\coi&, apples, bananas, grenadiUas, 

 lemons, oranges, mangoes, pineapples, plums, 

 peaches, and strawberries. In fact, there is 

 something to tempt the taste of the most fas- 

 tidious offered every morning in the way ot 



^^^PireiDOod. -From 7Jd. to Is. 2id., per 100 lbs. 



DURBAN.— We regret to say that our Dur- 

 ban report has not reached us at the time for 

 going to press. 



Experiments at several experimental stations 

 in A merica have shown that too deep cultiva- 

 tion is injurious to maize. The first cultivation 

 should be rather deep, but during subsequent 

 workings the ground should be stirred as little 

 as possible. Simply pulverise the crust and kill 

 the weeds. The roots of the corn extend 

 laterally but a few inches beneath the surface, 

 and when the cultivator shovels, expose, or t^ar 

 through them, injury is done the plant. Ibe 

 obiect of cultivation should always be kept in 

 view, to establish and maintain a dust or soil 

 mulch, and to kill the weeds that would rob the 

 corn plants of food and moisture. 



A curious race was that for the St. Leger in 

 1819 When the flag fell a number of horses 

 failed to start, and the stewards ordered the race 

 to be run over again. Mr. Fergusons ' An- 

 tonio " won the first race (it was, by the way on 

 this occasion that Mr. Ferguson lost £10 to a 

 York Quaker, who bet him that he could not 

 whistle while the horses were passing the post), 

 beating "Wrangler" by half a length In the 

 second race "Antonia" did not start, but 

 "Wrangler" did, and again came in second. 

 An appeal was lodged by Mr. Ferguson, and the 

 stewards of che Jockey Club, after consultmg 

 with the starter and judge, decided that the tirst 

 race was the true one, thus overruling the Don- 

 caster stewards. 



Yarious are the materials which have been 

 used for horse shoes Gold occasionally, and 

 silver frequently, were used by the most extra- 

 va'^ant of the Roman nobles when Roman pros- 

 perity and extravagance was at its highest. 

 Silver shoes are sometimes mentioned in records 

 of much more recent date. Wooden shoes on 

 the mud patten principle have been employed 

 with success in the Western islands of Scotland, 

 and also on deep grounds in America, borne 

 years ago Mr. Henry Lucking, of Granheld 

 Wisconsin, drove his teams with large fiat 

 wooden shoes strapped over their feet when 

 working them on soft wet meadow land. 



