164 
AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST. 
[Mat, 
Parsnips.— The earlier these are sown the better 
the crop is likely to be. Use only last year's seed. 
Hoe and weed as soon as the plants appear. 
Khubarb. — Do not gather from plants set last year. 
Cut off all flower-stalks as soon as they appear. 
Squashes for late use should be planted by the 
middle of the month in rich soil. Treat the early 
sorts the same as cucumbers. 
Tomatoes.— Transplant as soon as warm enough 
to the open ground, setting the plants i feet apart. 
Turnips.— Dnst air-slaked lime or ashes on the 
young plants as soon as up to destroy the black fly 
which attacks them. 
B?lower Warden and Lawn. 
Planting will form the main work in this depart- 
ment for ths first part of this month. Evergreens 
succeed best when planted some time during this 
month. Great care must be used not to allow the 
roots to dry by exposure to the winds, as when 
this happens the tree seldom survives. Set out 
ornamental trees at once before they commence 
their growth. If any trees need moving attend to 
it at once. 
Lawns. — Clear up all dead leaves, sticks, etc., 
if not done before. The lawn should be cut 
often in order to keep the surface neat and smooth. 
If the grass is not too thick allow it to remain on 
the ground ; it will serve as a fertilizer, and also 
prevent the sun from drying out the roots. 
S/irubs. — A selection of early flowering shrubs will 
give a place an attractive appearance in spring be- 
fore the leaves have started on the ornamental 
trees. Shrubs flower better if properly pruned. 
Edgings around walks and beds should be kept 
neatly cut, and no grass or weeds allowed to grow 
on the paths. 
Paths. — If any new paths or drives are needed 
mike at once, and use plenty of broken stone as a 
foundation, and finish with gravel. 
Annuals. — Sow as soon as the ground becomes 
warm — at least by the middle of the month. Keep 
the beds clear of weeds. 
Perennials should be sown in a separate bed from 
the annuals. Sow seed of those now coming into 
flower as soon as ripe. 
Bulbs. — Set out Gladiolus, Tiger-flower, and Lily 
bulbs in rich soil. Tuberoses do best if planted in 
pots and started in the house before setting out. 
Cumbers. — Sow seeds of Sweet-pea, Cypress-vine, 
Morning Glory, etc., where a screen is needed and 
for covering trellises. 
Dahlias started in the house may be planted out 
now, and as soon as they commence their growth 
they must be tied to stakes. 
Ccrceiiliomise anil Window Plants. 
Do not put all the greenhouse plants out of 
doors, as is sometimes done, but keep the house 
looking well the year round. This can easily be 
done if a little pains is taken with shading. 
/Shelter. — Some shelter is needed for Camellias 
and other greenhouse evergreens when they are 
placed out of doors during the summer. The best 
thing is a sheltered spot surrounded by trees, but 
not under their drip, and the ground where the 
pots are to be placed covered with coal ashes to 
keep out worms. Florists use a lattice-work shed 
built for the purpose. 
Plunging is sometimes resorted to with plants 
which it is not expedient to turn out of the pot, 
and also when it is desirous to use greenhouse 
plants for decorating the lawn. Such plants as 
Palms, Yuccas, Ficns, and other subtropical things, 
may be used for this purpose with fine effect. 
Bedding Plants.— Do not set out until settled 
warm weather, and then in good soil, and give 
water until the plants arc well established. 
Bummer Propagation may be carried on in a cool 
greenhouse kept shaded during the middle of 
the day. 
Commercial Matters— Market Prices. 
The following condensed, comprehensive tables, care- 
fully prepared specially for the American Agriculturist, 
from our daily record during the year, show at a glance 
the transactions for the month ending April 13th, 1874, 
and for the corresponding month last year : 
1. TRANSACTIONS AT THE NEW YORK MARKETS. 
Receipts. Flour. Wlieat. Corn. Hue. Barley. Oats 
21 il'<*i m'lliSOU.OOO 1,317,000 2,078,000 0,000 131.100 7514,000 
24 d's last m'th317,000 1,912,000 411,000 141,000 15:j,000 486,000 
Sales. Flour. Wheat. Corn. Hue. Barley. Oats. 
21 d's this ni'tli258,000 2,101,000 2,3:6,000 3'J.IU) 23o,oni)' 1,0117 000 
24 d's last 111'Ui 229,000 2,419,000 1,617,000 116,000 329,000 1,104,000 
3. Comparison with same period at lids lime last year. 
Ueceipts. Flour. Wheat. Corn. Hue. Barley. Oats. 
34 days 187*. . .896,000 1,317,000 2,673,000 0,900 131,000 794,000 
25 days 1873... 191,000 267,000 381,000 2,750 59,000 643,000 
Sales. Flour. Wheal. Corn. Hue. Barley. Oats. 
24 days 1371. . .853,000 2,104,000 2,316,000 39,000 839,000 1.097,00.) 
25 days 1873... 225,000 637,000 1,395,000 4,500 187,000 1,115,000 
3. Stock of grain in store at Next) York. 
Wheal. Corn. H//e. Barley. Oats. Malt. 
bush. busli. biish. btisb. bush, busli. 
April 6, 1811.. 1,036,091 128,602 20,379 118,820 408,673 45,475 
Mar. 9, 1874.. 1,320,818 754,511 26,378 61,416 751,375 22,276 
Feb. 9, 1874.. 1,070,619 511,800 11,608 40,906 735,99! 23,760 
Jan. 12,1874. .1,235,413 1,146,203 1,131 186,208 514,117 8*488 
Dec. 10, 1873.. 1,553,313 2,093,544 241,885 570,712 00,805 
4. Exports from New York, Jan. 1 to April 9 : 
Flour. Wheat. Corn. St/e. Barley. Oats. Peas. 
libls. bush. bush. bush. bush. bush. bush. 
1874.... 012,380 7,330,021 8,018,830 254,310 SO.r.81 69,10! 
1.373.... 296,843 l,0u0,712 3,182,533 1,004 11,830 6,162 IS 380 
1872.... 217,804 1,873,515 8,579,019 119,330 8,730 67,317 
Current Wholesale Prices. 
March 13. j April 11. 
Prick of Gold 113 113« 
FLOUK-Supcr to Extra State $5 65 15 7 65 *5 S3 <a 7 75 
Super to Extra Southern.... 6 50 a, 10 50 6 30 @io 75 
Extra Western 6 S5 ©10 75 6 35 ©10 50 
Extra Genesee 7 75 © 9 50 7 85 © 9 50 
Supcrnne Western 5 05 © G 25 5 85 ©6 45 
ItYK Flour 4 15 ® 5 75 4 15 @ 5 83 
Corn-Meal 3 50 © 4 50 3 75 ©4 50 
Buckwheat Flour.?! 100 Bs. 3 00 ©3 50 Nominal. 
Wheat— All kinds 01 White. 1 65 © 1 95 1 05 © 1 90 
All kinds ol lied and Amber. 1 35 © 1 15 1 40 © 1 75 
Corn— Yellow 88 @ 91 £8 @ 94 
Mixed 86 @ 92 &4 © 91 
White SS ® 91 SO © 92 
Oats- Western 62 @ 66K 02 © 60K 
State 63 @ 60 08 © 08 
Kte 100 @ 1 05 105 ©112 
Barley 110 ©2 10 150 ©195 
Hat— Bale, IB 100 lbs 100 ©185 100 ©140 
Straw, ft 100 Us 60 ©95 60 © 95 
Cotton— Middlings, V lb.... 16^® 16% 17 & 17K 
Hops— Crop of 1873. H> lb 20 @ 45 15 © 35 
Feathers —Live Cecse, HI ft. 65 ©75 05 © 75 
Seiid— Clover, 9 lb 9%@ 9}/ 9'i® 10!< 
Timothy, if) bushel 3 15 @ 3 30 — © 3 00 
Flax, f) bushel ... 2 50 ©2 10 8 10 ©2 80 
Sugar— Ren'g& Grocery id lb 6",;® S% SJjia Sv 
Molasses, Cuba, H<gal 20 ©40 33 @ 4S 
New Orleans, ?! gal 60 © 15 60 ® 15 
CoFFfiE-lIio(Gold) 23K® 20,^ 19 © 23^ 
Tobacco. Kentucky, &c„ Hi lb. 5>£® 14 5 @ 13 " 
Seed Leaf, HI lb 5 @ 65 5 © 65 
Wool— Domestic Fleece, V lb 82 © 65 SO © 60 
Domestic, pulled, H* Id 30 © 55 25 © 50 
California, clip 18 @ 37 10 © 35 
Tallow, H" lb la® 1% ~i%% 1% 
OlL-CAKK-ii! ton 43 00 ©4100 44 00 ©45 00 
Pork— Mess, H' barrel — ©16 00 17 00 ©17 1214 
Prime, H> barrel 13 50 ©13 75 14 00 @M 50 
Beef— Plain mess 10 00 ©1150 9 50 ©1100 
LAitD, in trcs. & barrels, IP n. s;<@ 9;<; 9,>j@ \0H 
Butter— State, fib 32 © 55 27 ® 35 
Western, H> E> 80 © 42 20 © S3 
Cheese.. . 5 ® 17^ 5 ® 17 
Bkans-iD bushel 1 50 © 4 00 1 50 © 4 25 
PEAS-Canada, free. * bu ... 1 20 @ 1 25 1 25 © 1 21 
EOGS-Fresh.li) dozen IS ® 22 ISM® 16 
" Limed 3R dozen 11 ® 14 Nomiual. 
Poultry-FowIs 10 © 17 10 © 19 
Turkeys— Hi B 8 @ 16 10 © IS 
Geese, if) pair 1ST ©2 60 175 © S 00 
Ducks, if< pair 70 ® 90 15 © 1 25 
" f ft 12 © 11 12 ® 84 
Ducks, wild. ?) pair — ® — 30 ® 1 75 
Plover. H) dozen — ® — 1 00 ® 1 25 
Snipe, f) dozen — @ — 1 50 © 1 75 
Capons, HI ft — ® -- S5 ® — 
Pigeons, ?( dozen — ® — 2 50 © 3 00 
Turnips Hi bbl 50 © 15 50 © 75 
Cabbvges-H' 100 2 00 ©10 00 4 00 ©SCO 
Onions-H) bbl 4 50 © 5 50 3 00 © 6 50 
Potatoes— H> bbl 2 23 ©3 25 2 25 ® 3 12>$ 
Swbbt Potatoes— H) 1)1)1 4 50 @ 6 75 7 00 ® 1 50 
Carrots -HI bbl 1 50 © 2 00 2 00 © 2 50 
IlROOil-CORN 6 @ 11 6 © 11 
Strawberries— Hi quart — ® — 30 © 90 
Appi.es— Hi barrel 1 50 ® 5 00 1 50 © 6 00 
Cranberries- 1 ? bbl 1150 ©14 50 1100 ©15 00 
Beets, H) bbl 2 00 @ 2 25 2 00 ©2 25 
Celery, HI doz 1 00 @ 1 50 2 00 © 2 50 
Green Peas, Hi bushel.. 1 60 ® 1 15 1 50 © 1 15 
Water-Cresses. H) basket... — © — 40 © 7;i 
Rhubarb-HI bunch — ® — 12 ® — 
Radishes— HI 100 bunches.... — ® — 8 00 © 3 50 
Maple Sugar — © — 8 © 15 
Ginseng — ® — 1 25 © 1 o5 
Gold has been up to 1137b and down to 112— closing 
April 11th at 113=4 as against 112 on March 12th 
The receipts and sales of Breadstutl's have been on an 
extensive scale for the season. The arrivals of Corn 
have been unusually heavy. The demand for Flour, 
Spring Wheal, and Corn has been active, largely for ex- 
port. Prices have been variable, closing generally with 
more firmness. The dealings in Oats have been quite 
liberal, and the market closed strong; prime samples of 
both Mixed and White, scarce, and wanted for trade 
purposes. Kye has been in better request, and much 
firmer toward the close. Barley has been plenty, and 
seriously depressed iu price, with less inquiry for sup- 
plies. Spring Wheat and Mixed Corn has been sold lo a 
considerable extent for forward delivery at the ruling 
figures. There has not been much call for Wheat, millers 
having been the priucipal buyers, and purchasing ouly to 
meet urgent wauts. The rise in ocean freights toward 
the close tended to check operations on oxport account. 
Provisions have been more active, the transactions 
in Pork, Lard, and Bacon having been largely on specu- 
lative account at firmer rates. Beef easier ; Butter and 
Eggs 'much cheaper; Cheese about steady There 
has been a fair movement in Cotton for prompt and for- 
ward delivery, closing, however, in favor of buyers 
Tobacco, Seeds, Hay, and Straw have been moderately 
sought after within our revised range Wool has been 
iu fair demand, and though somewhat irregular during 
the month closed rather stronger, with very scant sup- 
plies of really desirable grades available. From Califor- 
nia the reports are that shearing is now quite general, 
and that the San Francisco market will be quite liberally 
supplied in the course of a few weeks. A lot of 48 bales 
new Spring Clip has been sold in San Francisco at 25c, 
gold. The Wool was from Santa Cruz Island, light con- 
dition with few burs. According to recent advices, 
fully a fourth part of the sheep in Northern California 
has becu lost, which loss, however, will probably be made 
up by the increase of the clip in Southern California, so 
that the quantity of Wool raised in 1874 will doubtless 
abent equal the clip of 1813 Hops have declined 
materially, on a very dull market In most other 
articles trade has been without notable activity. 
Ken Yorlc I^ivc-Slocli Marlccts. 
Beevs. Colt's. Calces. Sheep. Sicine. Tol'l. 
WEEK ENDING 
March83 1,893 99 
March 30 8,227 2C0 
April li 9,374 100 
April 13 7,517 SO 
Total for 5 Weeks. .88,011 589 
Ao.forprev. 5 WeekSSS,'l53 274 
71.7 
1,260 
1,990 
1,111 
16.712 25.005 50,514 
16.7.75 29,820 57,807 
14.07S 33,576 58,388 
19,205 87,631 66,123 
66,180 126,092 231,222 
98,166 113,093 279,817 
Averageper Week 
do. do. last Mouth, 
ilo. do. prev'8 Month 
Beeves. Cows. Calves. Sheep. Strine. 
8,253 134 1,200 16,695 31,523 
. 6,915 55 622 19.753 24,619 
. 8,238 17 600 24.0S0 31,822 
Beef Cattle.— The regularly increasing supply of 
cattle has to some extent prevented an advance in prices 
that the good demand might have warranted. At the 
close of last month an increase of over 1,000 head per 
week broke the market, which remained dull until the 
still further increased receipts at the beginning of April 
reduced prices fully #c. |1 lb. Prices are yet too high 
for liberal consumption, and the market is sustained only 
by the unexpectedly good demand. Trade has been active 
during the month since our last report^ and as we close 
we have to note a falling off in the demand ami a shrink- 
ago in prices, extra beeves selling at 12?4C @ 13c. to dress 
60 lbs. ^1 cwt. ; steers and oxen bringing 10c. @ 12.Vc. to 
dross 50 to 58 lbs.; and rough cattle, dressing 55 lbs., 
selling at 9>;c. %] lb. 
The prices for the past four weeks were as follows : 
Range. Large Sales. Aver. 
9'..i«13 e. 11 @ll!*c. llKc 
~ @i3^c. lojflausfc. iij^o. 
WEEK ENDING 
March 22 
March 29 
April 6 
April 13 
9 
8t.®13)ic. 
8)i@13 
10,k@llXe. 
10K@llKc 
OTileli Con's.— The demand has been steady, with 
a fair promise of advanced prices ; but the heavy receipts 
of March 29 were too much for the trade to dispose of 
without a reduction, and prices were marked down $5.00 
per head. At. the close the market was tame, with a 
little better feeling, the range being from $40 to $S0 for 
cow and calf Calves.— The receipts of this stock 
have been steadily increasing, but the demand has beeu 
steady also, and prices remain firm at. 8c. ® 10c. $ lb. for 
veals and lie. @ 14c. <|p fl). for hog-dressed Slieep 
and Lambs. — After a week or two of dullness, the 
market lias fully recovered its tone, and sellers ask full 
prices, without, however, raising quotations. Buyers 
can get no reductions, and sales are about equal to sup- 
ply. Unshorn sheep sold at the close at 7)40. @ 9>j'c. 
$ £)., and spring lambs of poor quality brought $0.50 @ 
$S,00 <$ head Swine.— The market for live hogs 
has been practically dead ; there have been no offerings 
for many days, and those offered early in April were not 
good. Thin Ohio hogs averaging 121 lbs. brought 5c. 
<L9 ft>., and good hogs would bring Gc. Dressed hogs have 
been easy throughout, and the quotations as we close are 
1. 3 a'c. @ l.'u'c. ^2 lb., with 7Xc. as the ruling price. 
As lo BJree«liiig' Sows. — "D, L. G.," 
Honey Creek. Mo. Although it is stated by some writers 
upon " the pig" that if a sow is not brought to the boar 
when her pigs arc two or three days old she will not 
breed again until the pigs are weaned, that is not always 
the case. On the contrary, sows are sometimes brought 
to breed when their pigs are four weeks old, as in your 
case, but more frequently they are not. If the sow is al- 
lowed plenty of exercise, and is well fed, she will less 
often fail to breed than when kept up in a pen. No 
directions can be given for spaying sows. The operation 
must be learned by practice ouly. 
