96 
AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST. 
[March, 
[COPTKIGHT SECTORED.] 
GOING TO MARKET .—DRAWN BY E. FORBES.— Engraved fcr the American Agriculturist. 
— No awards may be made to unworthy arti- 
cles. "When there is no competition, an article 
unworthy of the first prize in such a case is also 
unworthy of the second or third, for the socie- 
ty commits itself for the excellence of any- 
thing to which a prize is awarded. — In 
judging of live-stock of all kinds, awards 
must be made in accordance with recognized 
standards of excellence, and scales of points; 
and in cases of doubt, the judges must consult 
the counselling committee through the superin- 
tendent, or superintendent of the department. 
Decisions and awards mnde in accordance 
with these rules are final. No appeal from the 
decisions of judges will be entertained, except 
on the plea that the rules are departed from, 
and such appeals will be heard by the executive 
committee of the society at anytime before or 
after the promulgation of the awards. Every 
society should furnish for the information of 
judges, full scales of points, descriptions of 
breeds, and specifications of disqualifying and un- 
desirable characteristics. It should, moreover, 
provide convenient scales for weighing poultry, 
and, if possible, books containing engravings of 
famous prize birds, and information of value to 
judges, in enabling them to "post up" upon 
points which few men retain in their memories. 
Going to Market. 
The author of "Walks and Talks mentioned 
last month the waste of time in going to town 
with a poor team. When we have been in 
Southern cities, the slow and cumbrous way of 
getting to market has struck us as a great waste 
of time and power. In those cities it is the cus- 
tom to have regular market days, usually two in 
each week. Early in the afternoon preceding 
market day, the country wagons begin to ar- 
rive, and take places along the streets.. The 
vehicles are usually large, heavy, out of all 
proportion to their contents, and are covered 
with a canvas top, stretched over bows. The 
wagons are backed up to the side walk, and the 
horses or mules unhitched, tied to the sides of 
the wagon, and fm\ with provender which has 
been brought along. The wagon itself serves 
as a hotel for the driver and those who may ac- 
company him. By nightfall, the streets present 
a grotesque and lively appearance to a stranger, 
with the many odd-looking wagons, and numer- 
ous animals bivouacked in two long rows. Our 
artist gives a picturesque view of one of these 
heavy wagons on its way to market ; the driver 
is apparently belated. The market wagon in 
use around New York is a comparatively light 
affair, upon springs, and without a top. The 
" truck" is packed in, and covered with a large 
canvas, which is drawn closely over the load. 
In New York, the raiser rarely retails his pro- 
duce; it is taken off his hands at once by the 
grocers, and retailers, and the streets are cleared 
of wagons by seven o'clock in the morning. 
Old Currant Bushes are among the most 
unpromising things with which one has to deal; 
their tangled and misshapen stalks present a 
puzzle to the novice. Whatever is done should 
be undertaken during the first mild spell, as the 
currant pushes very early. The bush will prob- 
ably have numerous shoots starting from below 
ground, or near the surface; cut out all but 
four or six of these, according to the size of the 
plant, leaving only the most healthy looking 
ones, and taking care to have these as equally 
distant as possible. The fruit is borne on wood 
two or more years old. One-year-old wood is dis- 
tinguished by its different color and small. buds. 
Cut out all weak shoots of this kind, and short- 
en the stronger ones two-thirds or one-half. 
Manure around the bushes, and when dry 
weather approaches, mulch. Make the old 
bushes do their best, and start a new plantation 
which will come into bearing in two years. 
