AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST. 
[January, 
keep the plants as dormant as possible. If snow 
falls upon them while the plants are frozen, it need 
not be removed, but if mild, remove when the 
storm has passed. 
Seeds. — See that all seeds not yet cleaned are at- 
tended to at once, so that arrangements may be 
made for ordering what are needed. It is always 
best to order early to insure prompt attention, and 
to get such varieties as are wanted ; later in the 
season the stock of some of the best sorts is often 
exhausted. In order to test the vitality of seeds, 
sow iu a shallow box of soil and place in a warm 
room. They will germinate in a few days, and if a 
large proportion are not good it will not do to 
rely upon the seed for a crop. 
Flower-Garden and. Lavn. 
Winter is the season to prepare plans for future 
improvement of the lawn and garden. Where one 
is possessed of abundant means, it is best to ob- 
tain the services of a good landscape gardener. 
Most people, however, will prefer to make their 
own plans, unless they are. to entirely remodel 
their grounds. Where there is plenty of space, the 
lawn should be so arranged that it can be extended 
if desirable. It is best to commence with a few 
improvements at first, and from year to year such 
additions may be made as suggest themselves. 
Where one stereotyped arrangement of beds aud 
herbaceous plants is employed each season, it fails 
after a while not only to interest the proprietor, 
but also the passers-by. Something new each 
season Is to be sought ; a bed of sub-tropical plants 
in one spot this season, and in another the next. 
Rustic Work is an important embellishment in 
the surroundings of a house. There are many 
climbing plants well adapted to rustic trellises and 
arbors, and rustic flower-boxes placed here and 
there upon the lawn for ornamental plants add 
much to the henuty of .1 place. A little taste in the 
selection of materials and skill in making up these 
rustic ornaments are all that is needed ; Laurel and 
Cedar are the woods most used for this purpose. 
Stakes and Labels. — Prepare a good supply of these 
for use in the spring. Give all a coating of paint, 
for convenience in reading the names when written. 
If the ends which are to be placed in the ground 
are soaked in petroleum they will last much longer. 
Plants in cellars and frames should be aired when 
the weather will allow. Do not water unless they 
are very dry. 
«»reenl»onsc and Window Plants. 
The greenhouse will show at its best during this 
season if properly attended to. In order to grow 
and flower most plants successfully, the tempera- 
ture during the day should be at least as high as 
60° or 65°. At night, most plants will not be injured 
if the heat i3 from 10° to 15° less. 
Ventilation. — Give free ventilation when the 
weather will allow. Always admit air from the 
side opposite that from which the wind blows, so 
as to avoid a sudden chill. One of the great hin- 
drances to a healthy growth of plauts in the house 
is the absence, of plenty of fresh air, and the pre- 
sence of dust. If the breathing pores of the plant 
can not be kept open, plauts 60on languish. The 
dust*can be removed from the foliage of many 
plants by sponging the leaves once or twice a week, 
mid from others by sprinkling the whole plant often. 
Insects must be looked after, or they will soon 
become so abundant as to ruin the plants. The 
Red Spider may be destroyed by keeping the house 
moist. The Green-fly or Aphis is best kept under 
by smoking the houses thoroughly with tobacco 
6iuoke. House plauts may be put under a barrel 
or in a box, and a few pieces of leaf-tobacco placed 
opon live coals put inside. 
Water. — Give water only when the surface of the 
pots becomes dry, and then give plenty of it. If 
only a little sprinkling is given, the soil towards 
the bottom of the pot remains dry, and the plant 
soon perishes. 
£u!bs.— Bring out the pots of bulbs which have 
been put into the cellar, to start a growth of 
roots. If only a portion are brought out at a 
time, and the others left until later in the winter, a 
supply of Hyacinths and other flowers may then 
be had until spring. 
Commercial Matters— Market Prices. 
The following condensed, comprehensive tables, care- 
fidly prepared specially for the American Agriculturist, 
show the transactions for the mouth ending December 
13, 1S72, and for the corresponding month last year. 
1. TRANSACTIONS AT TUK NEW YORK MARKETS. 
Riiceipts. Flour. Wlreat. Corn. liye. Hurley. Oats. 
85 (l*8tAls m'Mi.374,000 2.S91.O0O 8.310,000 64.0(11) 901, (Ml 972,000 
24 it's last ln'lh.34S,000 8,817,000 8,569,000 86,000 1,111,000 S95.000 
Salrs. Flour. Wheat. Corn. Hue. Barter/. Oats 
25d , sl/fism*th.2S4,()00 2.870,liOO 5.053.0O0 36,000 342,000 1 ,35 bono 
84 d'3(«*lin'tli.S13,000 2,438,500 3,597,000 41,000 416,000 1,490,000 
3. Comparison with same period at this time, last year. 
Flour. Wlreal._ Corn, Rr/e. Barley. Oat* 
IIuokipts. Flour. Wlreat. Corn. Rye. Barley. Oat*. 
25 davs 1873. 374,000 8,891,000 2.216.000 64.000 901,000 972.000 
24 (lays 1S71... 321,000 2,973,000 2,344,000 298,000 933,000 1,783,000 
Sai.ks. Flour. Wheat. Corn. Hue. Barter/. Oats. 
35d's 1972.... 884.000 8.879.000 2,003.000 36,000 S12,0( l.'iil.ooi) 
24d's 1S71 257,000 2,201,000 8,673,000 156.0CO 1,045.000 1,809,000 
3. Exports from New Tori. Jan. 1 to Dec. 12. 
Flour. Wheat. Corn. Rye. Barley. Oats. 
1872 1,104.473 12,477.683 25,001,176 608.547 23.056 31,288 
1871 1,601.110 21,729,721 18,050,059 507,782 98,745 44,445 
1870 1,885,876 17.773.S10 417,328 98,431 27,786 
1869 1,512,020 17,903,887 1,619.970 1.12,542 43,538 
1868 842,393 4,809.527 5,645,795 153,093 61,598 149,479 
4 . Stock of grain in store at New York. 
Wheat, Corn. Rr/e, Barley, Oats, Malt, 
1873. busli. bash. bush. bush. bush. bush. 
December 9.1.S05.975 5.675,730 51,605 624,554 1,608.-65 215,326 
November 6. 429,760 4,783,426 31.374 376.750 2.191,362 850,980 
October 7. 83,148 3.812,181 39.925 40.025 2,505,006 12,535 
September 9. 95.674 ",001,982 89,339 51,135 2,638,976 311,611 
Angustia.... 83,321 429.104 130,161 53,789 2,077.393 215,408 
5. Receipts of. head of tide-water at Aloany each sea- 
son to Nov. ?Mh : 
Rye. Barley. Oats. 
bush. bush. bush. 
Flour. Wlieat. Corn. 
bbls. bush. bush. 
1873 134,100 11,320,800 29,770,100 456,800 4,459,200 5,639,800 
1871 290,71111 21,313,100 211,1112,30(1 1.107.90,1 3.889,400 6.62.9,400 
1870 430,400 17,124,700 4,S05,100 587.51X1 3,984,700 6,167.600 
Current Wholrsalr 1'kicrs. 
Nov. 12. 
Prick of Gold l!3vj 
Flout.— Super to Extra State $5 65 @ 7 75 
65 
3 75 
3 00 
3 75 
1 65 
1 28 
05 
63 
39 
43 
82 
80 
95 
Super to Extra Southern.. 
Extra Western 
Extra Genesee 
Super line Western 
IItr Flour 
Corn-Mral. 
Buckwheat Flour— S 100 n> 
Wheat— All kinds of White. 
All kinds ol" lied and Amber. 
Corn— Yellow 
Mixed 
Oats— Western 
State 
liYE 
Barley 
Hat— Bale, id 100 Its 
Straw, * 100 lbs 
Cotton— Middlings, ?> lb 
Hops— Crop ol'ISiJ. W lb 
Feathers —Live Geese, ^Tb 
Seed— Clover, ?! lb 
Timothy, is bushel... 
Flax. V bushel 
Sugar— Refi'g& Grocery ¥* lb 
Molasses, Cuba, sflcal. 
New Orleans, ¥t gal 
Coffer— llio(Gohl) 
Tobacco. Kentucky. A r r..ij>!>, 
Seed Leaf. iP B> 
Wool— Domestic Fleece, 'tf lb. 
Domestic, pulled, %l lb 
California, clip 
Tallow, ^ib 
Oil-Cake—?* ton 
Pork— Mess, $t barrel 
Prime, IP barrel . . — 
Beef— Plain mess S 
Lard, in tics. & barrels, ?t lb 
Butter— State, V lb 
Western. ? lb 
Cheese... . .. 
Brans— to bushel 
Peas— Canada, free, %t bu — 
Egos— Fresh, $ dozen . . 
Poultry— Fowls 
Turkeys— "# lb 
Geese, ¥4 pair 
Ducks, 3* pair 
Woodcock— $ pair 
Partri lists 
Wild Duck— F pair 
* doz 2 00 
50 cars oo 
6 75 ©13 00 
7 80 (§10 00 
25 
@ 6 12>- a 
(8 S 90 
@ 4 35 
® 2 00 
(8 1 75 
® 6514 
i® 64H 
@ 49X 
*5 05 
6 10 
6 75 
7 90 
5 65 
4 50 
3 10 
390 
1 75 
1 35 
67 
Dec. 12. 
.Max 
64 M® 
® 7 90 
©12 75 
©13 00 
@10 00 
@ 6 40 
© 6 50 
© 3 90 
@ 4 40 
© 2 05 . 
® 1 85 
6S 
19 ® 
© 90 
@ 1 19 
© 1 50 
® 1 20 
19& 
37' 
40 © 70 
9!i@ 9& 
3 13'.;® 3 50 
" 00 
11%' 
I 18>t 
1 16 
> 50 
> 73 
! 55 
I 40 
I 936 
40 00 ' 
16 12 
1 90 
18 « 
- « 
15 I, 
9 « 
S « 
55 ( 
25 ( 
20 6 
8M 
33 50 U 
15 87 <L 
12 50 @12 
75 © 7 75 
8X3 SX 
20 ® 88 
9^-a 25 
5 O 15 
1 50 @ 3 35 
1 OS @ 
29 © 34 
12 @ 20 
14 a 82 
1 75 © 3 00 
62>.ra 1 00 
70 ® 85 
02>7@ 1 25 
35 ft, 2 7,0 
- 00 
90 ® 
85 @ 
1 00 ® 
85 ® 
19%® 
37 ® 
40 @ 
9K® 
3 00 ® 
2 00 @ 
9 a 
18 @ 
55 ® 
15K® 
9 @ 
67 
&5M 
55 Si 
95 
1 16 
1 75 
1 30 
20X 
50 
70 
9X 
3 50 
2 10 
UK 
60 ® 75 
45 ® 68 
33 @ 45 
8Xia iu 
83 00 @40 00 
13 00 ®13 75 
13 25 ®12 50 
10 00 ®12 CO 
' X@ 8!^ 
Venison -$! lb 13 @ 21 
Harrs-S pair 50 ® 80 
Rabbits— v pair 35 @ 50 
Turnips— V barrel 100 @ 1 75 
Cabbages-is 100 6 00 @10 00 
Onions— ?t 100 bunches 2 50 ® 3 50 
Onions-1? bbl 2 50 ® 4 50 
Broom-corn— ?* lb., 2 @ 8 
Apples— new, W barrel 125 ® 3 50 
Potatoes-*" bbl 175 ® 3 00 
Garlic— V 100 bunches 15 00 ©18 00 
Sweet Potatoes— V bbl 2 00 ® S 00 
Squashes— a bbl 75 ® 1 00 
Carrots-?) bbl 8 00 @ 8 50 
Celery — "pi doz 1 3i @ 1 u 
CAULIFLOWER-ta doz 100 @ 3 00 
PEARS-?)bbl 4 00 ®25 00 
Grapes— V lb 5 ® 18 
Cranberries— derate 3 50 ® 3 .-0 
Quinces— f bbl — ® — 
18 
10 
4 
1 75 
1 10 
32 
6 
S 
1 59 
50 
62 
40 
1 25 
12 
60 
30 
1 25 
6 00 
3 50 
3 00 
2 
1 25 
1 25 
S 50 
1 50 
1 50 
40 
@ 25 
® MX 
® 8 75 
® 1 12 
@ 37 
® 16 
® 17 
© 2 50 
® S7 
® - 
@ 1 00 . 
® 2 50 
® 1 50 
@ 21 
@ 70 
a 40 
@ 1 50 
®10 00 
® 4 00 
® 4 00 
@ 8 
® 3 00 
a 3 oo 
2 50 
5 00 
®n oo 
® 10 
® 3 50 
® 7 00 
movements within the past month, especially so since 
the earlier days of December Breadstuff arrivals 
have fallen off materially, and the main reliance of the 
trade here has been the supplies in store or yet afloat 
here in boats— the railway receipts having been compara- 
tively quite moderate. The demand for the leading kinds 
of Breadstuff's has been fair for home use and for ship- 
ment ; though the export inquiry has been checked by 
the extreme scarcity of ocean freight room. Prices have 
been generally well maintained, Flour, Wheat, Corn, and 
Oats closing rather in favor of sellers. Prime lots of 
Winter Wheat are in very limited stock at this point, 
and are wanted for milling purposes. Barley has been 
exceptionally heavy, and at the close lower, the offer- 
ings having heen in excess of the urgent wants of pur- 
chasers. Iu Barley Malt, the business has hceu more 
satisfactory, at comparatively firm prices. The heaviest 
dealings were at, the very close Cotton has been 
freely sought after, closing a trifle stronger, though the 
receipts at the ports have been very liberal, and holders 
generally quite prompt in responding to the demand 
Provisions have been moderately active. Hog products 
have declined materially. Beef steadier. Really yoort 
to strictly prime Butter firmer. Cheese heavy To- 
bacco, Hay, aud Seeds have heen in fair though not active 
request, at full rates Wool opened decidedly higher. 
influenced largely by the destruction of stock by the 
Boston fire, which stimulated the demand ; but the mar- 
ket closes tamely at the improved figures, which yet 
represent the views of holders Hops have advanced 
sharply on an active inquiry, closing strong. 
New I'oi-lc I,ive.S!ock llsii-lcets. 
WEKK ENDING 
November 18th... 
November 25tli... 
December 2d 
December 9th 
Total for 4 nv>e*'s. 
Beeves. Cores. Calces. Sheep. S/ciiie. Tol'l. 
... 8,832 87 1.370 28,<8l 57,8:15 97.00S 
..10,769 82 1,44: 28,599 45,480 66,372 
... 7,531 127 1,021 .'.'.',312 64,141 107,761 
...9,073 1S7 1,376 82.583 51.016 84 1115 
.36,205 433 5.S09 112,353 218,47 T . ' I 
do. forprev.bWeeks.. 42,893 351 9.316 137,877? 238,805 426,660 
Beeves. Cows. Calves. Sheep. Swirre. 
Average per Week 9,051 108 1,453 SS,C89 51618 
do. do. last Month. 8,458 70 1,869 27,575 46 561 
do. do. prer's Jfouth....9,{C,G 80 3,058 3.8,947; 43,829 
Beef Cattle.— The supply has beer quite large 
during the past month, aud a heavy feeling pervades the 
markets. Stock usually rims poor at this season of the 
year, 5vhen farmers send off such trash as they do not 
care to put upon winter feed, but it would seem as though 
they were now of poorer quality than usual, or owners. 
have been more particular to reserve only good cattle. 
Texas turned out a great manydroves. Those which hail 
been wintered in the cultivated States showed fair quality 
hut the " through drive " was poor. The total number 
of Texaus entering Kansas over the noted Chisliolm 
trail was 350,275 during the year, against 455,!)01 in 1871. 
If this rate of diminution continues, our Western St.'.to- 
mtist go more larjely into cattle-raising. Fat rattle have 
been in good request during the past month, but poor 
trash was at a discount, and lots hang over from one 
market-day to another. Trade has not been satisfactory 
to dealers. One cause of the dullness was the abundance 
of poultry sold at low prices, and largely eaten after 
people got over their scare relative to diseased stock. 
Pork and mutton are also low. We are beginning to 
receive some of the advance guard of Christmas steers. 
a few of which were sold at. 15c. @ 10c. 5? »>., weighing 
10 @ 12 cwt. net. 
The prices of fbe past 4 weeks were : 
Range. 
Nov. 18 8 @15Kc. 
Nov. 25 7 ©15 c. 
Dec.2 7 ®15 c. 
Dee. 9 6 ®",6 c. 
Large Sales 
10 ©14 c. 
9 ®13 e. 
8 ®12Xc. 
8 @t2^c. 
Aver. 
H >,<■. 
11 c. 
11 c. 
Gold has been down to 11-JVi — closing December 13th at 
112 5 a .... .The closing of canal, river, and lake naviga- 
tion for the season has been agaiDst active produce 
IWileli Cows.— The fresh-cow trade ha? been vari- 
able, owing very much to fbe fluctuation in milk, whirl, 
varied from $2.25 @ $5 per can. At one time, milkmen 
could not be induced to buy cows, while at another, per 
haps only a few days after, they could not gel enough. 
Prices have advanced about $0 average during :hc month. 
The rates are $40 $52 each for very ordinary to tbin- 
nish cows of small size ; $G5 (3 $80 for fair to good milt- 
ers, and $S5 @ $90 for prime to extra large cows 
Calves.— There has been an increase in Tire receipts of 
live calves, while dressed were sent in very plentifully 
cool weather favoring shipping from quite a distance. 
Prices have declined, and live go slowly, most bntchers 
preferring them ready dressed. Quotations for live. $4 ,£ 
$10 each for grass-calves ; 0c. fa> 9c. |4 lb. for ordinary to 
prime milk-veals ; 4c. @ 7c. for hog-dressed grass-calves 
and 9c. @ 13c. for poor to fat milk-veals Sheep 
and Lambs. — With a slight increase in receipts the 
market has been unfavorable for owners of stock, save 
where very choice sheep were sent in. The greatest run 
was of poor quality, such as feeders usually manage to 
get rid of before feeding time. Some of these were sold 
as low as 4c. $ R. Trade closes very dull for all save 
prime sheep. Lambs are generally sold with the sheep, 
and at same prices. Some holiday stock of 150 © 175 
lbs. is on the way here. Sheep peite average about $2 
each. The quotations are : for sheep, 4c, IS 5c. for poor 
