44 
AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST. 
[February-, 
Kitchen Garden. 
Little can be done in this department at this sea- 
son in the North, if no glass is used, except to have 
everything ready for early planting when the soil is 
ready. Very few market-gardeners, or even farm- 
ers, can afford to do without one or more hot-beds. 
The earliness of lettuce, tomatees, and other crops 
more than compensates for the time spent in prop- 
erly preparing a hot-bed, and no farmer who has 
orjee tried the raising of early plants in this way 
"Will be willing to give it np. In the South many of 
the early crops of hardy vegetables, such as beets, 
iparsnips, onions, lettuce, etc., can be sown this 
month. It is never safe to sow the tender vegeta- 
bles, such as cucumbers, beans, etc., until all dan- 
ger from frost is over, and the ground has become 
thoroughly warmed. 
Manure. — Do not allow the mareire to become 
overheated, but turn over and mix with earth. 
When dry, water occasionally. Save the horse- 
manure in a separate pile, to use in hot-beds. 
told Frames. — As the weather becomes milder, 
see that plenty of air is allowed the plants in the 
frames, and on warm days the sashes may be re- 
moved entirely; they should never be left open 
daring the night, even if it is very warm, for fear of 
3 -nclden snow-storm or change in the temperature. 
- ." l-Bccls will not be needed at the North until 
next month, unless very early plants are desired. 
In some parts of the South they may be prepared, 
and seeds of early vegetables planted. Shelter from 
prevailing winds should be given, and if necessary 
to make them in an exposed place, it will pay to 
erect a temporary board fence. 
Straw-Mats or Shutters will be needed for protect- 
ing the plants in hot-beds and frames during 
cold spells, and from too much sun. 
JSnuh and Biles for peas and beans should be cut, 
as it is poor policy to leave them v.ntil needed. 
Hoot Crops. — Whenever the ground thaws, the 
roots left in the ground over winter, may be dug. 
Potatoes. — A few may be started for early planting 
by placing in a warm room andttllo-wlofttlio cprouts 
to start, and then planting in a warm Bpot. 
Boxes. — A few boxes, four inches deep, may be 
made and filled with rich garden soil, and many of 
the early vegetables started in these ; they are 
a cheap and convenient substitute for hot-beds, 
if only a few plants are wanted. 
Flower-Garden and l.itv.u. 
Complete all plans for improvements which were 
begun during the winter, and have everything that 
Is needed for carrying them out, ready for imme- 
diate use. All shrubs, tree6, aud seeds that will be 
aeeded, should be ordered at once. 
Half Hardy Plants, which have been stored in pits 
or cellars, will need looking to, IE order to prevent 
their starting into growth. See that plenty of air 
5s given, and if the plants in the cellar become too 
dry, give them a little water occasionally. 
Cannas and other roots stored in the cellar will 
need to be examined, as they are liable to suffer 
from dampness. If any signs of rotting appear, 
,-emove at once to a dry place, where there is no dan- 
ger ot frost, and cut away all decaying parts. 
Wood Work.— All trellises, arbors, etc., will need 
a coat of paint or oil, to prevent their decay. 
Annuals. — Seeds of hardy annuals may be sown 
in shallow boxes and placed in a kitchen window, 
as recommended for vegetable seeds/ 
Greenhouse and Window Plants. 
Air should be given to the greenhouse every mild 
day, taking care to open the ventilators on the side 
opposite that from which the wind blows. 
Sprinkling.— Give the plants a good sprinkling 
every two or three days, so that they may be kept 
free from dust. The best time to do this is in the 
afternoon, when the ventilators can be closed. 
Bulbs.— Cut away the flower-stalks of all bulbs 
which have finished flowering, and gradually dry 
Jhem off, when they may be taken out of the pots 
and stored in a dry place, ready to be planted in the 
open ground next fall. Bring a few pots from the 
cellar every week, so as to produce a succession of 
flowers during the early spring mouths. 
Propagation of bedding and other plants should be 
continued; as soon as rooted, pot into thumb-pots. 
Neatness. — Keep all the plants free from insects 
by fumigation and washing, and remove all yellow 
and dead leaves, as they detract very much from 
the beauty of a flowering or specimen plant. 
* I ^B^i 1 • 
Commercial Matters— Market Prices. 
Gold has been down to 108%, closing January 15th at 
10S7a\ against 100J4 on the 16th of December Busi- 
ness in breadstuffs has been on a restricted scale, with 
the main call for spring and red winter wheat, and mixed 
Western corn and Western rye, for shipment, at easier and 
irregular prices. The home-trade demand has been light 
and mostly for job lots, needed to meet pressing wants. 
Holders have been prompt in responding to the require- 
ments of buyers, as a rule, at the current figures Cot- 
ton has been active, excited, and higher, the principal 
dealings having been for home use, and on speculative 
account Wool has advanced on a livelier inquiry, 
chiefly for manufacturing purposes, closing with prices 
in favor of sellers, on light stocks of desirable grades, par- 
ticularly of fleece Clover-seed has been freely pur- 
chased for export, at uniform rates Hay, Hops, aud 
Tobacco, quiet Provisions have been moderately 
active, closing firmly at our quotations. 
Current Wholesale Trices. 
Price op Gold 
FtoTin— Super to Extra State 
Super to Extra Southern 
Extra Western 
Kxtra Genesee 
Superfine Western 
ItvE Flour 
Cork-Meal. 
Wheat— All kinds ol Wliite. 
All kinds of lieu and Amber. 
Corn"— Yellow 
Mixed 
Oats— Western 
State 
1:te 
Barley 
Hat— Hate V 100 lbs 
Straw, * 100 lbs 
Cotton— Middlings, * lb 
Hops— Ci op of 1870, V lb 
Crop of 1871 
Feathers— Live Geese, * lb. 
Seed— Clover, * lb 
Timottiy. *> liimliol 
Flax. V bushel 
Sugar— Brown. * lb 
Molasses. Cuba, Veal 
Coffee— Rio (Gold, in bond). 
Tobacco, Kentucky, &c* lb. 
Seed Leaf, V lb 
Wool— Domestic Fleece, V lb. 
Domestic, pulled, V lb 
California, unwashed, 
Tallow, * lb 
Oil-Cake—?' ton 
Pork— M ess, * barrel 
Prime, * barrel 
Bekf— Plain mess 
Lard, in trcs. & barrels, * lb. 
Butter— State, * lb. 
Western. * ft 
Cheese 
Beans— * bushel 
Peas— Canada free. V bu 
Eggs— Fresh * dozen 
Poultry— Fowls 
Turkeys,* ft 
Geese, V pair 
Ducks, * pair 
Venison— * lb 
Potatoes, * bbl 
Sweet Potatoes, * bbl 
Cabbages-*! 100 
Broom -corn— * ft 
Apples— * barrel 
Grapes—* pound 
Cranberries—* barrel 
Buckwheat Flour— * lOOibs 
Dec. 1G. 
J09)j 
S3 73 
C 10 
G 50 
7 50 
5 75 
420 
3 65 
1 62 
1 48 
79 
77 @ 
55 © 
55 K@ 
90 @ 
SO @ 1 
1 25 @ 1 
75 ® 1 
J 7 
@10 
® 9 
® 6 
® 5 
@ 4 
® 1 
® 1 
40 $5 
25 6 
50 6 
00 7 
25 5 
SO 4 
25 3 
20 @ 
S3 ® 
70 ® 
11 ® 
3 25 ® 3 
i yu ® i 
8X@ 
18 ® 
14&@ 
7*@ 
14 ® 
48 @ 
41 @ 
30 ® 
BJf® 
40 00 @42 
13 50 
9 75 
7 50 
9 
13 
10 
8> 
1 10 
1 20 
34 
12 
14 
1 50 
69 
12 
1 50 
2 00 
4 50 
,5 13 
67 1 
81 
79 
58 
57K 
97 
25 
80 1 
30 
£!* 
30 
62 
78 
12 
50 3 
93*1 1 
10& 
35 
17 
14 
65 
70 
64 
42 
50 40 
75 13 
25 10 
50 7 
9% 
33 
25 
13* 
25 1 
25 1 
Jan. 15. 
70 ® 7 40 
40 ®10 65 
60 ®10 50 
50 ® 9 00 
70 ® 40 
10 @ 5 15 
50 @ 4 25 
60 ® 1 77S 
45 ® 1 70 
1iK® 71H 
73 @ 77 
54 ® 57J4 
Nominal 
90 @ 1 00 
80 ® 1 20 
35 ® 1 85 
75 @ 125 
22J£® 23X 
20 @ 
35 - 
70 
10 
50 @ 3 75 
8M® 
18 @ 
16,'.,'® 
62 
78 
12!i 
10-V 
11 ® 
52 @ 
45 ® 
IB 
20 
75 
00 
19 
25 
25 
00 
6 ® 12 
2 00 ® 5 00 
2 ® 5 
00 
@ 2 ' 
® 1 ( 
® 1 
® i: 
® 4 ; 
® 7 ( 
5 00 ®10 I 
3 40 ® 3 I 
lS'i 
14 
65 
75 
70 
45 
8* @ ' 9Ji 
00 @42 50 
25 @14 25 
50 @11 50 
50 @10 00 
8*® 9% 
20 @ 37 
9 @ 23 
9 ® 14 
10 ® 3 10 
00 ® 1 25 
38 @ 41 
9 @ 16 
12 @ 18 
50 ® 2 75 
75 @ 1 25 
10 ® 18 
50 @ 2 50 
00 @ 4 00 
50 @ 7 50 
3 ® 9 
50 ® 3 00 
8 ® 5 
50 @10 50 
00 ® 3 40 
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 Jan. 15th, 1S72, 
and for the corresponding month last year; also for the 
year ending December 81, 1871. 
1. TRANSACTIONS AT THE NEW YORK MARKETS. 
Receipts. Flour. WJteat. Corn. Jive. Rarleu. Oats. 
•.•3,r»<,';(sm'tli.139.60j 192,000 807.000 500 334,000 356,000 
21 d'S last in'th.321,000 2,973,000 3,311,000 29S.000 933,000 1,7S3,000 
Sales. Flour. Wlieat. Corn. Rye. Barleu. Oats. 
23d'stMsm'tli.l72,0001,115.00t> 1,797.000102,000 168,500 1.0"9,ti00 
24d'a;a8tm , th.257 1 W0 2,201,000 2,673,000 156,000 1,045,000 1,809,000 
Comparison with same period at this time last year. 
Ene. Barleu. Oats. 
' 500 334,000 336,000 
5,000 317,000 291,000 
Receipts. Flour. Wlieat. Corn. 
23dnys1K72. .189,000 192,000 867,000 
26 days 1871... 304,000 276,000 198,000 
Sales. Flour. Wheat. Corn. Rue. 
23 d's 1S72... 172,000 1,115,000 1,797.000 102,000 
26 d's 1871... .321,000 2,041,000 973,000 47,000 
3. Exports from New York, Jan. 1 to 
Flour. Wheat. Corn. Hue. 
1871 11,512 62,708 253,992 
1870.... 27.26S 136,153 13,755 
Barley. Oats. 
168.500 1.009,000 
216,000 811,000 
Jan. 15. 
Barley. Oals. 
Stock of grain in store at New York. 
1873. 
Jan. 15.. 
1S71. 
Wheat, 
bush. 
.3,539,405 
Com, 
bnsli. 
Rye, Barley, Oats, Malt. 
basil, hush, bush, bush, 
484,093 837,825 2,653,911 128,691 
Dec. 11 4,167,884 1,391,034 536,968 
■ 3,015,167 103,882 
5. Receipts at heart of tide-water at Albany each sea- 
son 'to Dec. 1st: 
Flour. Wlteat. Corn. Rue. Barley. Oals. 
bhls. bush. bush. bush. hush. hush. 
1871 290.700 21.313.100 20,042,300 1,107,90:) 3.839,400 6,639,400 
1870 430,400 17,124,700 4,305,100 587,500 3,9S4,780 6,167,500 
6. Jleceipts of Breadstuffs in New York in each of 
the last eight years: 
Flour. Wheat. Corn. Eye. Barley. OaVt. 
1871.... 3.649,045 26.518.360 27,108.136 1,055,621 8,S69,123 12,540,966 
1870.... 4,143,993 24,083.742 9.143.478 550, 1 C9 5,020,718 9,626.606 
1S69.... 8,535,716 23,813,652 11.6,66, 7S4 357.803 3.007,938 8,747,322 
1808.... 2,860,726 12,988,147 19.053,615 773,351 2.853,043 10,221,590 
1S67.... 2,602,892 9,640,131 14,979,277 76\376 2,669.724 8,030,807 
1866.... 2,720,835 5,729.912 22.189.532 1,814,943 5,695,485 8,811,064 
1865.... 3,623.526 8.768,929 15,935,277 S99.679 3,239,054 9,851,955 
1364.... 3,967,717 13,453,136 7,164,893 491,915 2,514,89112,952,238 
1. Exports from Neio York, Jan. 1 to Dec. 31 : 
Flour. Wheat. Corn. Bye. Barley. Oals. 
1871 1,659.755 21.958,613 13,016.570 525,772 98,745 47.S10 
1S70 1,930,234 18,416.035 487,792 92,481 28.986 
1S69 1,582,211 18.210,536 1.637,580 112.512 49,393 
1808 1,020,522 5,775,109 0,002,825 153,093 94,340 
8. Comparative Slock of Flour in. New York, Jan. 1. 
18B9. 1870. 1S71. 1872. 
Western and State Flonr ...438,178 395,203 518,349 3S0.197 
Canada. Flaw 5,300 575 850 300 
Southern Flour S0.C01 46,560 45,870 25.974 
California Flour 19,904 1,140 .... 100 
Grand total, bbls 490.97S 443,478 565,069 356,271 
9. Comparative Stock of Grain in New York, Jan. 1. 
1869. 1870. 1871. 1873. 
Wheat bushels 4,028,005 4,460,369 3,700,006 4,227,181 
Corn, bushels 2,064,079 640,500 303,033 1,489,804 
live, bushels 296,443 66,050 2,289,065 57,5.7 
Barley, bushels.... 647.459 639,933 192,070 565,772 
Oats.'bushels 3,213,38S 1,796,962 1.461,192 2.874.586 
Malt, bushels 121.173 91.114 14.571 129,480 
Peas, bushels 71,708 47,671 338,330 9,500 
New York livestock Mai-hot*. 
week ending Beeves. Cows. Calves. Sheep. Swine. Tot'l. 
DecemberlSth 6,455 119 1,158 29,692 52,218 89,642 
December25th 4,963 S3 1,158 18,788 37,516 62,537 
Jannarvlst: 5,756 189 910 10.856 25,571 43,232 
January 6th 6.262 135 719 18,013 19.231 44,390 
January 18th 6,741 70 S23 25,547 46.223 79,404 
Total in 5 Wee ks 30,177 545 4.768 101.926 180,799 319,265 
Ao.forprev. i Weeks.. 31,460 391 5,445 97,522 188,270 323.0S8 
Beeves. Cows. Calves. Sheep. Sicine. 
Average per Week 6,035 109 934 20,585 36.158 
do. do. last Month.... I.S&i 98 1,861 21,380 47.068 
do. do. prev's Month... .l.&IH 121 1,884 31,141 41,147 
A rerage per Week, 1871. 7,187 88 2,301 23,132 23,177 
Beef Cattle.— There has been a falling off of 1,800 
cattle per week when compared with the receipts of the 
previous month. Closing up the year we have 380.934 
cattle against 356,026 in 1870. The light ran of cattle for 
a month past has caused a steadily improving market, 
and iJiicos are Tlaw lc_ hicjhor thnn tlioy worn last month. 
Since the former report a large number of very fine holi- 
day cattle were sent in, but they did not briDg over 13c. 
@ 15c, or little more than prime stock is worth now. 
There were too many of them to sell well. One yard of 
12 head was sold for $3,000. The market closes very firm, 
Tcxans, which arc scarce, selling at 9|4c a7> I0%c'.; with 
fair Western at ll'ic, and prime 12'5e. ; the best cattle 
selling at 13c. ® 13V£c, save a few head, very fine, at 14c, 
on the scales, 60 lbs. per cwt. 
Below we give the range of prices, average price, aud 
figures at which large lots were sold : 
Dec. lStb, ranged 8 @15 c. Large sales 10 ©13 c. Av. UK 
Dec. 25th, do. 8!-*©1S c. do. do. 10 ®12Kc. do. 11 
Jan. 1st, do. 9 ®13 c do. do. lib, is l2,Cc. do. 11 y 
Jan. 6th, do. 9 ®13 c. do. do. 10}j®12 c. do. UK 
Jan. 13th, do. 9>£@14 c. do. do. 11 ®13>£c. do. 11^ 
milch Cows.— The supply has been large during 
the past month, and trade has been unsatisfactory. Mill; 
has seldom ruled at the present low rates, dining the win- 
ter season, and this is discouraging for the producers. 
Besides, dry cows have been hard to sell until within the 
past week. Fresh cows vary from $40 to $35 each for 
poor, $05 to $75 for medium to good, with a few choice 
at $80 to $00 Calves. — The run is light, as is al- 
ways the case during this season of the year, aud prices 
have advanced. Most of the calves are now sent in 
dressed, on account of cheaper freights and the ability to 
send them long distances. Good to prime milk-fed 
calves are worth 10c. @ lie. $ ft. ; common to fair sell 
at 8c (a) 9c ; mixed lots, of large size, 4^c. @ 7c. Hog- 
dressed are worth 12c © 14c for milk-fed, and 6c @ 9c 
for grassers Sheep and Lambs,- There has 
been quite a falling off in receipts, and prices have worked 
up from y 3 c. to lc ^ lb. There were some extra holi- 
day sheep of 175 @ 200 lbs. sent in for Christmas, which 
were sold at 9c. @9 1 aC $ lb., live weight. The advance 
in wool helps the sheep trade, while farmers incline to 
increase their flocks, hence send in sparingly. Few sheep 
now sell below 7c |) lb., while good lots of 80 to 90 lbs. 
bring 7^c. © 8c Lambs arc now selling with sheep at 
same prices. Poor to medium sheep are selling at 6}£c. 
@ 7J4c <p ft. ; fair to good at 1'/ t c. @ Sc ; and prime to 
best selections at S'^c Swine.— These are falling 
off in numbers, but there arc somewhat free receipts of 
Western dressed, amounting to 30,231 during the past 
five weeks. Prices have ruled rather steady, the demand 
being unusually good. lave are worth i%c. @ 5^c ; 
city-dressed Western 5?^c. @ 6?.;c ; State and Jersey, 6c. 
@ 7J^c ; Western dressed, t>5$c. @ 5,'jc 
