46 
AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST. 
pFEBRTJATlY, 
brought down the price. Fat hogs are now selling 
for from 10c.@10j£c. per lb. City-dressed bring 33c, or 
a fraction more, and western-dressed 12c.@12%c. per lb. 
The Chicago Livestock Reporter gives the following 
packing returns of Hogs packed at the various points the 
present season, compared with the number last, season: 
Chicago. . . . 
Cincinnati.: 
St. Louis... 
Louisville .. 
Milwaukee. 
Peoria 
Lafayette 
Present Last 
season, season. 
308,405 597,945 
253,000 S5M55 
1-15.000 224,341 
] 65,000 167,209 
75.081 129,094 
3,700 33,r»S7 
16,001 SS.0S3 
Keokuk... 
Present Last " 
season. season. 
35,000 42,500 
29,111 
kin. Ill 2,200 5.310 
Bnrlingfn.I'a. 7,500 12.S00 
Muscatine.... 3,000 5,100 
Sprinstfi'd, 111- 10,000 12.000 
Quincy ; . 22,000 
" Total 1,015,887 1,047,144 
At the points indicated above, there appears to have 
been 691,257 hogs packed to the present time less than 
the entire number last season. The deficiency will 
scarcely be made good at the close of the present season. 
containing a great variety of Items, including many 
good Hints and Sugaestions which we throw into smaller 
type and condensed' jon?i, for want of space elsewhere. 
Postage 13 Cents a Tear iu Ad- 
vance.— The postage on the American Agriculturist 
anywhere in the United States and Territories, paid in 
advance, is 3 cents a quarter, 12 cents a year. If not paid 
in advance, twice these rates may be charged. 
SHow to Remit:— Checks obi IVcw 
Yorlt JSanks or Bankers are bestfor large sums ; 
made payable to the order of Orange Judd <fc Co. 
Post-Office Money Orders may foe obtain- 
ed at ncaiiy every comity seat, in all the cities, and in 
many oi the large towns. "We consider them perfectly 
safe, and the best means of remitting fifty dollars or less, 
as thousands have been sent to us tvit/iout any loss. 
ISegistere«l Letters, unuei* tine ne^v 
system, which went into ©fi'oct Oct. 1, 1SUS, are a very 
safe means of sending small sums of money where P. O. 
Money Orders cannot be easily obtained. Observe, the 
Registry fee, as well as postage, must be paid in stamps at 
the office where the letter is mailed, or it will be liable 
to be sent to the Dead Letter Office. Buy and affix the 
stamps both for postage and registry, put in the money, and 
seal tlw letter in the presence of tlie postmaster , and take his 
■receipt for it. Letters thus sent to us are at our risk. 
Ou!>s can at any time be increased by remitting 
for each addition the price paid by the original members, 
if the subscriptions all date at the same starting point. 
The back numbers will, of course, be sent to added names. 
ISounu Copies ofTolumc XXVIII 
(1S69) are now ready. Price, $2, at our office ; or $2.50 
each, if sen thy mail. Any of the previous twelve volumes 
(16 to 2S) will be forwarded at the same price. Sets of 
numbers sent to our office will be neatly bound in our 
regular style at 75 cents per vol., (50 cents exl ra, if return- 
ed by mail.) Missing numbers supplied at 12 cents each. 
LAKGE PAY for LITTLE 
WORK, is really offered in the Publisher's Premium 
Table, (page 44), and there is, in all the year, no better 
time than during February, to gather new and old sub- 
scribers, and obtain these premiums. There is no Post- 
office of a population so small, that there are not enough 
persons to make up a smaller or larger premium club. 
These clubs can, if necessary, be gathered from several 
neighborhoods, and from different Post-offices, if all arc 
forwarded by the same person. In some localities, half a 
dozen premium clubs, move or less, can be gathered from 
the same Post-office. A large premium can be obtained 
by little outlay of time. It has been done thousands of 
times, and as human wants are about the same every- 
where, what has been done in one case, can be done in 
another. Reader, YOU can get a premium, if you wish. 
Cvoocl AdYertisements, by a largo num- 
ber of dealers, will be found in the proper pages, and 
they furnish useful information. Looking through these 
will often suggest new ideas and profitable investments. 
Those writing for circulars, or sending orders to our ad- 
vertisers, will confer a double favor by stating in their 
letters, w.iere they saw the advertisement responded to. 
Letters and Letters. — Each issue bears 
witness that we devote several pages of space, and a 
great amount of time, to answering the questions of our 
correspondents. Wc would say to our new subscribers, 
and remind our old one's, that this is one of the most 
time-consuming portions of our editorial duties, and in- 
form them that they can save us much time, and insure 
for themselves a more prompt attention, if they will 
state their case in brief, and stop when they arc done. A 
letter like this, — " Dear Sir. — Being a great lover of that 
noble animal, the horse, I presume that you take an in- 
terest in him also. This is the first question that I have 
ever asked you, and I hope your well-known good na- 
ture," etc., etc., for two mortal pages, at the very end of 
which comes the question. A letter like this is laid aside 
until we have time to study it, and find out what the 
writer wants. If he had written "Dear Sir. — Jly horse 
finds it difficult, to open his left eye in the morning. The 
lids appear to be glued together. What is the remedy ?" — 
his case would have been comprehended at a glance. "We 
have many letters which we can not answer, because 
life is too short. Twelve to twenty or more questions on 
a subject would require a treatise, and a book upon the 
subject should be procured. Where letters are received by 
the thousand, it will be seen that directness and brevity 
are desirable. Persons writing should always give their 
name, though they can use any signature they choose for 
matter intended for publication. Do not inclose, as is 
frequently done, 25 or 50 cents "for information," — we 
have none to sell upon such terms. Send $5,000, or 
nothing but a postage stamp, which, by the way, too 
many forget when they ask an answer by mail. 
Our Annuals for 1S7©, viz., the "Agri- 
cultural " and " Horticultural," are beautiful aud valuable 
volumes, which should go into every household. They 
cost but 50c. each, in fancy paper covers, or 75 in cloth. 
§ix-ajn<l-a-Haif Subscribers a Mi- 
nute ! — With the hard times among our western 
grain growing readers, we hardly expected the circula- 
tion of the American Agriculturist would hold its own 
this year. We are agreeably disappointed in the result. 
Instead of losing old readers, they are renewing gen- 
erally, and bringing along many of their friends and 
neighbors. Our largest receipts for any single day in 
any preceding year were 3,3G5. This year we have 
received 3,944 names in a single day! This, for ten 
working hours, is equivalent to OVER SIX SUBSCRIBERS A 
minute! We tender our thanks to all the kind 
friends who have helped to secure this advance in our list 
of readers. We shall be thankful for a continuance of the 
same favors. Now is the time to lay in the year's stock 
of plans, hints, and suggestions for the summer work 
on the farm, in the Garden, and in the Household, etc. 
It will be seen on another page that the Publishers 
continue their offers of fine Premiums, which are very 
desirable, and may be secured by a large number of our 
friends during this and the succeeding month. 
West »uu South. — A long article from a 
special Western correspondent came too late for this 
month. We solicit communications on practical local 
topics from all our readers at the West and far South. 
Hfcw York State Poultry Society. 
— The annual meeting and election of officers of this 
society was held on the 11th of January, at which time 
notable changes were made in the administration. Those 
elected for the current year are T. E. Kingsland, of New 
York City, President, M. C. Weld, of New York, Corres- 
ponding Secretary, G. H. Leavitt, of Flushing, L. I., Re- 
cording Secretary, Wm. Simpson, Jr., of West Farms, 
Treasurer. Some changes were also made in the list of 
Vice-Presidents, and in the Executive Committee. Votes 
of thanks were passed. A very great degree of harmony 
appeared to prevail among members at the close of the 
meeting. AH communications with reference to the So- 
ciety should be addressed to the Corresponding Secre- 
tary, Col. M. C. Weld, 245 Broadway, New York City. 
Pennsylvania State Poultry So- 
ciety.— A more satisfactory exhibition than the second 
annual one of this Society, which closed in Philadelphia 
on the 25th of Dec, has probably never been held in this 
country. The number of fowls was not large, but their 
quality was excellent, Light Brahmas, as usual, being 
largely represented. The successful exhibitor in this 
class at the first exhibition again received the highest 
honors, a result mainly due to the system of feeding he 
pursues. Dark Brahmas, and Buff and Partridge Cochins 
were shown, but the display of French fowls was meagre, 
no Crcvecceurs beiug exhibited. Mrs. Sherlock, of 
New York, was awarded first premium for Houdans. 
Fine Ilamburgs, of all the varieties, were shown in pro- 
fusion. There were several coops of cross-bred fowls, — 
first-class birds for the table. Cross-breeding should re- 
ceive more attention from breeders than has hitherto 
been given. The collection of water fowls was of great 
excellence. A pair of pet Rocky Mountain goats, a cage 
of different varieties of diminutive African birds, and 
trout in different stages of growth, attracted much 
attention. The most extensive collection of fowls was 
exhibited by the President, Mr. Herstine. They were 
entered for exhibition only, which is commendable, 
and worthy of imitation by officers of other societies. 
Farm "Wages. — M. D. Miller reports from 
Atchison Co., Kansas, the following average farni wages : 
W'heat.— 1S65.-3 bush, per week with board, 3 l < without. 
lS67.-2^ " " " 3M " 
1369.-Cf4 " " " iy s 
Cokn. — 1865. — 5 bush, per week with board, ty 2 without. 
1867.— S% " " " 9?/ t 
1869.— 15 '•' " " 18 
Is not the additional allowance for " without board M 
far too small ? Let us have many correct reports. 
How to Import Stocli. — "J. W. H." 
Breeders who have trustworthy foreign correspondents, 
that will select and purchase and ship stock for them, 
may import with little trouble, provided the animals 
come consigned to careful parties, who will look after 
them on landing ; otherwise stock importation is trouble- 
some as well as expensive. Mr. W. H. T. Hughes has 
established a depot at the port of New York, is prepared 
to learn the wants of American breeders, and import for 
them, selecting the stock through responsible parties in 
England and elsewhere, each shipment being accompan- 
ied by an especial attendant. The animals we have seen 
of his importation arrived in fine condition, and were 
good specimens of their breeds. 
Enormons Cattle. — Mr. George Ayrault, 
of Poughkeepsic, N. Y., has raised and fattened four bul- 
locks, which arc now ripe for market, and have been sold 
toWm. Laylor, butcher, of Centre Market. They are 6 
years old— the lightest one is said to weigh 3,300 pounds. 
They will be on exhibition the first of February in 
New York City, and butchered before Washington's 
birthday. We shall take pains to investigate their merits. 
Sundry Humbugs.— If there could be a 
satisfactory feature in this whole swindling business, it 
weuld be found in the fact that so large a part of the ef- 
forts of the present operators are aimed at those who are 
themselves dishonest. For example, many hundreds of 
thousands of circulars have recently been sent out. offer- 
ing counterfeit money. Of course no one bites at the 
tempting bait but those who are willing to circulate the 
"stuff," and it is no pity that they loose all the money 
they send; it is only changing gennino money from the 
pocket of one rogue to that of another. Of this charac- 
ter is the new scheme of the " Fovrth (st.) National 
Banking Company of New York." The operators 
claiming to be president, cashier, etc., propose to send 
out a few hundred thousand dollars of their bills, all over 
the country, and then "fail" about next May. They 
offer half the profits to those who circulate the bills. 
They want a deposit of $10 as security from those who 
order a package of the bills. The "Banking House "we 
found to be a basement room, with a cheap desk, two 
rickety chairs, and a boy, who said the "President" and 
"Cashier" had gone down to Wall street, and "didn't 
say when they would be back." We believe not many 
of the letters to this concern have got beyond the " dead 
letter office." The money ought not to be returned to 
the dishonest Eenders. [The genuine Fourth National 
Bank, Nassau St., Cor. Pine, is one of our best city Banks.] 
The counterfeit money circulars of J. P. Waters & 
Co., II. Lotz & Co., Porter & Co., Clement & Co., etc., 
have come to us during January from a great number of 
our readers, some of whom inquire why these fellows 
are not stopped. If any one will carefully examine these 
circulars, they will sec that they try to avoid offering 
counterfeit money. They really send only fac-similes, 
which are merely little photographs of the currency, 
worth nothing to pass as money of any kind. The 
operators are very careful never to get caught with a 
single dollar of counterfeit money in their hands 
For other names see our last month's humbug column. 
As fast as these swindling firms are detected, their letters 
at the Post-office arc stopped, and go to Washington. 
Even among the twelve Disciples of our Saviour, 
there was one Judas, — rather a consolatiou to christian 
people, when a supposed good man turns out to be a vil- 
lain. There are Judases even among our Postmasters, 
and the counterfeit money swindles have helped bring 
some of them to light. Several have been detected in 
trying to obtain counterfeit money for circulation. Of 
course they were beheaded in short meter. The Posf- 
oflice Department has an eye on several not yet removed. 
Watson, Graff <fc Co., Importers, etc., (new names.) 
and also G. W. Harris & Co., " Bankers and Receivers for 
the Shareholders," appear to be still stealing simple peo- 
ple's money by pretending to have $200 watches for them 
from Riverside Enterprises, and Prize Concerts, which 
will be forwarded on receipt of $10 to $13 cash for ex- 
