42 
THE TIMES, AND PROSPECT OF THE PRICE OF AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTS. 
ed in houses. These are airy and well littered, 
and so roomy that the lambs can frisk about in 
them, and take all requisite exercise. This is not 
only necessary for their health, but ensures a bet¬ 
ter quality of meat. Any animal kept in close 
confinement during the fatting process, is sure to 
be attended with more or less fever, which injures 
the quality of its flesh, and often makes it positive¬ 
ly unhealthy. 
We have often thought that the rearing of early 
lambs for our own markets in the United States, 
might prove a profitable business to those who 
would engage in it, especially on the Atlantic bor¬ 
ders from New York to. Maryland. This sec¬ 
tion of the country enjoys a tolerable mild winter 
climate, and embraces within its boundary three 
large cities, besides several populous towns, the 
inhabitants of which are both able and willing to 
pay a good price for delicate meat, which is brought 
there somewhat out of the ordinary season. Lamb 
does not usually appear in the New York market 
till April, and even then it is of an indifferent 
quality ; and yet it sells readily for one dollar a quar¬ 
ter, equal to 15 to 20 cents per pound, and even 
when more plenty in May, it is worth full 10 cents 
per pound. Surely these prices would pay our 
breeders well for a little extra attention in provi¬ 
ding this wholesome and delicate meat for our 
markets. We now have a good many South- 
downs scattered over different parts of the United 
States, and they can be obtained at moderate pri¬ 
ces; and for the production of early lambs and 
good mutton, we would especially commend them 
to the attention of our countrymen. Those who 
can not afford to purchase a flock of full bred, may 
at least procure bucks, and by judiciously breeding 
them to native ewes, they may soon possess a very 
useful sheep, and the right sort to give us choice 
mutton and delicate early lamb. 
THE TIMES, AND PROSPECT OF THE PRICE OF 
AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTS. 
In the January No. of this paper, we gave a 
short article on the prospects and price of agricul¬ 
tural products, and a few reasons which induced 
us to believe, that there would be a rise in their 
value; and lest some of our readers may not have 
the number at hand to refer to, we briefly repeat 
them. The winter thus far had come upon us un¬ 
usually early and severe, and there was every ap¬ 
pearance of its continuing so; that it would proba¬ 
bly be followed by a cold, late spring, and that 
there must consequently be a much greater con¬ 
sumption of forage than usual; that the passage 
of the late tariff would enable our artisans to re¬ 
sume their manufactures to a greater extent than 
heretofore ; that the modification of that of Great 
Britain would permit considerable exports of pro¬ 
visions; and that finally, money would become so 
abundant, and to be had at so low a rate of inter¬ 
est, as to induce capitalists to make such invest¬ 
ments as would ensure the undertaking of new en¬ 
terprises; and thus, notwithstanding the late 
abundant harvest, our farmers could henceforth 
look to more cheering prospects. 
Well, a winter of unexampled severity has pass¬ 
ed ; a cold frosty spring is upon us, which Ave fear 
may continue to the end; and the com in most in¬ 
stances all through the south has been cut off, and 
a second planting been necessary. In many parts 
of the country, especially at the great west, after 
consuming all the forage, thousands of cattle, sheep, 
and swine, have actually perished by starvation. 
It is -stated that full one third of the flocks and 
herds have died in Michigan, though we think 
this an exaggeration. Now all these things must 
necessarily have an effect upon prices, and how¬ 
ever favorable the harvest of the coming season 
may be, Ave doubt whether produce will be any 
lower than it noAV is; for, notwithstanding the 
great crops of the past year, all that has come for¬ 
ward has been rapidly shipped or sold, and our 
markets noAV are left comparatively bare. We can 
not hope for the abundant crdp in all things that 
Ave had last season,—it was literally a year of 
abundance, and such as does not often occur. 
For the two past months, Flour and Provisions 
have been steadily advancing in price. Cotton, 
after falling to one cent lower per pound than it 
Avas ever before knoAvn, has at length taken a start 
both in England and this country, and we should 
not be surprised if within three months, it were 
half, to one cent higher than at present. Certain¬ 
ly it must be, if the season does not assume a more 
favorable aspect; for the recent attempts at culti¬ 
vation of this great staple have signally failed in In¬ 
dia, and Europe must still look to the United States 
for its supplies of the middle and better qualities. 
The* rise of cotton will affect other products more 
or less; so that with the present superabundance 
of capital, both in this country and abroad, we are 
satisfied that we are now entering upon a new 
career of prosperity, and that business generally 
will have assumed great activity by September 
next. 
Several of the states seem determined to prose¬ 
cute their internal improvements under any cir¬ 
cumstances, and contracts are noAV making public- 
