1880 ] 
AMERICAN AG-RICQLiTURIST, 
175 
Prices for beeves the past four weeks were as follows: 
wkbk kkdixq Range. Larger Sales. Aver. 
Mar. 15 .....8 @U%c. 9>4@10 c. 9^e. 
Mar. 22. 7 @11 c. 9 @10 c. 9^c. 
Mar. 29. 7M@U^c. 9 @10 c. 9>*e. 
Apr. 5. 7 @11 c. 8X@ »4(c. 9>fe. 
Beeves.—The average receipts for the past four 
weeks, have been a considerable above those of previous 
months. During the first week, there was a good home 
demand, with a fair foreign call, thus making the market 
active, and prices good. The second week was remark¬ 
ably dull, in marked contrast with the one preceding it, 
but the prices have held good up to the time of going to 
press. Tlie first week in April found the markets too 
liberally supplied, and much money has been lost by 
Shippers. Oxen sold as low as S'-/ t c. live weight, while 
Choice and Extra Steers to dress 57, sold at 10>4 to 11c. 
....Milch Cows.—The demand rather moderate for 
fresh milkers, the market remaining quiet and about the 
Barne for the four weeks. From $30 to $55, represents 
most of the sales, the latter being choice stock for family 
use.Calves. —The snpply has been liberal, demand 
very moderate, and the market dull. There was a falling 
off at the close of the month. Mixed lots sold for4@4j^c., 
and common to prime veals, at 4‘/£@7c.... Sheep and 
Lambs.-Tlie month opened with good prices and 
considerable demand, which was soon answered 
by a full supply, when the market fell, and remained 
so for a week, with little rise for the last fortnight. 
Common lambs felt the decline more than sheep. 
The sheep sold in most part at from 5% to 7c.; extra 
wethers at 7Jfc., and a small lot of selected sheep at 7)£c. 
_Hogs.—The month opened steady, and closed 
moderately firm, with }fc. advance. Common and Prime 
Hogs, quoted at $4.75@$5.12r-Average for the mouth 
about $4.60. 
The Horse Market.—Last year was the best in 
the Horse Market for the past five years, but the indica¬ 
tions are that the one just opened, will be better than the 
last Common work horses are selling at $80@$150 $ 
head.—Street car horses are bringing $110@$135— 1 Those 
animals fitted for carriage horses, have brought ns high 
as $250, and heavy cart and dray horses about the same. 
Prices of Feed. 
Cotton-seed meal,.per ton. $80.00 
Linseed-cake meal. “ 87.50 
Middlings. “ 24.00 
Bran. “ 28.00 
Corn-meal... “ 23.00 
Prices of Fertilizers. 
Nitrate of Potash (95 per cent.), per lb. 9 @9>$c. 
Sulphate of Potash (potash 41 per cent) per lb_ 3J4@4 c. 
do. do. (potash 2744 per cent) per lb.. 144@l5fc. 
German Potash Salts (potash 12 to 15p c.) p. toii.$l5.(j0@18.()0 
Muriate of Potash (potash 50 per cent), per lb_ 2 @2‘4c. 
Nitrate of Soda, per lb. . 5@‘i^c. 
Sulphate of Ammonia (25 per cent.), per lb. 4'4c.@i‘Ac. 
Dried I! ood (ammonia 13 percent) per ton.$40.UU@ 15.00 
No.l.Peruv. Guano 10 p.et. ammonia, standard, 79 ton..$55.90 
do. do. Lobos, do. do. do.40 00 
do. do. guaranteed, 9 ton, cargo K.56.00 
Soluble Pacific Guano, f) ton. .... 45.00 
Excelsior Fertilizer Works, Fine Ground I (aw Hone,.. .55.00 
Manes' Complete Manure (e.lay -oils) per 1.000 lbs.......25.50 
(lisrlit soils) per 1.000 lbs.25.50 
“A" Brand, (wheat) & 1,000 lbs..'0.00 
do. do. do. 
do. do. do. 
do. Corn Manure, per ton. . 49.00 
do. Beet do. do.49.0 
do. Cabbage do. do.47.50 
do. Tobacco do. do.52.00 
do. Fruit and Vine Manure, per ton. . 37.n0 
Btockbridgo Rye Manure, do.45.00 
“ wheat do. do.45.00 
“ Seeding Down Manure, do.40.00 
Bowker’s Wheat Phosphate, per ton. 40.00 
Baugh’s Raw Bone Phosphate, per ton. 38.00 
Baugh's Manure for Tobae.co and Grain, per ton.45.00 
Walton, Wlmnn & Co.’s Raw Bone Phosphate. 40.00 
Gypsum, Nova Scotia, ground, per ton. 7.50 
DON’T FORGET 
THE PREMIUMS. 
2 
Months More. 
Two Months Yet Remain, May and June, 
during which any person who wishes can obtain one or 
more of the useful and valuable articles offered in our 
Premium List (of which a copy will be sent free to any 
applicant not having one). They are easily secured. 
This has already been done by more than 25,000 per¬ 
sons, who during years past have tried with success the 
raising of Clubs of Subscribers for our paper, and availed 
themselves of the liberal offers of Premiums made by 
the Publishers. 
We invite all ottr Subscribers to take hold of this 
work and secure a Premium while the offer is open. 
Specimen copies or English or German editions will he 
sent to any wishing to show them for this purpose. 
Premium Clubs already siarted can be filled up. And 
there is plenty of time to start uew Clubs and com¬ 
plete them. 
Spring Work is opening, and multitudes will now 
feel the need of the Help, the hints and suggestions given 
by practical men in the pages of the American Agricul¬ 
turist. They only need some one to present the paper to 
them and take their Subscriptions. The Premiums will 
well pay those who do this for their trouble. 
containing a great variety of Items, including many 
good Hints and Suggestions which we throw into smaller 
type and condensed form , for want of room elsewhere. 
What This Number Contains: 
Most of onr readers are too busy, just now, to at once go 
through the hundred and fifty or more articles and items 
of this paper—each one doubtless worth reading. All 
will first turn to 
Hints for the Work of the Month, on pages 172-3-4, as 
suggestions from practical men are scattered through 
those pages. Bee men will look at page 178. 
Com, our great national crop, comes to the front this 
month. Prof. Atwater’s results of experiments, and the 
value of corn as a renovating crop, pages 180, 181. will be 
carefully studied, with profit. See “ Basket Item ” on 
Corn, page 178. 
Dairy Matters are treated at length, and variously, on 
pages 184-5. A famous cow is described on page 183. 
A Cottage or House for the Country, costing $1,SOO. on 
page 182, will interest many, especially as the detailed 
specifications are given. 
Humbugs of various “species” have their “Gallery” 
on pages 176-7. 
The Hints and Helps to Farmers under several heads, 
on pages 186-7-8-9, can scarcely fail to supply some 
useful hint, in one way or another, to every reader 
Fences and Fencing, on pages 179-SO, give a few read¬ 
ers’ experiences in their own words. 
“The Department, of Agriculture ” will scarcely enjoy 
the expose, on page 190, but many of our readers will. 
Some Newer Grapes, pages 190-1. and the Great Grape 
Enemy, pages 192-3, will be found very interesting by 
many readers. 
Housekeepers are not forgotten, as witness pages 194-5. 
The Boys and Girls will find things useful, things 
puzzling, etc., on page 196-7-8. 
The “Basket” abounds in condensed items in two 
places, on pages 175-6-7-8-9, and over on pages 203-4-5. 
Wiiere to Get Tilings Wanted.— Many thou¬ 
sands of letters come to the Editors every year (some 
with and some without “ return postage”), asking where 
they can obtain from trustworthy parties, implements, 
animals, poultry, seeds, plants, fertilizers, and a great, 
variety of other things, all of which questions we try to 
answer when we can. But nine out of ten of these let¬ 
ters, and much valuable time of both writers and re¬ 
spondents, would be saved, if the inquirers would take 
tlie little trouble required to just look through the adver¬ 
tising columns, witere usually, in one number or another, 
several parties announce tlie very tilings asked about. 
We try to keep out all parties not trustworthy. If any 
mistake occurs, after al! possible care, we can only ac¬ 
knowledge to having been deceived, for we do not admit 
any advertisers whom we would not ourselves patronize 
when wanting the things they offer. (The Editors 
have the “veto power” over any and every advertise¬ 
ment proposed for these columns) It will always 
pay to'read through the business columns to see what is 
offered and by whom, and useful hints are often derived 
from reading what others say and how they say it. New 
ideas are tints started up in one’s mind.—When corre¬ 
sponding with any of ottr advertisers, or sending for 
catalogues, etc., it is well to state that you are a reader 
of this Journal. They will know what we expect, and 
what you expect of them as to prompt and fair treatment. 
The Sugar Beet, by Lewis S. Ware, C. E. M. E., 
etc., Philadelphia, Henry Carey Baird & Co. Just as we 
go to press the work with the above title comes to our 
notice. At no former time lias the Beet Sugar interest in 
tliis country been so lull of promise. It appears as if tlie 
period of costly failures had passed. Tlie few establish¬ 
ments now at work though small are successful, which is 
more than could have been said at any former time. 
There is probably nothing more certain in the future of 
American agriculture, than that it sitail supply the coun¬ 
try with sugar. Whether this is to come from the Beet, 
from Indian Corn or from some variety of Sorghum al¬ 
ready or yet to be produced, we do not undertake to say, 
or whether tlie consummation will take place in 10.50 
or 100 years, matters not: it is hound to come—and the 
sooner tlie better for both the country and the farmers. 
Hence we look with special interest upon any tiling that 
tends to increase tlie knowledge of sugar-yielding plants, 
a purpose which this work is admirably calculated to 
serve. Though we have had no time to read tlie work, 
we can see that it is marked throughout by thoroughness 
and competent knowledge. Ii is not a work upon sugar 
making, but upon the Beet itself in alt its relations; its 
composition, varieties, culture, enemies, harvesting, 
storing, the uses of the root itself and the waste products 
from tlie factory, tlie pulp, for feeding. In fact, all that 
can be said about tlie beet that tlie grower need know is 
given here, and illustrated liberally and handsomely. It 
is not a reproduction of a foreign work—though foreign 
authorities are quoted wiien desirable—but a large share 
of the matter is from the author’s own experience. Bout 
from this office, post paid for $4.00. 
Keeping one Cow —Tlie Prize Essay.— 
On account of the large number of essays (over 70) and 
their fullness, it has been found impossible for the 
judges to make a report in time to announce the prizes 
this month, and we are obliged to wait until our next issue, 
in which we expect to print the one awarded tlie first 
premium. Ttiis will doubtless alone be worth more than 
a whole year’s subscription to the hundred of thousands 
of people who keep one or more cows. 
Feeding for Milk When Dry.— A cow should 
be as well fed while dry as when giving milk. She 
should now increase in flesh, so that she may be.able to 
give a greater flow of milk when milking time comes. 
To feed a dry cow the poor hay, or even think that straw 
is good enough, is poor policy, and the loss will show it¬ 
self in the milk pail. Feed the cows well all the time. 
Oleomargarine-What it is and What it 
is Not.— When Oleomargarine was first manufactured 
we described the process, but that was some years ago. 
Recent inquiries make it necessary to say something 
more about it. Prepared beef suet, tbc membranes, etc., 
removed, is churned with milk to give it the flavor of 
butler, is colored and salted—that is what it is—beef- 
fat prepared to look and taste like butter. It has not 
tlie mechanical texture of or the chemical composition 
of, and is in no respect, butter. So far as it is sold as 
butter it is a miserable fraud. The makers claim that it 
is as good as any bntter and much better than a large 
share of the butter sold. That is a point with which 
we have nothing to do. It is not butter, as that is a 
product of the cow, obtained through the medium of the 
milk, and contains several constituents that the fat of 
the cow does not and which can not be added. Several 
of the States have passed laws directing that all the 
packages of Oleomargarine shall be distinctly marked 
with the word in letters of a given size. This is well, 
so far as it goes, but does not prevent the retailer from 
serving it as butter. As oleomargarine can be made at a 
much less cost than bntter can he produced, the sale of 
it as butter is injurious to the dairy interest, and every 
dairyman and every farmer is interested in preventing 
its sale as bntter, and to this end a petition is being 
circulated for signatures asking Congress by a general 
law to place restrictions upon its manufacture and sale. 
But the capitalists who have money invested in the 
manufacture of Oleomargarine are not idle. They have 
invited the Committee on Agriculture of Congress to 
visit their factory ; they have also invited a number of 
prominent chemists to do the same ; their guests have 
been steamboated and dined and we suppose wined, all 
after the approved fashion. We do not know what 
the effect will be upon the Congressmen, but we are 
very sure that the chemists will say, as they might have 
said before—“Gentlemen, your stuff is not injurious, it 
is as healthy as beef-fat need be, we see no objections 
if people wish beef-fat with their bread, why they 
should not buy yours, but it is not butter and no 
amount of steamboat or banquet can make ns say that it 
is.”--Wesee no reason why colored and salted beef fat 
or colored and salted hog’s lard, or purified and salted 
palm oil should not be eaten if one's taste runs that 
way. but they should not be sold as butter or given 
out to one who asks for butter, and the penalty to 
one who does it should be most severe. We notice of 
late a disposition to change the name of the stuff to 
Bntterine—no, gentlemen 1 yon chose your own name at 
the beginning. Oleomargarine is quite a pretty name and 
as distinct from butter as the stuff itself, and we do 
not wish a name that may lead to the confounding of 
two very distinct articles. Butter can stand on its own 
merits, with its own nanr e; let your stuff do the same, 
and may there may be .aws enough to make you do it. 
