4,4,8 
AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST 
[October, 
Commercial Matters—Market Prices. 
The following condensed, comprehensive tables, care¬ 
fully prepared specially for the American Agriculturist , 
from our record kept daily during the year, show at a 
glance the transactions for the month ending Sept. 9/A, 
1880, and for the corresponding period last year: 
1. TRANSACTIONS AT THE NEW YORK MARKETS. 
Receipts. Flour. Wheat. Corn. Rye. Barley. Oats. 
26d's £/)ism’th491,000 7,840,003 4,661,000 316,000 --1,181,000 
27d’s/as(m’th407.000 7,861,000 5.878,000 63,000 219,000 926,000 
Sales. Flour Wheat. Corn. Rye. Barley. Oats. 
26 d’s (Aism’th436,000 28,214,000* 15,930,000 ' 212,000 - 2,406,000* 
27 d's last m’t 0419,000 25,166,000* 14,181,000* 239,000 - 2,283,000* 
* Including forward delivery, 
2. Comparison with same period at this time last year. 
Receipts. Flour. Wheat Corn. Rye Barley. Oats. 
26 days 1880. .491,000 7,840,000 4,661,000 SteilOO 1 1,881,000 
27 days 1879. .426,500 6,268,000 4,209,000 489,000 206,000 1,287,000 
Sales. Flour. Wheat. Corn. Rye. Barley. Oats. 
26 days I8S0. .436,000 28,214,000 15,930,000 212.000 -- 2,406,000 
27 days 1879..485,000 19,130,000 7,724,000 601,000 14,0001.835,000 
3. Stock of grain in store at New York. 
Wheat. Corn. Rye. Barley. Oats. Malt. 
bush. bush bush, bush. bush hush 
Sept. 7, ’80. .2,636,742 2,326,245 65,612 15,471 76,976 174,033 
Aug. 10.’80. .3,045,607 1,78),441 46,004 25,283 78,910 202,553 
Sept S,'80. .2,687,933 2,512,454 156,458 26,107 759,686 697.668 
4. Exports from New York, Jan. 1 to Sept 4 
Flour. Wheat. Corn. Rye Barley. Oats Peas• 
bbls bush. bush. bush. bush, bush bush- 
’80.2,543,000 41,867,000 33,150.000 1,134,000 271,000 379,000 836,000 
'79,2.601,000 36,657,000 23,376,000 2,581,000 118,000 319,000 225,000 
Current Wholesale Prices. 
Aug. 11. Sept. 9. 
Flour—S uper to Extra State $3 50 @ 4 50 $3 25 
" Super to Extra South'n 3 50 @6 75 
•• Extra Genesee. 4 60 @ 6 00 
•• Superfine Western. 3 50 @4 40 
•• Extra Western. 4 00 @ 8 50 
Minnesota. 4 00 @8 50 
Rye Flour, Superfine. 4 50 
Corn-Meal. 
Corn-Flour, $ bbl. 
Oat-Meal, 79 bbl. 
Wheat—A ll kinds of White. 
Red and Amber. 
” Spring. 
Corn— vellow. 
White. 
Mixed. 
Oats. 
Rye. 
Barley. 
Hay—R ale, 79 100 »s. 
Straw, $ 100 fts. 
Cotton—M iddlings, 79 ft_ 
Hops—C rop of 1880. $ Ih. 
old, ft. 
Feathers—L ive Geese, $ ft 
Seed—C lover, W. & St. 18 lb. 
Timothy, 18 bushel_ 
Flax, bushel. 
Tobacco, Kentucky, &c., V lb 
• • Seed Leaf, $ lb. 
Wool—D omestic Fleece, V ft 
■ • Domestic, pulled. 
•• California. 
Tallow, $ tb . 
Oil-Cake— $) ton. 
Pork—M ess, & bbl.. „_ 
Extra Prime, $ bbl.. 11 00 @12 00 12 00 @12 50 
Beef—E xtra Mess. 10 00 @11 00 10 00 @10 50 
Lard. In trcs. & bbls, 18 100ft 7 50 @ 8 12% 8 25 @ 8 70 
Butter—S tate, 18 ft. 18 @ 27 
• Western, poor to f’cy,ft 15 @ 27 
Cheese . 9 @ 12 
E GS—Fresh, ® dozen. 12 @ 14% 
Poultry—F owls 18 lb. 10 @ 13 
" Chickens, ® $. 11 @ 20 
Roosters, $ %. 5 @ 8 
•• Turkeys, 3* ft. 11 @ 14 
'' Geese, $ pair 
. — © 5 05 
2 50 @ 3 25 
2 75 @ 3 35 
4 75 @ 6 25 
98 @ 1 14 
90 @ 1 10 
_4 15 
3 25 @ 6 25 
4 25 @ 5 75 
@ 4 00 
@ 8 25 
@ 8 25 
- . @ 5 00 
2 50 @ 3 25 
2 85 @ 3 85 
4 50 @ 6 50 
95 @ 1 08% 
90 @ 1 08 
S 25 
3 75 
3 85 
4 40 
90 @ 1 09 
90 @ 1 02% 
48 %@ 63 
52 @ 
61 
51 @ 55 
51 %@ 
55 
45 @ 4851 
50%@ 
51% 
36 @ 46 
37 @ 
45 
78 @ 84 
86 @ 
89 
Nominal. 
75 @ 
95 
70 @ 1 10 
70 @ 1 35 
45 @ 1 05 
50 @ 
85 
11%@ 11% 
n%@ 
11% 
40 @ 75 
21 © 
40 
4 @ 15 
4 © 
14 
35 ® 48 
40 @ 
50 
7%@ 8% 
8%@ 
8% 
2 65 @ 2 90 
2 30 <§> 2 35 
1 33 @ 1 40 
1 30 @ 1 35 
3 @ 14 
4 @ 
15 
6 @ 40 
5 %@ 
50 
22 @ 50 
20 @ 
48 
22 @ 50 
20 @ 
46 
15 @ 34 
15 @ 
35 
6%@ 6)4 
6%@ 
6% 
30 50 @ — 
29 00 @29 50 
14 25 @14 50 
— @ 16 00 
• ’ Ducks. pair. 
•• H).. 
Pigeons, $ dozen. 
Snipe,$ dozen. 
Woodcock, ^ pair . 
Grass Plover P dozen. 
Reed Birds, dozen . 
Peaches, ?! basket. 
Plums, $ quart. 
” 18 bbl. 
Apples, $ barrel. 
Pears, barrel. 
Whortleberries, $ hf bush 
Grapes, p case. 
1 12%@ 1 62% 
45 @ 55 
- @ — 
75 @ 2 00 
75 @ 80 
- @ — 
— @ — 
65 @ 1 75 
7 
28 
28 
12 X 
19J^ 
15 
18 
8 
16 
4 50 @ 6 00 
25 
1 00 
1 25 
2 50 
1 75 
7 00 
@ 2 25 
@ 5 00 
17 „ 
16 @ 
9 @ 
16%@ 
11 @ 
11 @ 
5 @ 
12 @ 
1 12%@ 1 62% 
40 @ 75 
10 @ 14 
75 @ 1 50 
40 @ 1 75 
1 12 @ 1 25 
2 25 @ 2 50 
" @ 20 
@ 1 00 
@ — 
@ 8 00 
@ 1 50 
_@ 6 00 
2 00 @ 2 50 
1 50 @ 3 25 
15 
20 
2 00 
75 
1 25 
79 lb. 
_ 
@ 
— 
1%@ 
6 
Potatoes, bbl. 
75 
® 2 
25 
1 
00 
@ 1 
75 
Sweet, % bbl. 
1 
5(1 
@ 2 
50 
1 
50 
@ 3 
(H) 
Tomatoes, 79 box. 
60 
@ 
75 
25 
© 
50 
Turnips, 79 bbl. 
75 
@ 1 
25 
1 
00 
© 1 
50 
white,new, $ 100 bun 
2 
50 
@ 4 
00 
2 
IH) 
@ 3 
IK) 
Beans, bushel. 
1 
25 
© 2 
25 
1 
35 
@ 1 
85 
Egg Plants, $ bbl. 
1 
75 
@ 2 
50 
1 
00 
@ 1 
50 
Peas—C anada, in bond, $ bu 
— 
© 
— 
— 
© 
— 
'• new, green, bag. 
1 
50 
@ 2 
50 
1 
00 
@ 2 
00 
Corn, green, 100 . 
50 
@ 1 
50 
50 
@ 1 
00 
String Beans, 79 bag. 
50 
© 1 
25 
25 
@ 
50 
Carrots, 79 100 bunches. 
1 
00 
@ 1 
50 
1 
IH) 
@ 1 
50 
Beets. 79 100 bunches . 
— 
© 
— 
1 
(HI 
© 1 
50 
Cabbaoes new, 79 100. 
3 
00 
@ 8 
00 
2 
00 
© 7 
(H) 
Onions, 79 bbl. 
4 
00 
© 5 
50 
2 
50 
Oh 2 
75 
Squash 79 bbl. 
watermelons, 79 100. 
75 
© 
— 
50 
@ 
75 
5 
00 
@18 
00 
7 
(Hi 
@14 
00 
Nutmeg Melon, 79 bbl. 
— 
@ 
— 
50 
@ 1 
50 
Radishes, new, 79 100 bunch. 
50 
@ 
87% 
— 
@ 
— 
Cucumbers. 79 100. 
25 
© 
60 
20 
@ 
30 
Cauliflower. $ dozen. 
75 
@ 4 
00 
— 
@ 
— 
An active busines has been reported In Stocks and 
Money at, however, unsettled prices, closing up stronger, 
and more oi less buoyantly, with Money ruling excep 
tionally plenty and low as to price, on call or in the dis¬ 
count form.Real Estate has been held quite confi- 
Luutly, though not, at present, in urgent request. 
Most kinds of General Merchandise have been attracting 
increased attention, and generally at firmer rates. Much 
freer movements have been reported in Dry Goods, Boots 
and Shoes, and Hardware. A good demand prevailed for 
Metals, Laths, Lumber, Lime, Metals, Tobacco, and 
Groceries.Cotton has been in generally moderate de¬ 
mand, at irregular figures, closing more steadily.... Wool 
has been dealt in quite sparingly, and has further receded 
in price, closing rather heavily on free offerings.A 
limited call has been noted in Hops, which have been 
quite unsettled as to values, closing in favor of buyers. 
_Hay, and Straw in fair demand_Seeds, more sought 
after_ Clover quoted higher... Petroleum has been 
fairly active, but unsettled, leaving off more firmly. 
Naval Stores have been held higher, but not very active. 
. ..A brisk business has been reported in Breadstuffs, 
which, however, have fluctuated widely, closing for most 
kinds of grain and flour lower, and, as a rule, weak. Specu¬ 
lation in Wheat, Corn, and Oats has been more animated. 
The export movement in Wheat and Corn has been to a 
fair aggregate, the Wheat mainly of the new crop of 
Winter. Cable advices have recently been unfavorable 
to the export interest. More inquiry has been noted for 
Spring Wheat for shipment. New crop No. 2 Chicago 
Spring Wheat was received here on Monday, September 
6, by Messrs F. Edson & Co. Samples were exhibited 
on ’Change, for which the asking price—as per sample— 
was $1.04 per bushel. The quality was deemed very fine, 
and the offering averaged 60% lbs to the imperial bushel. 
... .Corn has been in reduced stock, toward the close, and 
quoted stronger Rye likewise hardened perceptibly in 
price near the close, on a light offering and good demand. 
New crop Barley has not been in much request, thus far, 
and values have been more or less nominal, as they have 
been for months past, or since the previous season ended. 
Oats have experienced frequent and radical changes, due 
largely to speculative influences, closing for prompt de¬ 
livery qnite heavily, and, in the option line, more firmly. 
.. Hog Products have been quite active, and quoted 
dearer, speculation continuing on a liberal scale, espe¬ 
cially in Western Steam Lard. Beef and Beef Products, 
quiet at irregular figures. Ocean freights have been seri¬ 
ously depressed and unsettled, on freer offerings of 
accommodation, and a comparatively moderate demand, 
closing weak, including by steam to Liverpool, 5%@6 d. 
per bushel; to Bristol, by steam, to 6%@7 d. per bushel; 
to Antwerp, by steam, to 71@8(f. per bushel, and sail to 
Cork, for orders for vessels of average carrying capacity— 
say 3,000 to 4,000 qrs.— 5s. ‘id. per qr. of 480 lbs The visi¬ 
ble supplies of Wheat—embracing the hoards at lake ports, 
in transit, and on the seaboard—at latest dates, embraced 
about 14,405,400 bushels ; of Corn, 19,183,350 bushels; 
of Rye, 665,750 bushels; of Barley, 255,900 bushels, and 
of Oats, 1,592,000 bushels, against on January 31, an ag¬ 
gregate of 30,100,000 bushels Wheat, 13,100,000 bushels 
Corn, 979,000 bushels Rye, 4,155,000 bushels Barley, and 
3,080,000 bushels Oats. 
Mew York Live-Stock markets. 
RECEIPTS. 
week ending Beeves. Cows. Calves. Sheep , Swine. 
Aug. 16.11,356 1 6,657 27,061 24,426 
Aug 23. 14,049 67 4,582 86,520 25,097 
Aug 30.12,883 32 4,716 36,638 26283 
Sept. 6.12,994 45 3,961 37,554 31,836 
lotalfor 4 Weeks. .51,282 227 19,916 137,773 107,642 
do.J'or prev.5J[eeks'n,225 483 25,108 184,423 119,099 
Beeves. Cows. Calves. Sheep. Swine. 
Average per week .12,820 57 4,979 34,443 26,910 
do. do. last Month.. 14,245 97 5,022 36,885 23,814 
do. do. prev’s Month .14,l&i 87 5,271 84,766 27,096 
Prices for beeves the past four weeks were as follows; 
week ending Range. Larger Sales. Aver. 
Aug. 16. 6%@10%c. 8&@ 951c. 9%C. 
Aug 23. 6%@10%c. 951c. 9%c. 
Aug- 30.7 @10%c. 951c. 9%c. 
Sept. 6.651@ 9«lc. 83f@ 951c. 9%c. 
Beeves.—The average number of beeves handled per 
week has been considerable lower than for some months. 
The export trade has been light but is increasing. Good 
choice native steers sold for 9%(o)10)4c. to dress 56@57 
lbs. Poor to fair ones brought 7%@9%c. Stags, old dry 
cows and rough oxen sold at 2%@3,%c., live weight, and 
7@7%c. to dress 55 lbs., Texas and Cherokees at 7@7%c. 
to dress 55 lbs., and Colorados 8@8%c.. .Milcli Cows. 
—The number sold has been very small, as the month 
closes the tone of the market is firmer. Fair cows are 
quoted at $30 to $40, with prime ones at $45 to $55.... 
Calves.—The average per week has been below that of 
previous months. Grassers and Buttermilk calves sold 
at 2@2%c.; fed calves, 3@4c., veals 4@6%c., and a few 
selections at 6%c_Slieep and Lainbs.-Thc mar¬ 
ket has been firm and fairly active for good sheep, espec¬ 
ially for heavy wethers for export, w’hile that for com¬ 
mon sheep and ewes has been dull. Fair sheep sold at 
4@4%c., good to choice, 5@5%e. Poor lambs 4%@5;4e.; 
prime 5%@5%c.; extra 5%@6c_Swine.—For good 
hogs the market was firm at the close of the month, with 
larger sales. Western grass hogs quoted at 4@4%c.; 
corn led. 5@5%c„; choice lots of Ohios, 5%e. 
The Horse Market.—The receipts are increasing 
quite rapidly and the demand is more active than for 
months. Prices remain steady with a slight advance for 
fine driving teams. A number of fine lots of imports 
have arrived. These animals have been selected with 
special care for breeding purposes. 
Prices of Feed. 
Cotton-seed meal. .per ton, *30.00 
Linseed-cake meal.. “ 3700 
Middlings. . “ 2100 
Bran. . •• 23.00 
Corn-<meal. “ 23.00 
Prices of Fertilizers. 
Nitrate of Potash (95 per cent), per lb_ 3 @ 8 Pc 
Sulphate of Potasli (potash 44 per cent), per lb” 3%@4 V 
do. do. (potash 27% per cent, per lb„ l%@14(c’ 
German Potash Salts (potash 12 to 15 p. c.), p. ton.S14.00@lt> Oft 
Muriate ot Potash (potash 50 per cent), per lb. 2 S.2V.C 
Nitrate of Soda, per lb. 4y@5 c" 
Sulphate of Ammonia (25 per cent), per lb..””” 4%©Wc" 
Bi'ied Blood (ammonia 13 per cent), per ton.$40.00@45.00' 
JNo. 1 Peruv. Guano,Lobos, ammonia, standard, $ ton.. 46i0Oi 
do. do. guaranteed, ft Ion,cargo M. 56 . 00 - 
Soluble Pacific Guano, per ton. 45.00 
Excelsior Fertilizer Works, Fine Ground Raw Bone... 55.00 1 
Mapes Complete Manure (clay soils), per 1,000 lbs. 25.50 
d°- do. do. (light soils), per 1,000 lbs. 25.50 
d°- do. do. “A” Brand (wheat), # 1,000 lbs. 20.00 
do. Tobacco do. do. 52.00 
do. Fruit and Vine Manure, per ton. 37.00 
do. Asparagus Manure, per ton. 51.00 
Homestead Superphosphate, per ton . 40.00 
do. Tobacco Grower, per ton. 60.00 
Banner Raw Bone Flour, per ton. 45.00 
Stockbridge Rye Manure, per ton.. . 45.00 
do. "Wheat Manure, per ton.” 4s!00 
do. Seeding Down Manure, per ton. 40.00 
Bowker s Wheat Phosphate, per ton. 40.00 
Walton, Whann & Co.’s Raw Bone Phosphate, per ton. 40.00 
Gypsum, Nova Scotia, ground, per ton. 8.00 
Muck and Manure Compost.— Several in¬ 
quirers are interested to know the proportion of manure 
to muck in composts. That depends—1st, on the qual¬ 
ity and texture of the muck; 2d, on the richness and 
heating quality of the manure. If the muck is quite 
dry and pulverulent, one load of horse manure to five of 
muck will bring on a good heat soon after the heap is 
laid up, especially if it gets a good soaking rain. But if 
the muck is lumpy and the manure stale and perhaps 
mixed with much litter and cow dung, one to three will 
be better. After any heap has come to a good heat, 
cut it over, add more muck if you think it best, and let 
it heat again. Tankings, ground scrap cake, castor 
pomace, hen dung, pigeon dung, and many similar nitro¬ 
genous and easily fermenting substances are substitutes 
for stable manure, and may be used in smaller quantities. 
Tannery Lime, etc.— “ C. C.,” of Pittsburgh, 
Pa., writes: “lean buy spent lime of tannery at $1.50- 
per 2,000 lbs.; Gas lime, 40c. per load, say 30c. per 2,000' 
lbs. (latter to be hauled 5 miles); Fresh burnt lime, 144c. 
per bushel, say $3.50 per 2.000 lbs.; Dry swamp muck, 
30c. per load, say 30c. per 2,000 lbs., delivered at R. R. 
station, £ mile from farm. My soil is light, sandy loam, 
well surface-drained, but very much run down in fertil¬ 
ity. I will make considerable barn-yard manure this 
winter, but I want to know which of the above will be 
most valuable, and how they should be used to best ad¬ 
vantage, separately or together.”—We advise the use of 
the spent lime from the tannery, composted with the 
dry swamp muck, and of the swamp muck to compost 
with the stable manure. These composts may be made 
separately, or the ingredients may be laid up in the 
same heap, if you avoid bringing the manure in direct 
contact with the lime. After the first action, when the 
heap is worked over, it will not make any difference. 
The tannery lime, we conclude, has more or less animal 
matter, hair, etc., mingled with it, bnt has not lost all of 
its caustic character. If it Is old and rather inert, it 
will be best to compost It with both muck and stable 
manure, as by itself it would have little action on the 
muck. See items on Swamp Muck in this number. 
Changing the Crop.—The advantages of a rota¬ 
tion, either regular or irregular, result from a number of 
considerations, some of the more important of which are 
as follows: First, different crops require food elements 
in different proportions—thus potatoes require much 
more potash than wheat, and this crop grown for a suc¬ 
cession of years would exhaust the natural supply much 
more rapidly than when only grown with a number of 
other crops between, not demanding a large amount of 
potash. In the second place a rotation, when managed 
properly, enables one crop to prepare food for another. 
Clover sends long tap-roots into the subsoil which act as 
pumps to bring up food elements that may be used by 
surface feeding crops that follow. Thirdly, as different 
crops require different methods of cultivation, the rota¬ 
tion can be so arranged that there will he a constant 
supply of labor distributed throughout the whole season. 
For the same reason the variety of crops permits of a 
better cultivation and improvement of the soil, the de¬ 
struction of weeds, etc. 
Time to Give Milk.— The length of time a cow 
should give milk depends somewhat upon the animal, 
her natural capabilities, and the food which is furnished 
her. Some cows will give milk the year round, while, 
others will need to go dry for months. As a rule, it is 
better for a cow to be “ dried off” some weeks—four to 
six—before salving, thus giving her time to flesh up 
and gain fresh strength for another season of work. The 
time thus spent will not be lost, as the more abundant flow 
of milk and its greater richness afterwards will testify. 
