124 
AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST. 
Overwork of the Mind —A Melancholy 
Truism. —In these days half our diseases come 
from the the neglect of our body in the over¬ 
work of the brain. In this railway age the wear 
and tear of labor and intellect go on without 
pause or self-pity. We live longer than our 
forefathers, but we suffer more from a thousand 
artificial anxieties and cares. They fatigued 
only the muscles; we exhaust the finer strength 
of the nerves; and when we send impatiently 
to the doctor, it is ten to one but what he finds 
the acute complaints, which is all that we per¬ 
ceive, connected with some chronic mental irrita¬ 
tion, or some unwholesome inveteracy of habit. 
—Sir Bulwer Lytton at Edinburgh. 
--- 
What Degrades. —Places and professions are 
not of much account. To one who has self-res¬ 
pect, a theatre is as safe as a throne. It is the 
heart carried into a thing, not the thing itself 
that degrades. The heart, not the position is 
the assurance and safeguard of virtue. It is 
not the profession but the heart that degrades. 
The most despised calling may be made honor¬ 
able by the honor of its professors; nor will 
any manner of work corrupt the nature which 
is intrinsically pure. The ballet-dancer may be 
as high-minded as the governess; the shop- 
worker as noble as the artist. It is the heart, 
the mind, the intention carried into the work, 
which degrades, or ennobles the character; for 
to the “ pure all things are pure,” and to the 
impure, all things are occasions of still further 
evil.— Chambers's Journal. 
Questions Well Answered.—A sophist, 
wishing to puzzle Thales, the Melesian, one of 
the wise men of Greece, proposed to him in 
rapid succession the following difficult ques¬ 
tions. The philosopher replied to them all with¬ 
out the- least hesitation, and with how much 
propriety and precision, our readers can judge 
for themselves. 
What is the oldest of all things? God—be¬ 
cause he always existed. 
What is the most beautiful ? The world— 
because it is the work of God. 
What is the greatest of all things? Space— 
because it contains all that is created. 
What is the quickest of all things ? Thought 
—because in a moment it can fly to the end of 
the universe. 
What is the strongest ? Necessity—because 
it makes men face all the dangers of life. 
What is the most difficult? To know your¬ 
self. 
What is the most constant of all things? 
Hope—because it still remains with man after 
he has lost every thing else. 
SPECIAL NOTICE TO ALL SUBSCRIBERS. 
We find that by using such good paper, our 
volume of 832 pages will be quite large to bind, 
and especially large for those who wish to stitch 
their paper together with an index, without be¬ 
ing at the expense of binding. To obviate this, 
we have concluded to be at the expense and 
trouble of making out an extra index with No. 
26, so as to form a complete volume of the first 
26 numbers. The index for the next 26 num¬ 
bers will be given at the end of the year, or with 
No. 52. This arrangement will make it conve¬ 
nient for all, as the 52 numbers can be stitched 
or bound in two volumes with an index for each, 
or in one volume with the double index at the 
close. 
We hope all will preserve their numbers, for 
there are many single articles each of which will 
be worth the price of the volume, for future ref¬ 
erence. When the paper arrives from the post- 
office, a good plan is to see that it is properly 
folded, and then pin or sew it through the mid¬ 
dle and cut open the leaves. It is very easy to 
stitch 26 numbers together. To do this, arrange 
them in regular order, and with an awl punch 
several holes about one-fourth of an inch from 
the back, and through these run a strong thread 
two or three times with a darning-needle, and 
the work is done. We have scores of volumes 
of papers, pamphlets, and addresses, thus pre¬ 
pared, which serve all the purposes of a bound 
volume, and occupy less room in storing and 
carrying. We would, however, prefer to see 
volumes of agricultural papers neatly bound and 
laid upon the book-shelves or tables of farmers. 
They are much better and more appropriate or¬ 
naments, than gilded volumes of trashy maga¬ 
zines or novels. 
ONE WORD MORE.—We thank our friends 
for the liberal aid they have afforded us in ex¬ 
tending the circulation of the Agriculturist. 
Our list has increased beyond our expectation, 
and we are daily encouraged to labor with the 
utmost diligence, to make our paper worthy of 
the confidence and admiration of our largely in¬ 
creasing list of readers. Our reliance for the 
continuance and increase of our list is upon 
those who are already readers. As stated above, 
we now divide the year so as to give either one 
or two complete volumes of the 52 numbers. 
Number 27 begins the second volume, or half 
of the year. We respectfully request all our 
present subscribers to make a little exertion at 
this time, and each send us on at least one new 
name. If you cannot get your neighbors to 
send on for a year, ask them to try the paper 
for six months, as in that time they will get a 
complete volume. 
To Correspondents. —We have several com¬ 
munications on hand which we will look over 
as soon as we have time, and some of them will 
be published. It is no trifling labor to prepare 
for the printer many communications which we 
receive. Some are written so closely that there 
is not room to put in corrections, without re¬ 
writing the whole. We cheerfully prepare ar¬ 
ticles, unless there is manifest want of care on 
the part of the writer. If he does as well as he 
can, we make all needful changes and correc¬ 
tions. 
As most writers doubtless wish to improve 
their own style, we suggest to them to keep an 
exact copy of their communications, and then 
compare this copy with the printed sheet. They 
may often learn something in this way. 
We are not anxious to receive original poetry. 
We have little space for rhyme, and we have 
good selections enough to last us a year at least. 
Good poetry, however, will not be rejected; but 
we advise all who attempt to write in verse to 
remember, that good rhyme does not constitute 
good poetry; on the contrary, some of the best 
poetry we have ever seen does not “ rhyme ” at 
all, while some of the best rhyme contains not a 
single poetic sentiment. 
Uarluk 
Remarks.— Flour is 124 to 25 cts. higher in 
most grades; Corn 3 cts. per bushel; Pork 31J 
cts. per bbl.; Lard 4 ct. per lb.; Beef un¬ 
changed. 
Cotton has fluctuated somewhat the past 
week, but has settled down to-day at the same 
rates as per our last. Sugar and Tobacco the 
same. 
The weather was very fine and hot up to 
Thursday, the 27th April. The thermometer 
ranged the preceding day as high as 75° at 
noon. On the evening of the 27th, it com¬ 
menced raining, which it continued gently with 
strong easterly winds till Saturday morning the 
29th, when it blew a gale, and during the suc¬ 
ceeding twenty-four hours the rain poured down 
in torrents. We never witnessed a greater fall 
of water in the same space of time. Sunday, the 
30th, was slightly showery, closing fine at 
night. The destruction by the flood is terrible, 
and it will take a long time to repair the devas¬ 
tations committed throughout the country. The 
season still continues very backward. We find 
by our record, that many shrubs and trees leave 
and bloom from 10 to 13 days later than last 
year. In 1853 the peach trees began to bloom 
at our residence, 16 miles north of the Battery, 
on the 18th of April, this year the first blos¬ 
soms at the same place did not appear till the 
28th. 
REVIEW OF THE BRITISH CORN TRADE. 
We are in receipt of the Marie Lane Express 
of April 10th, and condense a few words, all 
that is important to our readers in its long arti¬ 
cle on the Corn Trade. It shows an importa¬ 
tion of Wheat into the London Market, for the 
quarter ending April 1st, 1854, of 381,003 qrs., 
against 190,621 qrs. in the corresponding time 
of 1853; and from this it argues that the wants 
of England will be equally great for the suc¬ 
ceeding quarter to be made up of the months of 
April, May, and June. It also says that the 
advices from the Upper Baltic repeat what has 
already been so frequently affirmed, viz., that 
the Wheat crop of 1853 has proved very short, 
and stocks having been reduced into a narrow 
compass by the large shipments during autumn 
and winter, the supplies likely to be derived 
from that quarter during the summer, will, it is 
stated, be comparatively small. 
If all this be correct, Great Britain will look 
to the United States for her principal supply of 
wheat till the next harvest. The price, conse¬ 
quently cannot go down much this spring and 
the coming summer. 
The weather continues very fine in England 
for putting in the spring crops. Money is unu¬ 
sually dear there, which greatly checks specu¬ 
lation in grain. Were it not for this, the de¬ 
mand would be greater than it now is. 
PRODUCE MARKETS. 
Wholesale prices of the more important Vegetables, 
Fruits, &c., at the principle New-York Markets. 
In our weekly reports we give the prices which producers 
actually get, and not the prices at which produce is sold 
■ora the market. , 
Saturday, April 29, 1854. 
Rain! Rain! Mud! Mud' aud yet New-York must eat! 
oes eat, and pay for—Mercer potatoes, $4@$4 25 tp bbl. ; 
Arters, ditto; Early Junes, $3 50@$4 ; Common, $3®. 
3 25 ; yellow Onions, $2 ; red, $2 25 ; white, $3 50 
rhite Turnips, $2 25@$2 50: yellow, S3 ; Spinach, $2 50 
.ussett Apples, $4; Greenings, $4 50 ; Swaars, §4 50 
pitzensburgs, $4 50 ; Baldwins, §5 ; Seeknoturthers, So 
Teen Peas, $6©|8 ; Parsnips, $2 50; Carrots $2 50 
eets, $2 50; Lettuce, per doz. bunches, 37,J4c.@$l : On 
ms, 62!kc. ; Vegetable Oysters, $ l; Celery, *1 50©$2 2o 
hubarb, $6 ; Rape Sprouts, $1 75 ; Maple Sugar, 10@12c 
lib.; Old Butter, 14@18c.; New Butter, 23@25c.; Eggs, 
NEW-YORK CATTLE MARKET. 
Monday, May 1, 1854. 
Owing to the unprecedented storm of last week, the num¬ 
ber of cattle in market is much less than usual. The day is 
pleasant, though cool. This, and the limited number make 
prices high, considering the quality, which is uniformly 
common throughout the yards. But very few of the cattle 
show stable care. Feeders would do well to notice that 
their animals would bring them enough better prices, from 
their looks, to pay all trouble in stabling. 
Prices range from 8%©llc. per pound. 
Washington Yards, Forty-fourth street. 
A. M. Allerton, Proprietor. 
RECEIVED DURING 
THE WEEK. 
IN MARKET TO-DAY 
Beeves, 
1,818 
1,548 
Swine, 
4346 
Cows and Calves, 
11 
Sheep, 
858 
Veals, 
1107 
Erie R. R, brought in 541 beeves, 4346 swine ; Hudson R. 
