1801 .] 
AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST. 
91 
Ma.rket Review, Weather Notes, etc. 
American Agriculturist Office, I 
New-York, Tuesday, February 19, 1801. j 
Farmers of this country, as a class, are usually little in¬ 
terested in “ Foreign News,” but their interests are too 
closely connected with the condition of the breadstuff 
markets of the old world to allow of any indifference. 
We have at present a large surplus of wheat and corn, 
the value of which will materialy depend upon the for¬ 
eign demand. For some time after our last review the 
export trade was not encouraging. The prices reported 
from England did not allow a large margin for profit upon 
the prices here. There was a scarcity of vessels, and 
higher rates of freight were demanded. The low rate 
of exchange made it difficult to sell bills drawn against 
grain and flour exported, and shippers were frequently 
unable to pay for new supplies to meet foreign orders re¬ 
ceived. The home demand was not much above the cur¬ 
rent receipts by railroad. These circumstances, together 
with the eagerness of holders of breadstuff's to sell in order 
to get money to meet their maturing notes, all tended 
to depress prices. But within a few days past the com¬ 
plexion of the markets has materially changed. The 
baneful effects of the bad season in Great Britain, both for 
harvest, and for sowing the crop now in the ground, are 
becoming more evident. The wheat threshed and brought 
to market is of a poor quality, and commands a price 
considerably below good American wheat. The dimin¬ 
ished supply of potatoes, owing to the prevalence of the 
rot, is beginning to be felt. There is a more active in¬ 
quiry for American flour and grain, and recent arrivals 
here bring liberal orders at higher rates. Hence we 
have quite an active demand, both for immediate ship¬ 
ment, and on speculation. Holders are retaining their 
stocks, as far as possible, with the expectation of large 
profits ; they now refuse offers which would have been 
eagerly grasped at oniy ten or twelve days ago. Every 
dealer here is now looking for a further decided rise in 
prices. The present prospect is, that the holders of 
breadstuff's here will soon have full control of the prices, 
at least until the opening of navigation in Spring. A 
glance at the present condition of the supply will show 
that this will be readily accomplished. The cost of 
transportation of flour and grain by railroad is so much 
greater than by water, that but moderate supplies can be 
expected. The total receipts at this port for the month 
of January were: 121,000 bis. of flour; 167,000 bushels 
of wheat; 93,000 bushels of corn ; 65,000 bushels of oats; 
45,000 bushels of barley ; and 2,000 bushels of rye ; while 
during the same month we exported 152,000 bbls of flour ; 
813,000 bushels of wheat; 606,000 bushels of corn ; and 
13,500 bushels of oats. This reduced the available sup¬ 
plies here on February 1st. to only 325,000 bbls. of flour, 
and 2,750,000 bushels of wheat—being above a quarter of 
a million barrels of flour, and three-fourths of a million 
bushels of wheat, less than the stock on hand January 1st. 
as reported in the last Agriculturist. The receipts since 
the beginning of this month have been light, in the face 
of the increased export now going on, so that the present 
stock must be much reduced. With no serious changes in 
the political horizon, and a continuance of the- present 
current of trade, prices must go up in this market, and in 
a measure throughout the country, though New-York 
prices will be relatively higher, owing to the limited, and 
not easily increased, stocks available in this port. Cali¬ 
fornia sent us by three vessels, which arrived here during 
the month, about 85,000 bushels wheat, being an unusual¬ 
ly large shipment from that young state. The general 
appearance of this wheat, as far as wc have seen it, is 
decidedly good; the berry is round and plump ; skin, fine, 
and thin ; and the color very white indeed. The grain, 
however, is dry and flinty, and in grinding it flies before 
the stones, making much moie than the usual amount of 
waste and offal. Hence, it is not in much favor with our 
local millers. Some of them have been experimenting 
with it; and wo learn from one party that by damping it 
slightly he succeded in making it pass regularly under 
the stones, and obtained a fair yield of flour. Some lots 
have been shipped to England, to try how the Wheat will 
take in the markets and among the millers of that country. 
.As Breadstuff's get into greater request, and prices 
rise, Cotton seems to suffer. The demand for this staple 
has been quite limited, although holders have offered to 
sell freely, and at reduced rates. Just now, there cannot 
be said to be any market for the article ; the few small 
lots, which are changing hands daily? are not sufficient to 
establish one ; and prices are for the most part, wholly 
nominal.Provisions have been unusually dull, and 
prices have been tending steadily downward. Returns 
of the Hogs slaughtered and packed, at 138 points in the 
West, this season, including Cincinnati, Louisville, St. 
Louis, Chilicothe, Indianapolis, Chicago, and all Ten¬ 
nessee, make the total number 1,675,054, against 1,782,591 
to same date last season, showing a decrease of 107,537. 
The remaining returns, yet to come in, will add to tiffs 
decrease ; but, undoubtedly, the increase in weight will 
more than make up for the falling off in numbers, as there 
is a marked increase in the weight of the hogs this sea¬ 
son at all the .places heard from. In Cincinnati, the 
average weight of the hogs packed this season has 
been 221 5-35 lbs. per hog, and the average yield of lard 
28 9-16 lbs. per hog. Last season the average weight was 
only 189 lbs. and the average yield of lard, 23 lbs. Hay 
and Hops have met wffth a regular, but not active de¬ 
mand.Prices of rice have been reduced, the inquiry 
having fallen off.Wool has been more sought after 
at previous quotations... . Tobacco and Hemp have been 
quiet.Clover seed has been in fair request, but at 
lower figures.The movements in most other kinds 
of Produce have been restricted. 
Current "tv holes ale Prices. 
Jan. 18. Feb. 19. 
Flour—S unerf to ExtraState $5 20 @ 5 55 $5 10 @ 5 50 
Superfine Western. 5 20 @ 5 35 5 0.> @ o 20 
Extra Western. 5 45 @ 7 25 5 25 @ 7 2a 
Fancy to Extra Genesee. 5 00 @ 7 25 5 55 ® i 2;> 
Super, to Extra Southern. • 5 80 @ 7 50 5 35 @ 7 25 
Rye Flour—F ine and Snper. 3 30 @ 4 15 3 30 @ 4 10 
Corn Meal . 3 10 @ 3 60 a 00 @ 3 40 
Wheat—C anada White. 1 45 @ 1 55 1 40 @ 1 55 
Western White. 1 45 @1 57% .1 40 @1 ai% 
Southern White. 1 47 'A® 1 62% 1 4a @1 60 
All kinds of Red. 1 18 @ 1 a§ 115 @ 1 3 d 
Corn—Y ellow- . 72 @ 
White. 71 @ 
Mixed.. 69%@ 
Oats—W estern. . 36 @ 
State. 87 ® 
Southern. 35 @ 37 
Rye. ?3 © 
Barley.. 65 @ 
Hay, in bales, per 100 ilia..... 85 ® 1 10 
Cotton—M iddlings, per lb.... 12%' a 19 
Rice, per 100 lbs.. 3 76 
Hops, crop of I860, per lb. 25 _ 
Pork—N ew Mess, per bbl. 17 25 @17 50 
Prime, new, per bbl.. 13 18%@13 25 
Beef—R epacked mess . . 8 25 @ 9 75- 8 25 @ 9 75 
Lard, in bbls., per lb .. 10%@ 10% Qua, in 
75 
65 
@ 
68 
73 
68 
® 
78 
71 
67 
@ 
USX 
37 
36 
@ 
37 
38 
37 
@ 
38 
37 
33 
® 
36 
75 
65 
@ 
GS 
80 
68 
@ 
80 
10 
80 
@ i 
L 05 
12% 
HR® 
11 % 
7a 
8 25 
® 4 50 
82 
24 
82 
50 
10 95 
@17 00 
@13 00 
Butter— Western, per lb.... 10 @ 
State, per lb. 14 ® 
Cheese.... 8." 
Eggs— Fresh, per dozen... 20 
Limed, per doz. 19%@ 
Poultry— Fowls, per lb. 8 ® 
Geese, per lb. 7 @ 
Ducks, per lb .. 10 
6 %@ 10 % 
- 21 
20 
10 
10 
12 
12 
50 
48 
9 
9%® 10 
10 @ 14 
14 @ 18 
8 )i® " 
10 @ 
87 @ 
40 @ 
8 %@ 
2 62%® 2 75 
15 @ 16 
12 @ 13 
10 @ 11 
,8 @ 9 
10 ® 13 
it @ •' 
13 
87 
45 
7% 
62 
40 ® 
7 © 
2 75 @ 
4%@ 7 
SO ® 37 % 
10%@ 13 % 
3 
6 @ 
28 ® 55 
24 @ 42 
Turkeys, per lb. 
Partridges, $ pair. 
Feathers, Live Geese, p, lb. 
Seed—C lover, per lb. 
Timothy, per bushel.. . 
Sugar—B rown, per lb. 5 @ 7% 
Molasses,N ew-Orleans, p.gl.. 35 @ 39 
Coffee, Rio, per lb. 10%@ 13 
Tobacco—K entucky,&c,p.lb.. 3 @ 18% 
Seed Leaf, per lb. 6 ® 25 
Wool—D omestic fleece, p. lb,. 28 @ 55 
Domestic, pulled, per lb. 24 © 42 
Hemp—U ndr’d Am., per tun.. None selling. 
Dressed American, per tun. .215 @235 
Tallow, per lb. 
Oil Cake, per tun. 
Apples, Prime, per bbl. 
Medium, $ bbl. 
Common, per bbl. 
Extra Dessert Apples . 
Dried Apples, per lb. 
Dried Peaches, per lb. 
Dried Cherries, pitted,per ib 
Potatoes—M ercers, per bbl. 
Peach Blows, $ bbl. 
Onions, Red, per bbl. 
White, per bbl. 
Turnips, per bbl. 
Cabbages, per 100. 
Squashes,. per bbl.. 
transactions at the new-york markets. 
Receipts. Flour. Wheat. Corn. Rye. Barley. Oats. 
20 days this month 159,500 255,000 133,400 8,270 73,300 77,000 
23 days last month 104,070 75,000 57,100 19,150 47,600 89,750 
Sales. Flour. Wheat. Corn. Rye. Barley. Oats. 
26 days I/tismon., 3G3.000 1,638,000 1,380,000 20,900 51,800 
23 days last moil., 315,000 1,500,000 1,432,000 15,750 54,000 
Receipts of Breadstuff's at Chicago, Jan. 1 to Fel\ 12. 
1861. 1S«0. 
Flour, bbls.435,670 45,442 
Wheat, bushels.783,353 305,327 
9&« 
10 
9)4® 
9% 
82 
75 
@37 
50 
33 
00 
00 
1 
75 
@ 
2 
50 
1 
50 
® 
2 
25 
1 
DO 
@ 
1 
75 
1 
25 
® 
1 
50 
75 
@ 
1 
25 
1 
00 
® 
1 
25 
2 
50 
@ 
3 
00 
2 
25 
@ 
3 
00 
3 
® 
4 
2 
@ 
4 
a 
@ 
13 
8 
® 
13 
14 
@ 
15 
2 
50 
@ 
2 
75 
2 
25 
@ 
2 
50 
1 
87 
® 
2 
00 
1 
87 
® 
2 
12 
1 
12 
© 
1 
88 
1 
13 
@ 
1 
25 
2 
00 
@ 
2 
50 
2 
50 
@ 
3 
00 
63 
© 
75 
50 
® 
75 
3 
00 
@ 
5 
00 
3 
50 
@ 
5 
00 
1 
00 
@ 
1 
50 
1 
75 
@ 
2 
00 
Corn, bushels. 
.964,549 836,602 
Oats, bushels. 52,233 152,927 
Rye, bushels. 48,223 20,705 
Barley, bushels. 60,173 51,819 
The estimated amount of flour, wheat, and corn in 
store in Chicago, Feb. 12, was as follows : 
Flour, bbls. 40,538 - 
Wheat, bushels.1,335,000 417,000 
Corn, bushels.99] ,700 566,000 
N. Y. Iiivo Stoclt Markets.— The Cattle 
Markets have been well supplied for a winter month. 
Though the receipts, (16,390, for four weeks or 4,097 per 
week) have been less than the average of last year, they 
numuer 350 more than for the corresponding month in 
1860. Prices are fully IX c. per lb. less than one year 
ago, and trade is dull. At the last general market, Feb. 
13th., with 3,665 beeves on sale, the current rates were 
10 c. (® 12 c. per lb., estimated dressed weight, for a few 
head’ of choice, fat premium cattle; 9 c,® i>X c. for 
prime beeves ; 7 c. (3) 8% c. for medium to fair, and 5 c. 
1 5) 6Jk c. for poor ; average of all sales 7% c. 
Veal Calves.— Receipts are always light during the 
winter, and the demand small, so that the i,467 for the 
past month, or 367 per week were sufficient for all wants. 
Prices continue as last month, viz.: 7 c. per lb. live 
weight for a very few extras, and 6c,ffl 6% c. for good. 
Sheep and Lambs.— Receipts usually fall off towards 
the lambing season in spring. For the past four weeks 
29,284 sheep have been received, or 7,321 per week. Pri¬ 
ces are the same as last month, but much lower than one 
year ago. Good sheep command prices equivalent to 
5)4 c. (® 5 X c. per lb. live weight; fair stock about 5 c. 
Live Hogs. —Receipts are rapidly falling off as spring 
approaches. For the past month the footings amount to 
32,475, or 8,119 per week, against 13,730 per week of the 
previous month. One year ago they averaged only 2.759 
per week. Present prices 5% c. (a) 6 c. per Jb. live weight 
for corn fed hogs ; and 5)4 c. (3) 5% c. for still-fed hogs, 
with a light demand. 
ITi e Weather, has generally been mild for mid¬ 
winter with but little snow hereabouts, and only few 
really cold days. There is no snow now on the ground, 
and hardly Rost enough to prevent working of the soil. 
- Our Daily Weather Notes, condensed, read thus : 
January 19, cloudy, light rain—20 to 23, clear and cold— 
24, severe snow storm A.M., rain P.M. ; trains blocked on 
many railroads—25, clear, mild—26, cloudy A.1\L snow 
P.M. making good sleighing—27, clear—28, snoiv squall 
morning ; clear, warm day—29, snow squall and cloudy 
A.M., clear and fine P.M.—30, 31, clear, warm. Febru¬ 
ary 1 , clear A.M. cloudy P.M. rain at night—2, fog, light 
rain—3, cloudy, snow nearly gone—4, 5, cloudy—6, clear 
—7, changeable, snow, rains, and heavy blow.—8, clear 
and coldest day of winter, 8° below 0° at day light, and 
down to 0 all day—9, 10, cloudy A.M., clear P.M., milder 
—11, cloudy, rain at night—12, rain A.M., clear and warm 
P.M.—13, 14, clear and fine—15, cloudy, light rain—10, 
clear, warm A.M. cloudy P.M. with heavy thunder storm 
at night—17, cooler, passing clouds—18, 19, clear, fine. 
P. C. Bluhm sends a daily report of the weather at 
Sigourney, Keokuk Co., Iowa, a little over one degree 
north of the latitude of New-York, which shows a wide 
difference in the temperature. Thus for the month of 
January the temperature at sunrise averaged there only 
9°, while here it averaged 27°. On Jan. 31st, the ther¬ 
mometer stood at 20° above here, and at Sigourney, Iowa, 
17° below. Other days show similar marked variations. 
John Harwood, of Canton, Washington Co., Indiana, 
latitude 38.%°, sends full reports of the weather for De¬ 
cember last, from which it appears that, though 2% degrees 
soutli of New-York, the average temperature for the 
month, at sunrise, was 7° lower than here—there it was 
22° ; here 29°. 
Thermometer at 6 A. M,, New-York. 
[Observations carefully made upon a standard Ther¬ 
mometer (Fahrenheit.) —r indicates rain, s, snow.l 
JANUARY. 
1... 
...22 
8 .. 
...40 
15 .. 
...33 
22... 
..20 
29... 
...27s 
2... 
.. .20 
9... 
. ..32s 16.. . 
...34 
23... 
...17 
30... 
.. .33 
3... 
...24r 
10... 
. ..27 
17... 
... 33 
24.. . 
...25r 
31... 
...20 
4... 
.. 31s 
11... 
...14s|18... 
...30r 
25... 
...34 
__ 
5... 
...28 
12... 
...22s 19... 
. ..34 
26... 
...29s 
Average.27 
6... 
...28 
13... 
... 0 
20... 
...32 
27 .. 
. ..25 
7... 
...37r 
14... 
...10s|21... 
.. .26 
28... 
.. 24s 
FEBRUARY. 
1... 
...20r 
4... 
...28 
7... 
...36r 
10... 
...34 
13... 
...40 
il... 
...42r 
5... 
...25 
8 4b’w.O 
11... 
..36 
14... 
...32 
3... 
...34 
6... 
...32 
9.. 
... i 
12... 
..46 
15... 
The Hydropult. 
This implement is coming rapidly into favor with tho 
public, and well it may. We described it last Summer 
(Vol. 19, Aug. No., p. 236), as a simple, convenient appa¬ 
ratus for throwing water, to extinguish incipient fires, foi 
watering gardens, and for washing carriages, windows, 
etc., as it can be carried in the hand to any desired point, 
and propels a stream of water 30 to 40 feet, or more, draw¬ 
ing it from a pail, tub, or other convenient vessel, or direct¬ 
ly from a cistern. A striking instance of its utility occur¬ 
red near our residence a short time since. A large Green¬ 
house, containing many valuable plants, took fire from 
the heating pipes during the night. The proprietor dis¬ 
covered the fire towards morning, and seizing a Hydro¬ 
pult, which he had just brought home upon our Recom¬ 
mendation, and calling out the servant girls to bring pails 
of water, he was able to to throw on a stream, which 
kept the fire in check until the village fire engines arrived. 
Tlie Palace Gardens of this oity, which caught fire simil¬ 
arly to the Crystal Palace, were undoubtedly saved by 
one of these implements, which chanced to be on exhibi¬ 
tion. They are recommended by our city fire department, 
and are being adopted by our public school buildings, etc. 
In no case, perhaps, are they more useful, than on railroad 
bridges, since a watchman can carry one of these imple¬ 
ments in one hand, and a bucket of water in the other , 
and in case of fire from the locomotive sparks, throw a 
stream of water upon any part of the cover over head, or 
of the piles, or tressel work, underneath. They are also 
being adopted in smaller villages, where there is no re¬ 
gular fire company. Taking into account its utility not 
only as a means of extinguishing fires, but also as a water 
thrower for various purposes, the implement is worthy of 
a place in every house, where it can be afforded. The 
cost is $12. To avoid misapprehension, as we shall offer the 
Hydropult for a premium (see last page), it may be proper 
for us to say, that we have not the slightest interest in the 
manufacture or sale of the implement—nor, as for that 
matter, in any other business, save the publication of this 
journal. We are, therefore, the more free to speak out 
independently, pro or con, concerning any implement, or 
enterprise, which may be of interest to our readers. 
Business Notices. 
235'” Eighty Cents a Line of space. 
Wheeler & WiHsoai’s 
SEWIJVG MACHINES 
AT REDUCED PRICES, 
with Glass-Cloth Presser, Improved Loop-Check, New 
Style Hemmer, Binder, Corder, etc. 
Office No. 505 Broadway, New-York. 
“This Machine makes the ‘LOCK-STITCH,’ and 
ranks highest, on account of elasticity, permanence, beau • 
ty, and general desirableness of the stitching when done, 
and the wide range of its application .”—-Report of Amer¬ 
ican Institute, New-York. 
~ ITAIiIAN BEES. 
Orders will now be received for these bees to be deliv¬ 
ered in the Spring. A circular will be sent to ail appli¬ 
cants enelosing a stamp. In it will be found the terms 
and also reports from Mr. Langstroth, Dr. Kirtiand, Mr. 
Brackett, Mr. Baldridge, and others, testifying fully, from 
actual observation, to the great superiority of tiffs race 
over the common bee. S. B. PARSONS, Flushing, N,Y, 
