1877.] 
AMERICAN AGRIOULTURIST. 
L> 
promise, but are yet to be generally tested. There 
are new varieties not yet offered, superior to-any 
yet in cultivation, but have yet to be tested. 
Gooseberries .—These are propagated and treated 
in the same manner as currants. While this is one 
of the most popular fruits in Europe, the kinds so 
successful there are well nigh worthless in our hot 
summers, and we have had to rely on our native 
seedlings. The grafting as standards, upon the 
Missouri currant, promises to allow us to enjoy 
the choicest English kinds ; a full account of these 
was given in September last. Of the natives the 
Downing is best; the Mountain, Houghton, and 
Smith’s seedlings are all very productive. 
Baspberries .—'The choicest varieties are tender, 
and unless they can be laid down and covered with 
earth for the winter, they should not be planted. 
Brinckle’s Orange, Red Antwerp, and Franconia, 
belong to this class. The Philadelphia is a poor 
berry, but gives a large crop, and is quite hardy. 
The Brandywine, Highland Hardy, and Herstine are 
among the best hardy sorts. Black-caps are liked 
by many ; of these the Doolittle, and Mammoth 
Cluster are among the best. The Black-caps are 
propagated by layering the tips of the shoots ; the 
others multiply by suckers. 
Strawberries are so easily managed, and so per¬ 
sistently propagate themselves, there is no reason 
why every farmer’s family should not have the fruit 
three times a day, during their season, besides a 
surplus to sell at the nearest village. Any one 
who can cultivate potatoes can grow strawberries, 
as there is no plant, the management of which is 
more simple, as we shall show at the proper time. 
We now attend to the selection of varieties, having 
reference to home use and a near market. The 
Wilson is the popular market berry, but it is not 
desirable for family use ; Chas. Downing is superior 
to it in every respect, save firmness, which adapts 
it to shipping. We regard the Charles Downing as 
the most generally useful berry for home cultiva¬ 
tion. Nicanor, Seth Boyden, and Kentucky are 
other well tested sorts. Monarch of the West, and 
Star of the West, promise well. In certain local¬ 
ities, with rich, strong soils, President Wilder, 
Triomphe de Gand, Jucunda, and others are valu¬ 
able, and each year new varieties are offered, which 
those who can afford the money and time may 
test. The plants should be from last year’s run¬ 
ners, and not old clumps split up ; set as soon as 
the frost is out, and if well cultivated during the 
season, they will give a full crop next year. 
In the Southern States planting of all kinds may 
be done, grape vines pruned and trained, and every¬ 
thing put in order for an early start. 
JKitcheit Garden. 
As we have hinted with regard to fruit culture, a 
farmer may often sell from his Kitchen Garden 
enough to pay all its expenses, and it is very easy, 
where there is a demand for fresh vegetables, to 
extend the kitchen garden into a market garden, 
the management of the two being nearly the same. 
Indeed, as before hinted, in all localities near mar¬ 
kets, farmers find their profit, if not in market 
gardening proper, in what we may call farm gar¬ 
dening. In market gardening, a large portion of 
the products are of a perishable nature, like lettuce, 
radishes, etc., and must be marketed at once, while 
farm gardening is devoted to crops in larger de¬ 
mand, and which are more permanent, such as 
cauliflowers, celery, onions, and the root-crops. 
Some, near New York, get a larger net profit from 
a single acre of spinach, than others»do from a 
farm of 30 acres. In localities where there are 
large express, rail-road, or other stables, carrots are 
in demand, and we have known a farmer to make 
from §175 to §300 per acre on these roots. It is 
only in thickly settled communities, or with easy 
access to a good market, that these returns are 
possible, but it is well for every farmer thus locat¬ 
ed, to find out if there is not some such crop that 
he may grow with profit. 
jBooks. —Henderson’s “ Gardening for Profit,” 
Quinn’s “ Money in the Garden,” andBrill’s “ Farm 
Gardening and Seed Raising,” may all be studied with 
benefit, each contains something the others do not. 
Varieties .—Next month we shall, as usual, enumer¬ 
ate the most profitable varieties and the novelties. 
Plants in Cold Frames must be au-ed whenever the 
outside temperature will allow. 
Preparatory and other work .—Keep the manure 
pile increasing_Overhaul and repair hot-bed 
sashes or make new ones....Make a supply of 
straw mats for early spring use.... See that the 
leaves or litter are not blown away from spinach or 
other covered crops.... Roots and celery in trenches 
will need more covering as the cold increases.... 
Repair implements and make markers and all other 
conveniences likely to be needed... .Overhaul the 
seeds on hand, and throw away all doubtful ones. 
At the South .—Put in early potatoes, on light 
soils ; on heavy soils next month is better—Sow 
at once hardy vegetables, ? 'ch as peas, radishes, 
lettuce, spinach, etc., and at intervals for succession 
_The root crops, beets, carrots, parsnips and sal¬ 
sify, are sown in the last half of the month.... 
Prepare hot-beds and sow early cabbages. 
Flower Garden ami Lawn. 
Our notes on other matters are so fuR that this 
department must wait until another month for de¬ 
tails. The principal thing to be done is to prevent 
injury to the trees and shrubs. Some thoughtless 
people, when snow affords sleighing, will drive any 
where across the grounds, often to the injury of 
choice shrubs. Have the drive way, if need be, 
defined by stakes and stretch a fence-wire to keep 
off such persons.... Evergreens are often loaded 
with snow, which should be shaken off before it 
becomes hard and icy; if the lower branches are 
covered in a deep snow, this should be shoveled 
away, to prevent breaking the limbs as the snow 
settles after it has frozen to them. 
In the Southern States .—Prune roses and flowering 
shrubs generally....Camellias out of doors, and 
about to bloom, should be surrounded by a frame, 
over which a cloth can be thrown in unusually cold 
weather, to protect the buds. 
<jii*eei(]!iouse a-ainl Wisidow 
The treatment of plants in windows is not essen¬ 
tially different from that for those in greenhouses, 
but in the latter case the conditions being more 
under control, the matter is much easier... .Bring 
bulbs and other plants that have been potted for 
forcing into the greenhouse, or dwelling room ; 
starting a few at a time for a succession of bloom 
... .Water only as the plants need it; more plants 
are killed by keeping the soil soaked and soggy, 
than by the other extreme.... Give air on mild days, 
but avoid cold drafts_On very cold nights re¬ 
move house-plants back from the window, and 
cover with a sheet or newspapers.... Cover the 
plants when the room is swept, occasionally wash 
smooth leaves with warm water applied by a 
sponge ; shower the plants with rough or downy 
leaves... .Insects are not difficult to keep down if 
taken as soon as they appear. Smoke in the green¬ 
house, and tobacco water for window plants, kills 
lice or “green fly.” Frequent showering and 
washing removes the red spider; mealy bugs can 
be picked off with a pointed stick, and scale re¬ 
moved by the use of a brush and warm soap suds. 
.... Sow seed of Sweet Alyssum, Mignonette, and 
other annuals for blooming later. 
Crops in Georgia. —Circular No. 33 is¬ 
sued by the State Department of Agriculture of Georgia, 
by the Commissioner, Doct. Janes, gives a consolidated 
report of crops of 1876, with the general averages of yield. 
Corn is given as yielding 22 per cent more than the crop 
of 1875, and the breadth planted as 10 per cent greater; 
a total increase of 34 per cent over last year. The cost 
per bushel is 43 cents against 58 cents last year. Colton 
has yielded 3 per cent less than last year, and its cost of 
production is about one cent and a quarter per pound less 
than that of 1875. This reduction is due to the increased 
home production of provisions and supplies, a result 
which is to be credited, perhaps entirely, but certainly in 
great part, to the valuable and successful labors of the 
Department. No farmer or planter in Georgia, or the 
neighboring States, can afford to neglect the study of the 
circulars issued by the Georgia Agricultural Department. 
Commercial Matters—Market Prices. 
The following condensed, comprehensive tables, care¬ 
fully prepared specially for the American Agriculturist , 
from our daily record during the year, show at a glance 
the transactions for the month ending Dec. 12th, 1876 
and for the corresponding month last year: 
1. TRANSACTIONS AT TUB NEW YORK JIARKKTS. 
Receipts. Flour. Wheal. Corn. llye. Harley. Oats. 
24 cl’s this m’thS35,000 2,267,800 2,358,500 126,000 560,000 1.050,000 
26 d’s last m’tli.331,000 2,196,000 2,815,000 207,000 419,000 1,437,000 
Sai.es. Flour. Wheat, ('urn. Hyp. Barley. Oats. 
24 d’s this l))’tli381000 2,414,000 2,387,000 97,000 312,000 923,000 
26 d’s last nl’th312,000 2,117,000 2,643,000 141,000 199,000 1,436,000 
ii. Comparison xoith. same period at this time last year. 
Receipts. Flour. Wheat. Corn. Rye. Barley. Oats. 
24 days 1876. .335,000 2,267,800 2,358,500 126,000 560,000 1,050,000 
26 days 1875. .3S9,000 3,115,000 1,904,000 42,000 207,000 796,000 
Sai,es. Flour. Wheat. Corn. Rue. Barley. Oats. 
24 days 1876..381,000 2,414,000 2,387,000 97,000 312,000 923,000 
26 days 1875. .401,000 3,769,000 1,886,000 74,000 502,000 1,812,010 
3. Stock of grain in store at New York. 
Wheat. Corn. Rye. Barley. Oats. Malt. 
bush. bush. bush. bush", bush. bush. 
Dec. 11,1876. .3,110,2S3 3,385,554 218,841 873,310 1,182,322 512.041 
Nov. 8, 1876. .2,018,233 3,206,003 294,381 478,141 1,002,801 495,640 
Oct. 9, 1876.. 1,931,892 1,195.387 158,305 91,245 825,187 421,751 
Aug. 7, 1876. .2,831,299 904,557 94,960 53,914 1,232,895 434,203 
Apr. 10,1876. .3,393,074 232,140 68,420 200,381 706,282 436,942 
Jail. 10, 1876. .5,802,293 663,982 100,741 325,191 l,OSO,30O 307,438 
Dec. 7, 1875. .5,878,036 816,962 99,908 305,961 1,252,005 258,364 
May 11, 1875... 969,804 1,542,924 16,124 16,537 545,209 229,655 
4. Exports from, New York. fan. 1, to Dec. 9. 
Flour. Wheat. Corn. Rye. Barley. Oats. Peas. 
Mils. busli. bush. bush. bush. bush. bush. 
1876.1,779,840 23,188,471 16,028,165 1,209,167 88,097 617,376 654,859 
1815.1,789,299 25,054,035 12,495,349 152,952 1,505 133,754 415,019 
1874.2,055,423 33,700,159 18,329,781 641,661 3,320 110,334 425,553 
.Current Wholesale Prices. 
Nov. 13. Dec. 12. 
Prick op Gold. 100 3-4 107 1-4 
Flour—S uper to Extra State *4 25 @ 5 75 *5 00 @ 5 90 
Super to Extra Southern.... 4 25 @ 8 25 5 00 @8 50 
Extra Western. 5 15 @ 9 50 5 50 @ 9 75 
Extra Genesee. 5 75 @ 0 75 5 85 @ 6 85 
Superline Western . 4 25 @ 5 00 5 00 @ 5 50 
Rye Flour. 2 50 © 5 10 3 00 @ 5 20 
Corn-Mkai. 2 65 @3 4' 2 70 @8 50 
Buckwheat- Flour, V 100 lbs 3 00 @ 3 10 3 35 @ 3 75 
Wheat—A ll kinds of White. 1 25 @ 1 40 1 25 @ 1 50 
All kinds of lied ami Amber. 1 05 w 1 37 ! 00 @ 1 50 
Corn—Y ellow . 59 © 62 f.6 @ 61 
Mixed.. 55 @ 60% 55 @ 60 
White. 58 @ 62 50 @ 59 
Oats- Western .. 30 © 45 33%@ 45 
State. 44 @ .51 46 @ 50 
Rye. 72%@ 92 80 @ 95 
Barley. 75 % 1 18 68 @115 
Buckwheat. 75 @ 85 S3 @ 85 
Barley Malt. 75 @ I 30 75 @ 1 25 
Hay— Bale, V 10916s . 55 @ 90 50 @ 90 
Straw, 79 100 Iks. 45 © 90 45 @ 90 
Cotton—M iddlings, 79 lb ... 12%© 12% 12%@ 13% 
Hops—C rop of 1876, ^ lb. 24 ® 38 15 @ 33 
old, 79 1b. 4 @ 20 10 @ 20 
Feathers—L ive Geese, 79 lb. 50. @ 57% 45 @ 58 
Seed—C lover, 79 lb . 15 @ .15% 15%@ 16 
Timothy, 79 bushel. 1 95 © 2 00 1 90 @ 1 95 
Flax. ^ bushel. 1 55 @ 1 60 1 60 @ 1 65 
Sugar—R efl’g* Grocery 79 lb S%@ 10% 8%@ 11% 
Molasses, Cuba. 79gal.50 test 35 @ 36 38 @ 40 
New Orleans, new cfop,$) gal 55 @ 85 50 @ 60 
Coffee—R io(Gold). 16%@ 19% 16%@ 20 
Tobacco, Kentucky, &c.,79fl>. 6 © 18 6 © 18 
Seed Leaf, 79 !b. 4 y.@ 50 4%@ 50 
Wool—D omestic Fleece. n> SO @ 52% 30 ® 50 
Domestic, pulled, V lb. 25 © 45 22 @ 40 
California, spring clip,. 15 @ 30 15 @ 28 
California fall clip. 12 @ 23 12 @ 22 
Tallow, 79 lb . 8%@ 8% S @ 8% 
Oil-Cake— 79 ton . 88 50 @39 00 37 00 @37 50 
Pork—-M ess, 79 barrel . - @17 00 10 75 @16 87% 
Prime, 79 barrel . — @ — — @14 00 
Bekf—P lain mess. 8 00 @10 00 10 00 @11 50 
Lard, in trcs. & bbls, 79100 B> 10 25 @11 00 10 00 @10 82% 
Butter—S tate, 79 lb. 32 @ 38 22 @ 37 
Western, poor to fancy, 79 lb. 16 @ 35 16 @ 36 
Cueese.. ... ..... 5 @ 13% 6 @ 15 
Beans—V bnsliel. 1 30 @ 2 75 1 50 @ 2 40 
Peas—C anada, in bond, $1 bu 93 @ 93% 90 @ 93 
Eggs—F resh, $ dozen. 25 @ 30 28 @ 33 
Poultry—F owls.. 10 @15 8 @ 11 
Turkeys—19 lb. 10 @ 16 9 @ 16 
Geese, 79 pair. 125 @ 2 00 1 25 @2 00 
Geese, 79 lb. 10 @ 16 7 @ 13 
Ducks, 79 pair. 50 @ 90 50 @ 1 00 
Roosters, lb. 8 @ 0 6 @ 8 
Chickens, dry pick’d lb. 10 © 18 9 @ 13 
Grouse, pair. 50 @ 1 00 50 @ 90 
Partridge, 79 do/.. 30 @ 75 40 @ 90 
Ducks, Wild,?) pair. 25 @ 1 50 25 @ 1 50 
Quail, 79 dozen. 1 50 © 1 75 1 25 @ 1 50 
Venison, lb . 9 @ 17 8 © 18 
Rabbits, 79 pair. 20 @ 35 30 @ 35 
Hares, 79 pair. 40 @ 60 40 @ 60 
Turnips $ bbl. 75 © 90 75 @ — 
CAB3VOES-79 100 . 3 00 © 7 00 3 00 @7 00 
Onions— 79 bbl. 150 @ 2 75 1 00 @2 75 
Potatoes— 79 bbl. 2 00 © 3 00 2 50 @ 3 37% 
Sweet Potatoes— 79 bbl. 3 00 © 3 50 3 00 @ 4 00 
Cauliflower, 79 bbl. — @ — 1 00 @ 2 50 
Broom-corn .. 3 @ 8 3%@ 8 
Green Peas, $ bush. 1 50 @ 1 55 1 40 @ 1 45 
Tomatoes, 9 bskt. 75 @ 1 25 — @ — 
Cranberries—$ bbl. 7 50 @10 00 7 00 @ 9 50 
*1 crate. 2 62%@ 3 00 2 75 © 3 00 
Apples— 79 barrel. 50 @ 2 00 75 @ 2 00 
SqltIsh, $ bbl. 75 @ 90 1 CO @ 1 75 
Grapes, 79 lb. 0 @ 11 4 @ 11 
Cider, $ gal. 6 @ 12 7 @ 9 
Gold has been up to 109%, and down to 107, closing 
Dec, 12, at 107%, as against 109% for Nov. 12 ; 109 on 
Oct. 12, and 111% on July 12,1876, and 114% on the 13th 
of Dec., 1875... The month’s business has been again'se¬ 
riously impeded in all branches by the political excite¬ 
ment; as also by the variable cable reports as to the po¬ 
litical situation abroad, and the course of the foreign 
