140 
AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST. 
bility of changing the tops of cherry, plum, 
and peach trees. There are thousands of 
persons who have never seen cherries, other 
than the common red or black varieties ; 
plums, other than the house plum, or at least 
the common blue variety ; or peaches, other 
than such as seedling trees produces. Such 
persons frequently have fruit trees in abun¬ 
dance, of the kinds just mentioned, which if 
they would, they might easily change into 
any varieties desired. There is, ordinarily, 
in grafting plum or cherry trees, but little 
risk of failure, if done at the proper time and 
in the proper manner. The principal secret 
of success is, to graft early , before the sap 
starts to any considerable amount. Failure 
is almost certain if the buds have swollen 
much. They may be set late in February 
or early in March, usually with satisfactory 
results. The time of course will vary with 
the season and latitude. One cause of fail¬ 
ure, in grafting the fruits under consideration 
is, the bark is apt to curl on the cleft stump, 
or recede from the scion, in which case fail¬ 
ure is certain. This can be prevented by 
winding the stump the length of the cleft, 
after waxing as usual, with old cotton cloth. 
This should be slit open in due time to pre¬ 
vent its acting as a ligature. 
Of peach trees, probably more than one 
half in the country are seedling varieties, in 
the main producing fruit useable only in the 
absence of better varieties. It has been sup¬ 
posed that bearing trees could not readily 
have their tops changed to any desired varie¬ 
ties. But this is a mistake ; nothing is 
easier, and tops as good as the original, can 
usually be had in three years. We have 
successfully grafted the peach in the usual 
manner of cleft grafting, by filling the cleft, 
after setting the scions, with melted wax , and 
winding the stump with waxed cloth. We 
prefer, however, to cut away the principal 
part of the top in the spring and new and 
thrifty shoots will be thrown out in abund¬ 
ance. A selection from these can be made, 
with reference to a well proportioned top, 
and budded in the fall ; two years from the 
time of budding, a new, healthy, and well 
proportioned top may be had. W r e have 
changed the tops of peach trees repeatedly 
in this way, and not only improved the kind 
of fruit, but given to trees of considerable age 
nearly the vigor and productiveness of early 
maturity.—0. C. Gibbs, M. D., Perry, Lake 
Co., Ohio. 
NEW BOORS, MAGAZINES, h. 
From Messrs. C. M. Saxton & Co., of this 
city, the public are continually receiving new 
hooks upon the different branches of soil 
culture (see their list of late works in the 
advertising columns). W T e have before 
us a book issued by them entitled “ The 
Cranberry and its Culture,” with a descrip¬ 
tion of the Best Varieties, by B. Eastwood. 
This is a neat volume of 120 pages (price 50 
cents) containing a variety of information, 
upon the best soils and locations for “ Cran¬ 
berry Patches”; the varieties best adapted to 
general and special cultivation; method of 
preparing the soil and setting the plants, the 
treatment of the plants at the different stages 
of growth ; harvesting and marketing, &c. 
We have watched the Cranberry markets of 
this city pretty closely during the past sea¬ 
son. The wholesale price we have quoted 
for several months past at $12 to $15 per 
bbl., for a fair article, and we have seen 
several barrels of superior quality sold as 
high as $16 to $18 per bbl. From what we 
know of the cost of raising, we do not see 
why they can not be profitably produced at 
less than half these rates. There is little 
fear of a glut in the market, at least for 
some years to come. The work referred to 
above is the first of its kind in the country, 
and we advise farmers generally to secure 
a copy, and look into the subject with a view 
of ascertaining whether it will not be worth 
their while to try a “ Cranberry Patch.” The 
book contains a considerable number of il¬ 
lustrations of the different varieties of the 
plant, and at the different stages of growth. 
Those preparing to cultivate the cranberry 
should not only provide themselves with this 
book, but also refer to a series of articles on 
the same subject in the first numbers of 
Vol. XII of the American Agriculturist. 
From Carleton & Phillips, 200 Mulberry 
st., we have the National Magazine, and 
Ladies’ Repository. The National ($2 per 
year) is perhaps the cheapest magazine in 
the world when the value of the matter and 
the number of well executed engravings are 
taken into account. The February number 
(received after we went to press) contains 
the third quarterly paper entitled “Reviews 
Extraordinary,” which is of itself worth the 
price of a year’s subscription. Of the La¬ 
dies Repository ($2 per year), we can only 
repeat what we have before said, that we 
consider it the best magazine published 
which claims to be a Ladies' periodical. Its 
mechanical execution is of the first class, 
while its articles are of a higher order, pleas¬ 
ing and instructive, and such as any parent 
may safely put into the hands of a daughter. 
We are indebted to Messrs. Dix & Ed¬ 
wards, 321 Broadway, for a number of their 
publications, amongwhich are the following : 
Putnam’s Magazine, which every body 
recognizes as one of the foremost of our 
American Monthly Magazines, filled with 
standard original articles from the leading 
writers of the country. Terms $3 a year. 
The School Fellow. —Anillustrated Mag¬ 
azine for Boys and Girls, issued monthy in 
beautiful and attractive style. $1 per an¬ 
num. We would be glad to see every boy 
and girl supplied with this magazine, for it 
is one of the best, if not the best of its kind 
in the country. 
A Journey in the Seaboard Slave States, 
by Frederick Law Olmstead, author of 
“Walks and Talks of an American Farmer 
in England.” 1 vol., 12 mo., 725 pages, with 
wood cuts. Price $1 50. We have not yet 
found time to read this work. Our cotem¬ 
porary, the Southern Cultivator, predicts that 
this book will have “ greater influence on the 
voters than Uncle Tom’s Cabin had.” From 
what we know of the author, we think the 
book will be read with equal interest by 
many thousands of persons both south and 
north, though doubtless with different con¬ 
clusions as to its character 
REVIEW OE PRICES, WEATHER, &C. 
American Agriculturist Office, ) 
New-Yokk, Feb. 29, 185G, j 
The month closing to-day has been almost 
unparalleled during the present century for 
the nearly complete obstruction of business 
by the closing of harbors, lakes and rivers, 
andjthe blockading of railroads, country roads, 
and the streets of cities. We reside in Flush¬ 
ing, twelve miles distant from the city, and 
usually reach our home by taking a steam¬ 
boat to Hunter’s Point, four miles up the 
River or Sound, on the east side of the city, 
and thence by the Flushing Railroad ; but it 
is just eight weeks to-day since our boat has 
been stopped by ice, a thing which has never 
happened before within the memory of the 
“ oldest inhabitant,” and is not likely to again 
during our natural life, we sincerely hope. 
We have felt the inconvenience of “ the 
weather.’’ 
The transactions in Breadstuff’s have been 
limited. The prospect of peace in Europe, 
and the lower prices there have affected them 
here materially. Flourhas gone down since 
our last summary (Jan. 26) $1.50 to $2 per 
bbl., and wheat is 30 to 50 cents per bushel 
lower. W T e can see little hope of higher 
prices during the year, and farmers will be 
better off than we fear they will, if there is 
not a still greater decline. 
Those who were so free to blame us for 
urging grain raisers to sell last fall by all 
means, and those who were so ready to ac¬ 
cuse us of being in the interest of specula¬ 
tors, will probably tell a different story now. 
We find upon our note-book, records of 
sales of Breadstuff's for 30 business days end¬ 
ing to-day : of Flour, 276,650 barrels ; of 
Wheat, 141,200 bushels ; of Corn, 606,300 
bushels ; of Rye, 230,000 bushels; and of 
Barley, 36,300 bushels. Our last report, 
(Jan. 26) for 25 business days gave of Flour, 
320,250 bbls.; of Wheat, 314,200jbushels ; of 
Corn, 759,500 bushels ; of Rye, 200,700 bush¬ 
els ; and of Barley, 8,000 bushels ; showing 
a considerable falling off during the past 
month in sales of Flour, Wheat and Corn, 
and an increase in Rye and Barley. 
The following figures show the present 
price of some of the principal agricultural 
products, and also the variations since our 
last report. 
Jan. 26. 
Feb. 29. 
Flour—Ordinary State. 
$8 
00® 8 12 
$6 62® 6 75 
Mixed Western 
8 
12® 8 25 
6 62(5) 6 75 
Favorite and Ex. State.. 
8 
18® 8 31 
6 87® 7 50 
Extra Genesee 
9 
00® 11 25 
8 37®10 50 
Wheat—Canada White. 
2 
05® 2 20 
1 75® 1 90 
Southern White 
2 
10® 
1 75® 2 05 
Southern Red.. 
1 
95® 2 00 
1 45® 1 70 
Western Red... 
1 
75® 1 80 
1 25® 1 55 
Corn—Western Mixed. 
90® 93 
72® 75 
New Yellow and White 
83® 91 
73® 75 
Rye. 
1 
29® 1 31 
1 10® 1 15 
Barley. 
1 
18® 1 25 
1 12® 1 23 
Oats—Western_ 
49® 51 
30® 46 
Cotton—Middling. . 
9® 94 
10*® 10* 
Rice. 
.piOOIbs 
4 
87® 5 50 
4 25® 5 12 
Pork—Mess. 
4Pbbl... 
14 
50®15 50 
15 75® 16 25 
Dressed Hogs. 
^ ft.... 
7J® 7} 
71® 8* 
Lard, in bbls. 
lb.... 
11® m 
10|® 11 
Butter—Western... 
$nb.... 
20® 24 
17® 24 
State. 
V 
25(a) 34 
24® 28 
Potatoes - C arters.. 
49 1 bbl.. 
1 
02® 1 75 
1 75® 1 88 
Mercers. 
^ bbl.. 
2 
00® 2 12 
2 00® 2 12 
Onions—Reds. 
qP’bhl.. 
I 
62® 1 75 
1 88® 2 00 
White. 
bbl.. 
2 
25 a) 2 37 
2 25® 2 75 
Apples. 
• IP 1 bbl.. 
1 
75 (a) 2 50 
1 75® 2 75 
Beef cattle have been poor (mostly oxen 
from near by) and high until this week, when 
a large supply for the season (3,803) of good 
animals came in, and prices receded. We 
quote Premium cattle 13c.al4c. per lb. net 
