AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST. 
198 
SPRING IS AFAR. 
When the forest is ready to go to the Dead, 
He dons, as for bridal, his gaudiest wreath ; 
And in wedding-apparel of gold and of red, 
Thus bravely he waitetli for Death, 
Robert, b. g\—D. H. Ferris, New-York 225 
Silver-tailed mare—A. Reynold, of Dela¬ 
ware .180 
Sir Henry, gelding—L. Williams - - 125 
Pair bay geldings—H. A. Mattison - 450 
Pair Arabian horses—George Johnson, of 
Albany.350 
George Washington, a Morgan stallion 
from Suffield, Ct.—John Manners - 200 
Spirit of the Times. 
For the American Agriculturist. 
A Tall Dahlia. —Seeing in your paper a no¬ 
notice of a tall Dahlia, twelve feet high, I re¬ 
quested my friend, Mr. Endicott, 32 Charlton 
street, to measure one of his, which is of the 
tallest sort, and the result is, he found the height 
just fourteen feet. Beat that who can. 
Charles St a hr, -Tr. 
New- York, Nov. 1, 1853. 
POTATO ROT, &c. 
The potato rot in this county did not show 
itself until after the heavy October rains. Here¬ 
tofore the vines of the diseased plants began to 
die in August. Early planted and early dug 
potatoes escaped the rot this year, which is in 
proof that wet weather, after the tubers are 
large, has much to do with the rot. Many late 
cleared dry sandy noles have grown potatoes 
ear after year without any appearance of rot, 
ut in wet sandy swales it prevails as much as 
on clay dams. I have found by experiment that 
salt, lime or ashes, are powerless in keeping off 
the rot; Mexican seedlings thus treated have 
rotted on a well drained soil since the 10th Oct., 
before that time they were sound but not fully 
ripe. 
There is nothing in the art rural perhaps in 
which our farmers are so much behind the age 
as in feeding their cows; at least one half the 
hay is cut too late; true it needs no labor to 
cure it because its juices are dried out and lost. 
I have seen a cow have pumpkins to devour, 
red top hay cut in full bloom and cured partly in 
cock ; per contra, I have seen them leave timo¬ 
thy hay cut after harvest to eat wheat straw. 
In the winter a cow wastes more of such hay 
tlm.n cVl O oola GDIltjrC 1» C*D mwoL vooaomy in. 
treating meadows with liquid manure, as in ap¬ 
plying nitrogenous manures to the corn crop ; 
it gives an early growth to the grass which in 
our champaigne country where droughts are 
common, is a point gained; with the right me¬ 
chanical preparation liquid manure to meadows, 
may be as easy as top dressing the same with 
stable manure, and the saving in azotized matter 
would be great indeed. 
When a farmer complains that is pasture is 
dried up and his cows make no butter; ask him 
why he does not soil them with corn-stalks, or 
green hay, his reply is stereotyped, “ I have 
pasture ground enough and they must take their 
chancethus robbing himself by starving his 
cows. The result is, that for the want of a few 
weeks extra feed, the use of his cows are lost 
for the remainder of the season, as the late grass 
only goes to make up lost flesh instead of lost 
butter. But some of our farmers are beginning 
to manage these things better; many of them 
have learned that a drought is the salvation of 
the Indian corn crop, if early planted, manured, 
and well tended in the hottest weather. 
The loss of Mr. Delafield to farmers generally, 
and to Seneca County in particular, is great. 
He had entered into the great cause of rural 
progress with all his heart; bringing to it all 
the energies of his active mind and his indomi¬ 
table physical exertions. Wherever he went, 
and he was emphatically an out-door man, his 
face never failed to sharpen that of his friend. 
Few possessed his untiring industry, still fewer 
his faculty of keeping the farmer in good hu¬ 
mor with himself, while he disabused him of 
his long cherished egotism, his prejudice and 
his hereditary habits of thinking and acting. 
He was at the time of his death the very efficient 
president of the board of trustees to our State 
Agricultural College; a great loss to an institu¬ 
tion now in its incipiency. 
N’ijiporte, 
Seneca CoOct, 27 th, 1853. 
And the sun saunters out from the breast of a cloud, 
To smile on his pomp—a smile sickly and dim : 
For the Spring is afar : soon, the storm comoth loud, 
To dance the death-dance with him. 
Then what wrestlings fierce, and what blusterings strong ! 
And each death-throe shakes showers of leaves from his 
Soon a low voice of moaning awakes its sad song, [head : 
And the beautiful forest is dead! 
Pre-payment of Postage. —All correspondents 
are requested to pre-pay their postage on letters to 
us, as they thereby secure pre-payment in return. 
The saving of two cents for each letter may seem a 
small matter to such as seldom write, but the gen¬ 
eral omission to pre-pay would make a difference of 
humlfcHo of Hollars per annum in our own postage 
bills. 
We also suggest the propriety, where correspond¬ 
ents write us expressly on their own business, re¬ 
questing a favor which causes us some trouble, and 
with no corresponding benefit, that they not only 
pre-pay their postage, but also enclose a stamp, to 
pre-pay the answer they solicit in return. 
Dating Letters. —Where our correspondents are 
not perfectly well known to us, we wish they would 
in all cases, date their letters very plainly, with their 
post-office address. Nearly every town in the United 
States has half a dozen name-sakes in other States, 
and of some of the most popular, they number by 
fifties. A few years since, there were about thirty 
Washingtons in Ohio alone. Let us, in all cases, 
have the name of their post-office and State, at the 
head of their letter, and they will be sure of a right 
direction for their letters in return. 
Correspondents will confer a favor by writing 
plainly. We spent four hours in deciphering a 
long article from a correspondent, which con¬ 
tained some good ideas. We have just received 
another from the same source, which we have 
necessarily laid by for the leisure of a rainy day. 
We never did like illegible writing, but we cheer¬ 
fully correct ungrammatical expressions, and will 
properly prepare manuscript for the press with plea¬ 
sure. If only plainly written, we care not how 
homely the style. 
To our Friends. —Several communications, 
Kr.nL'Q, and immpV'lRfo ADA Ti-LIr-fl tta 
have not had not time to notice, owing to 
continued absence at the Cattle Shows and 
Fairs. Our friends and correspondents shall 
receive due attention in a week or two; in the 
mean while we beg a continuance of their fa¬ 
vors. 
Ifarftetis* 
Remarks. —Our advices from Europe are to the 
21st October. Wheat, corn, flour, meal, clover seed, 
tallow, cotton, and rice have advanced, while provi¬ 
sions have slightly given way. This advance in Eu¬ 
rope, together with large orders sent out for purchas¬ 
ing on this side of the water, have had the effect of 
raising the price of wheat 15 to 20 cents per bushel 
the past week, flour.37 to 50 cents per bbl.,corn 2 to 
3 cents per bushel, and other grain in proportion. 
Beef, pork, lard, butter, cheese, and wool have re¬ 
ceded a trifle. Cotton, rice, and sugar remain steady 
Money continues in great demand here, at a high 
rate of interest. Stocks are much depressed. Specie 
in large amount is sent to Europe by every steamer. 
This state of things will continue so long as we im¬ 
port so many gewgaws from abroad, and neglect to 
manufacture articles of prime necessity at home, and 
indulgence in so much extravagance and waste in 
living. 
PRODUCE MARKETS. 
Wholesale prices of the more important Vegetables 
Fruits, See. 
Washington Market, Nov. 7,1853. 
Vegetables. —Potatoes, Carters, ^ bbl., $1 87.%; Mer¬ 
cers, $1. 75 ; Western Reds, 1 50 ; Sweet Potatoes, $2 12% ; 
Tomatoes, basket, 62^c. ; Cabbages, ^ 100, $3@$3 50 ; 
Savoys, ^ 100, $2@2 50 ; Red do., $5 ; Cauliflowers, 
fl k dozen, $2@$2 50 ; Broccoli, ^ dozen, 75c.@.$1 25 ; Green 
Corn, $ 100, $1 25 ; Lima Beans, tp basket, $1; Onions, 
white, fl bbl., $2; do. yellow, $ bbl., $1 75; do., red, $ 
bbl., $1 50; Parsnips $ doz, bunches 25c,; Carrots, 25c. ; 
Beets, basket, 37,%c. ; Turnips, white, bush., 25c.; 
RutaBaga, 44c.; Endive, $ 100, 50@75c.; Lottuco, $ 100, 
75c- ; Leeks, ^ doz. bunches, 25c. ; Colery.^p doz. bunches, 
75c.@$1 ; Salsafy, $ doz. bunches, 44c. ; Radishes doz. 
bunches, 25c. ; Citron Melons $ 100 $2; Squashes, $ 100 
$5@10. 
Fruit.— Apples, best Newton Pippins, $ bbl., $4@5 ; R. 1. 
Greenings, $3 50@$4 ; Fall Pippins, $3 ; Other sorts, In¬ 
cluding Spitzenburgh, Vandervere, Baldwin, Russets, 
Strawberry, &c., from $2@®2 75, according to quality; 
Quinces, $ bbl., $1 75@$2 ; Pears, baking, $ bbl., $4@$6 ; 
eating do., $10©$12 ; Cranberries $ bbl,, $5@$6 ; Hickory 
nuts, ^ bush., $2 ; Chestnuts, fl bush., $2 50@$2 75 , 
Grapes, Isabella, sp pound, 10c.@12c.; inferior quality, 5c-; 
Hot-house Grapes, 75e.@$l. 
The general impression is that Apples will become 
scarce before Spring, hut with the exception of a few 
varieties they are not at present unusually so. The New¬ 
town Pippin, being limited in supply, command an extra 
price, but other sorts are not in proportion. Very fair 
samples of other varieties may he obtained at retail for $2 
50 and $2 75, which, allowing 25c. ’P bbl. for commission, 
cannot be considered unusually dear. As the season ad¬ 
vances, and the facilities or Transport from distant points 
is diminshed, the price will increase, and possibly a searcity 
may be felt here. The fact of sev e rai favorite kinds being 
scarce at present conveys the idea that there is a general 
scarcity. There are, it is true, more middling and inferior 
lots of all varieties, than of first quality, which raises the 
price of choice Apples above the average rates of the mar¬ 
ket. Potatoes have increased a little in price as there con¬ 
tinues to be considerable loss from rot, and Sweet Potatoes 
are not as plentiful this week. The market was not hv any 
means so large to day as on last Saturday. 
NEW-YORK CATTLE MARKET. 
Monday, J\Tov. 7, 1853. 
To-day’s market was what holders of cattle call “ mean," 
many of them employ much more emphatic terms, and with¬ 
out reference to the actual transactions it may soon be dis¬ 
covered from the temper of the dealers whether sales are 
brisk or dull. The buyer takes time to consider, and leaves 
a lot which lie intends eventually to purchase, satisfied that 
when he returns they will still he at his service, hoping that 
the delay will tend to bring the holder to more satisfactory 
terms. Thus sales are not so easily made, while the actual 
price may not be greatly reduced. To-day, however, the 
average rates of the market were at least half a dollar per 
hundred below those of the previous week, with a prospect 
of many remaining on hand. Inferior cattle have but a poor 
chance in such a market; for while choice animals bring a 
fair price, notwithstanding the depression, as the supply of 
such is comparatively limited, the lot of coarse, poor cattle , 
are sold below their value, low as that may be. There were 
onvorol Into nf PadqJ ' Ivqd'O oottln ad Lon.l Aom Ohcotor G-o., 
these we believe commanded as higli a price as any offered 
to-day. 
J. J. De Forest had a lot of 80 head of steers from Chester 
Co. ; the greater number of these he calculated to average 
$68 per head, which, according to their estimated weight, 
would roach cents per pound; 22 of this lot had been 
disposed of to Mr. Cornell at $75 each, which would he 
about 9% cents. 
Another lot of Chester Co. cattle were offered by Clias. 
G. Teed, the owner, at about 9 cents ; there were 115, most 
of them good looking steers. J. A. Merrit had a lot of Vir¬ 
ginia cattle, estimated by him to weigh 625 lbs. each, and 
offered at about 8 cents ; some of them were rather neat 
cattle, although from Virginia, where they appear much in 
the dark about improved stock. 
The number of cattle received at the Washington Yards, 
A. M. Allerton, Proprietor, and the other market places, 
are as follows : 
Washington Yards, Forty-fourth street. 
RECEIVED DURING THE WEEK. ON HAND. 
Beeves, 3,296 2,971 
Cows, 28 
Sheep and Lambs, 1,144 
Veals, 221 
Browning’s, Sixth street. 
Beeves, 543 125 
Cows and Calves, 63 20 
Sheep and Lambs, 6,541 1,500 
O’Brien’s, Sixth street. 
Beeves, " 165 15 
Cows and calves. 25 10 
Chamberlin’s, Robinson street. 
Beeves, 300 16 
Cows and Calves, 40 6 
Sheep and Lambs, 5,000 2,000 
Veals, 40 6 
The cattle received at the Washington Yards are ac¬ 
counted for as follows: 
By the Harlem Railroad, Beeves, 331 ; Cows, 28 ; Sheep 
and Lambs, 963 ; Veals, 221 ; Shouts, 4. 
By the Hudson River Railroad : Beeves, 700 ; Sheep, 
181. 
By the Erie Railroad : Beeves, 360 ; Swine, 288. 
