18()7.] 
otlu-r kiuUrt of breadstuff^, trade was dull, at droopin- 
rates.... Provisions have been in better supply, and lower 
In price, on a restricted liumlry .. .Cotton Itas been heaw 
and lower, but closes with more tlrmness, on a livelier 
Jenmnd. . . Ilay ha.s been In better supply, and quoted 
down, dechledly. The inquiry for It has been moder- 
ate....nops have been quiet, but steady....Seeds have 
iH-eii %ery dull and quoted lower... .Tolracco has been in 
active denuind, closing steady at our revised rates 
^\o«l has been quiet. Fine grades, having been scarce 
and in some request, have been held with more flnnuess. 
I^w and metllum grades Imvo been offered freely, at 
easier and Irregnlar prices, but have been very quiet. 
VorU I.ivc Nloclc .llsu-kcis.— 
.“d.70 a.t>t iofu.7 2 ir.v> 
juifo ^.*...-1.218 92 2.101 13,9111 ISW 
“.'« 1317 15.957 10,301 
^til In four nieeit _20,998 roT9 
Aterage per Week .5,179 ^ 
do. do. prev'e Month. 4.759 81 1,183 1^»> illfflo 
per H>s4-, 18CC.5.718 91 1.200 20 000 13 non 
do. do. do. 18115 . 5.255 113 ism ffiSd JrSSS 
do. do. do. 1801.5101 5 M i-pi 
do. do. do. 1863. 5,150 129 091 9^911 
..206.880 4.885 6i.4‘>0 1.010 000 6r>’ooO 
Total tn isrss.270.271 6 161 
Total In 1861.267,609 "isos 7:..V.>1 ^lla ftil’lin 
Total In 1863.261,091 0,170 85,705 519,’310 1,101317 
Beef Cultle.— By reference to the above ngnre« it 
will be noticed tliat the supply of beef iluctuated from 
6,800 to 4,200, the extremes being on the two conscentive 
weeks ending May 21 and 28. The small supply on the 
latter week brought prices up, increased the number of 
beeves a little, and the first week in June a few very 
choice beeves sold in market at 20c., estimated dreseed 
weight, while ITi^c. represents about tho average that 
week, i>oorcst stock bringing 15c.®16c. A marked in¬ 
crease in the supply the next week, (the last we re¬ 
port), and the feeling that settled warm weather was 
upon ns, brought prices down, and now we quote extras, 
19c., average, about 17c., poorest, iac....:TIIlcl» Cows 
have been in little demand, and unless exceedingly good 
or fair beef, sell low— Calvew. —Tho supply has been 
about equal to tho demand, and prices have changed but 
little for those of good quality, while, as the weather 
grows warmer, thin calves sell very slowly. 12!4c. ^ Ib 
live weight, is the iisoal price.. Sheep and Laiiib<i. 
—The supply of really good mutton Is very light, but tho 
number of poor, thin, worthless sheep, very large. The 
former sell quickly at 8c. or more, per ponud, live weight, 
while there are grades quoted between 8c. and 6c. lb.; 
below this, sheep sell by the head, often at barely enough 
to pay trau.«i>ortation from Ohio. Why will not farmc*rs 
hold on to such stock, and give them three or four months 
good i>astnriiig, when they would be fair mutton ? Now, 
butchers arc afraid to buy, or do it on the sly, because 
the mutton Is liable to be seized by the health po¬ 
lice, as diseased or unhealthy meat Swinc.— The 
supply has fluctuated considerably, and prices have had 
their ups and down. As we go to press, the market is 
rather short, 4,500 less than last week, and prices have 
advanced fully ^c., and are at present, 7c.®7.*4c. f? lb., 
live weight, for the general nin, 7?4 cents for choice. 
AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST. 
0 being used to iudicate a per/ec/l,j clear sky, and 10 one 
as black and stormy as ptmUde. 
IVcjiflier OlsMcrvniioiiM. —It is interest¬ 
ing to watch the weather,and this Interest Is Increased and 
made nscfril by keeping a record of Appearances, of Tem¬ 
perature, of the Barometer, and of the Hygrometer, for 
one’s own reference. Though It Is rather humiliating 
practice for any one to write down his translation of 
dally weather indications, and then sec how his prophe¬ 
sies tiini out, it is nevertheless useftil; and in this way, 
almost any one will become a very accurate judge of the 
l»rospect of fair or foul wcallicr. In keeping a record of 
the Barometer or Theimomctcr, rule off a sheet in quarter 
or half-inch stpiares. Write the days of the month at tlic 
top of Uie sheet, alwvo each column of squares, and let 
cacli row of squares, or each line rather, down the sheet, 
stand for tenths of an inch of the Barometer, or degrees 
of the Thermometer. Tlic record is kept by simply mak¬ 
ing dots in the squares, to indicate tho day and about the 
time of the day when the obsen-alion is made, and tho 
bight at which the mercury stood. It is enough to exam¬ 
ine the Thermometer at 7 o’clock A. M., and 9 o’clock 
P. M. Tlic Barometer's record being made at the same 
time, and at 12 o’clock luion, also. An Idea of how to 
keep such a record may be gained more fully by reference 
to each number of tho American Agriculturist, for tho 
first half of the year isiii. If the dots, as they are made 
dully, be finally conu'-cted by a lino, the lliictuutions will 
Im- seen at a glani-i;. This is precisely on the plan of tin* 
tables showing the llitcliiations in gold, or any particular 
kind of sbK'k or mercliandise. Similar records maybe 
kept of the amountof moisture in the air, and of the rela¬ 
tive anioiint of cloiitl.s in the sky. In tho latter ease, the 
most convenient way Is to establish the numbers (t to 10, 
to ludlcato relative dogreos of fairness aud cloiidyness--* 
Sd in Js including many 
^^'00/«tiom which we throw inti smaller 
im and condensed form, for want of space dseiS. 
Omitccs Yet Ibr the Premiums. 
he present number begins the last half of Vol. 26. 
Any of the premiums may yet be obtained. One lady took 
a second Gold Watch last week, which is the flftli pre¬ 
mium she has received, and for which she commenced 
canvassing the last of April. Quite a number of subscrip¬ 
tions ran out with the last month. If they subscribe 
a^in, remember, their names will count on another pre¬ 
mium list, the same as new subscribers. Please con¬ 
tinue your efforts, and send in more subscribers as fast 
as obtained, stating wliotlier or not the back numbers 
are wanted. All subscriptions received after this date, 
will commence wiUi the July number, unless otherwise 
ordered. Back numbers will be furnished, if desired. 
Rog-istcred I^etferw.— We would remind 
our subscribers that by the new registration system, 
which went into operation June Ist, prepayment qf the 
registry fee of 20 cents. In stainpN, is required. In addi¬ 
tion to the regular postage. Post office orders, drafts, 
checks, and inclosnrcs In registered letters, may be sent 
us at our risk. Wo thus answer repeated inquiries. 
Receptive Circular.— A “ Washing Com¬ 
pound” manufacturer, sends out a circular containing, 
among other “puffs,” an extract from “The AgriciS- 
tnrist.” No such an article as this “ puff” has ever been 
pubished in this journal, wherever else it may have ap¬ 
peared. Nor do we know of any paper of the above title. 
The extract is well calculated to deceive, especially as we 
understand that in answering letters of inquiry, the pro¬ 
prietor refers to a number of this paper. 
TIte tlrops. —The promise of June is rarely 
to be relied upon, yet it is a great satisfaction to begin 
the season with pleasant anticipations. From our corre¬ 
spondence and otlicr sources of information throughout 
the country, we have very favorable reports of both grain 
and fruit crops, on the whole. Wheat and all the small 
grains are looking very well, com is backward for the 
season, and a large part was not even planted by the first 
of June, yet this indicates no failure, and but little dan¬ 
ger to the crop. Potatoes rarely looked better, though 
they lay long in the ground. Fniit prospects are gener¬ 
ally flattering, also, and, as wc write, the market is fairly 
flooded with strawberries, which are decidedly above the 
average in qualltj'. It is hardly time to speak with con¬ 
fidence of the apple crop, and pears, though generally 
promising well, are a partial failure in some localities, 
where a severe cold North-easter blasted the bloom be¬ 
fore the fruit was fairly out. There are a few localities, 
an extensive one in Missouri, where hail-stoucs have 
done serious damage, but the coldness of the season, it 
would appear, has not been favorable to hail, wliicli usu¬ 
ally occurs, we believe, in times of great heat. The re¬ 
ports of the grass crop, which is. Indeed, the most im¬ 
portant crop of the country, show more variation than 
tliosc of any other. At the East, the crop is excellent. 
At the West, tlie promise of hay aud present condition of 
the pastures appears to be not quite so good. 
A A'cw Yorlt I*oiilti*y C^liil*. —K call 
has been issued by several amateur poultry breeders, of 
New York and vicinity, for a meeting of amateur and 
professional poultry breeders, to which all interested arc 
invited, to organize a Poultry Club. The meeting Is to 
be held July 10th, at Room No. 24, Cooper Union Build¬ 
ing, Eighth-street aud Fourlh-avcuue. Wc cordially 
wish the movement distinguished success, 
Ilii'dM mi«l —Ornitliolog^y and. 
Oology.— Nichols & Noyes, of Boston, have jnst pub¬ 
lished a work on the Birds of New England, by Edward 
A. Samuels. The title page states that It comprises “a 
complete history of their habits, times of arrival and de¬ 
parture, their distribution, food, songs, times of breeding, 
and a careful and accurate description of their nests and 
eggs.” To a verj- satisfactory extent tlie book (wliich is 
an iSvo. of 583 I)agc8,) fulllls the promise of its title page. 
Mr. Samuels shows that he has been a close observer, 
ills style is familiar and easy, and he quotes freely froui 
standard authors. The observations indicating the value 
of hirtls to man arc the most satisfactory wo ever met 
with The good and the evil done, directly or indirectly 
by all our common birds, are carefully compared in a 
very unprejudiced way. The engravings of the eggs are 
rcmarktibly llne-they are wood cuts, but the cflects pro- 
diiced seem to ns superior to anything that could have 
been done on steel or stone. Some of the small engrav¬ 
ings of birds are fair, but many of the full page cuts are 
execrable in execution, yet doubtless accurate as regards 
markings of plumage, and other charactcristiss.. There is 
a plain edition, one with the eggs colored, and-onc with 
all tho plates colored. It is a useful and needed book. 
l>o You Want a “ Time-lccepcr ” 
for $3 ?—J. Birch & Co., Williamsburgh, N. Y., are 
benevolent people, they send out “ time-keepers,” “’o-en- 
tlemen’s breast-pins,” etc., for the very moderate 7um 
of $3.30. As such liberality as this should be known, 
we give them the benefit of an advertisement. A friend 
of ours received the following: 
rUIZE CERTIFICATE. 
On receipt of this certificate with $3.30 to pay for post¬ 
age and package, we will send to your address, by return 
mail, one 
MAGNIFICENT GOLD CASED TIMEPIECE, 
marked $50. 
Elegant Engraved Patent Gold Cases, regular action, 
bridge balance, and ivarrantcd a good timer. 
If this article does not suit, you can change it for any 
other article of the same marked value on the list. 
Address J. BIRCH & CO., 
Williamsburgh, New York. 
He sent the money, $3.30, and received his “time-keep¬ 
er.” That others may see what a valuable article it is. 
Fig. 1.— .TIME PIECE. 
we give an engraving of it of the natural size. A toy sun¬ 
dial, with a compass that points nowhere. Then, the 
“engraved patent gold case” is worthy of an illustra¬ 
tion, which we give, in flgnre 2. A pasteboard box, 
covered with the cheapest kind of gilt paper. This is 
Fig. 2.—GOLD CASE. 
about a fair specimen of the articles sent out by these 
gift enterprises, if they send anything at all. Messrs, 
J. Birch & Co. finding that they were dealing with one 
who would expose them, returned Mr. C. the money he 
sent them, supposing lie would keep quiet. The whole 
sell is a very neat one. The “ time-keeper ” with its 
gold case must have cost, altogether, at least 30 cents. 
SniKlry lliiiiibngs.— The uumher of let¬ 
ters ill reference to tlie.se has been, of late, very large, 
and much time has been consumed in investigating thorn. 
A. A. Kelley’s First Grand N. Aui. Gift Concert, wliich 
was advertised to take place at the Wabash Avoime Kink, 
Chicago, 111., but was ixrsfiMned, as Mr. Kelley says, •be¬ 
cause he ivas not (Mowed to go on, is now advertised to 
take place in Jfew York, “ and is really the grcjitest eotej:- 
