Profitable Farming de¬ 
pends as much on sell¬ 
ing as on producing. 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER’S 
A crop which is well 
grown is only half 
way to market. 
MARKET, CROP AND NEWS SPECIAL. 
TRADEWISE. 
Financial —Money continues close, and 
business is unsettled. There is too much 
uncertainty on every hand for trading to 
be anything more than for pressing wants. 
The Journal of Commerce says that the 
temper of commercial affairs was dispirit¬ 
ing through last week. Most merchandise 
had been ranging at low prices for some 
time in the general disturbed outside af¬ 
fairs, and it needed only breathing spells 
in the money strain to bring about at¬ 
tempts for a reaction. The low rates for 
exchange hindered exporters in operations 
all through the week. However, toward 
the close there was just a slight turn to 
improvement in business matters, and gen¬ 
eral traders had hopes of a gradual work¬ 
ing out of the depression. A fair quantity 
of wheat went to the other side for the 
week by considering shipments from all 
Atlantic ports. The statistical position of 
wheat is good, and seemingly awaits only 
a normal look of outside affairs for strength 
of prices. The general deliveries of produce 
to marketable centers at the West have 
fallen off, indicating an indisposition on 
the part of farmers to part with supplies 
through the forced weakness of prices on 
the money conditions. The cotton plant¬ 
ers, however, in their large holdings, have 
been anxious to realize for money needs. 
Exporters who have responded freely direct¬ 
ly have taken up large lots of the staple at 
prices in their favor. The hog products 
have suffered in the unexpected full ave¬ 
rage weights of the hogs arriving, as well 
as in the large number. 
Future Prices —As is shown in another 
column, prices of all farm products, except 
hay, average higher than for many years. 
This arises largely from decreased yields. 
There is a disposition in some quarters to 
attribute this increase largely to the 
McKinley Bill. Were this the case entire¬ 
ly, future prices would unquestionably be 
higher. The tariff can increase the price 
obtained for farm products only to the ex¬ 
tent of the rate of duty imposed. Take the 
single item of potatoes; one year ago the 
outside price was $3 per barrel m this 
market; to day the outside price is $3 25. 
The new duty increases this price less than 
30 cents. Mr. G. S. Palmer puts the matter 
thus: For instance, to-day we receive a 
large invoice of potatoes from one of the 
isles of the Dominion of Canada. The 
same steamer calls at a seaport in Maine 
bringing also potatoes from our Maine 
farmers. All are sold on the same market 
and at the same value. We make out our 
statement of sales for each, but the 
United States Government steps in and 
says, from the Prince Edward Island farm¬ 
er’s shipment, you must deduct $75 for each 
100 sacks of potatoes for the privilege of sell¬ 
ing his goods in our American market. The 
farmer in Maine, this side of the border, 
receives his sales in full without deducting 
this tax. A year ago potatoes were selling 
in the distant States of Michigan, Iowa and 
Ill. from 20 to 25 cents per bushel, for the 
reason that they had a large surplus ; they 
were wauted in our Eastern markets, the 
crop here was very short, but they were de¬ 
barred from marketing here from the fact 
that they could not compete with the low 
rates of freight from Liverpool, Glasgow 
and other foreign ports, which were about 
one third less than from the above States. 
Any surplus this year has found profitable 
outlets East, as the increase in the tariff 
acts as a barrier against the low 
rates of freight from Great Britain. * * * 
A further, aud no small advantage, is al¬ 
most sure to be gained to us by what is 
known as the Reciprocity plan, by opening 
up new markets that are almost closed to 
us by the prohibitory tariff imposed on our 
products,which are a virtual necessity to the 
subjects of those governments; for instance, 
Spain imposes upon our products, which 
are demanded by her people, especially in 
the West India Islands, duties that are 
enormous, and which I cau verify by docu¬ 
ments in my possession, are as follows: 
Apples, $2.25 to $2.50 per barrel, potatoes, 
$1.50 to $1.75 a barrel; flour from $5 to $6 
a barrel, etc. On our meats aud pro¬ 
visions they are equally high, rang¬ 
ing from three to nine cents a 
pound, while we admit their principal 
products entirely free to our markets; such 
as sugar, coffee, pine apples, etc. Canada 
and the provinces impose also a heavy duty 
on the full line of agricultural and fruit 
products and if it is finally considered to 
the advantage of the United States to open 
its markets free to that government, she 
will be compelled likewise to remove the 
duties on our products seeking a market 
there. This same treaty can undoubtedly 
be carried out in Central and South Amer¬ 
ica and other foreign ports that are seeking 
our markets, and in fact are using them as 
an outlet for their products, without due 
consideration being shown to those of the 
United States. 
AGRICULTURAL NEWS. 
Mice are causing serious loss to Belgian 
farmers. 
The harvest has begun in Maine—ice har¬ 
vest we mean. 
Hog cholera Is prevalent in and around 
Rockville, Conn. 
Cuba is anxious for a reciprocal treaty 
with the United States. 
Stamboul lowered his record to 2:11 at 
Stockton, Cal., recently. 
One steamer from Montreal to Aberdeen 
lost 162 head of cattle overboard on her voy¬ 
age over. 
Germany proposes to reduce the duty on 
corn to half a mark (12}£ cents) per 
100 pounds. 
That fatal disease, blackleg, has attacked 
several cattle near Paris, Ill., and a general 
epidemic is feared. 
The Orpington cockerel which took sec¬ 
ond prize at the Crystal Palace Show (Lon¬ 
don) sold for about $70. 
The Crow Indians have sold 1,850,000 
acres of land adjacent to the Big Horn 
River, Montana, for $946,000. 
A tale comes to us from London of a man 
who hypnotized a hen and compelled her 
to hatch a brood of chicks contrary to her 
own volition. 
Cattle thieves stole large numbers of cat¬ 
tle while the cattlemen were removing 
their herds from the Cherokee Strip. One 
man lost 300 head. 
Considerable trouble is experienced in 
keeping Montana cattle from entering 
Canadian territory in search of food. Prices 
of stock are extremely low. 
It is reported that one of the honorable 
Vermont Senators who voted against the 
agricultural bill, was hissed as he debarked 
from the train upon his arrival home. 
The wheat blockade continues in the 
Grande Ronde Valley, Washington. The 
few cars secured are totally inadequate to 
move the crop and prices are consequently 
low. 
The phylloxera is reported to be m aking 
deep inroads in many of the Napa County, 
California, vineyards, and parties have 
determined to grub out their entire vine¬ 
yards. 
The House has passed a bill allowing a 
rebate on tobacco on hand when the 
McKinley Bill went into force,the provision 
alio wing this having been carelessly omitted 
by the clerks in engrossing the bill. 
Representatives of the Confederation of 
Farmers and Laborers of Illinois, met at 
Springfield, Wednesday, and adopted reso¬ 
lutions favoring the election of a practical 
farmer for U. S. Senator from that State. 
A decree issued by the French Minister of 
Agriculture forbids the importation into 
France and the transport of cattle, sheep 
and pigs from Belgium and Holland, either 
by the land or sea frontiers till further 
notice. 
Gen. Gordon, the newly-elected Senator 
from Georgia, has just become a member 
of the Farmers’ Alliance. It is a pretty 
open secret that he secured his election by 
promising to stand up for the programme 
of the order. 
Massachusetts is having considerable 
difficulty in disposing of the $15,000 granted 
by Congress for experiment purposes: 
not, in finding an institution to take it, 
however, for the Agricultural College at 
Amherst wants it all, and is averse to 
dividing. 
Of the 100 members of the House of Rep¬ 
resentatives of the Indiana Legislature, 45 
are farmers and 21 are lawyers, the other 34 
being representatives of 20 or more callings. 
The Senate will have 21 lawyers, 15 farmers 
and 14 others of different occupations out 
of a total of 50. 
A Barbed Wire Trust was not formed on 
account of quarrels among the manufac¬ 
turers over patents held by a large manu¬ 
facturing firm. This firm say: “We do 
not desire to raise the price of barbed wire, 
as we are making plenty of money at the 
present rates.” Good for them! 
The English Board of Trade has decided 
not to allow several vessels now in this 
country to carry cattle in midwinter at 
all and has forbidden their clearance at the 
English Consulates. The Board is consid¬ 
ering the question of preventing all tramp 
vessels from carrying cattle in winter. 
The Steel Patents Company, which con¬ 
trols the patents for making basic steel, 
finally has decided to sell to outside manu¬ 
facturers the right to use the process upon 
payment of a royalty of $1 per ton which is 
considered a very reasonable royalty. This 
will undoubtedly cheapen largely basic 
slag, which is becoming such an important 
element in fertilizers. 
The Bureau of Animal Industry made its 
report to the Senate on Thursday. It claims 
to have discovered the principle of inocula¬ 
tion for diseases prior to Dr. Koch. Also in 
relation to dfseases of swine the Bureau 
claims that its researches have been in the 
main successful. With reports of cholera 
among the herds of several different States, 
these researches should be put to a practical 
test. 
The German Minister of Agriculture 
proposes as soon as the supply of lymph is 
sufficient, to have the effect of Dr. Koch’s 
discovery tried on cattle and swine, with 
the view of preventing the enormous loss 
caused by tuberculosis among those 
animals. It is anticipated that the benefit 
to the farmer in saving his cattle and hogs 
will be only second to that conferred upon 
humanity by the new curative agent. 
A movement is on foot in Watsonville, 
California, to form a Beet Growers’ Union, 
for the purpose of acquiring more general 
knowledge regarding the growing of beets 
for the manufacture of sugar. By the 
way, the California papers report more 
dead beets congregated in Watsonville 
than in any town in the State, and the re¬ 
markable thing about it is, that they are 
driven into town instead of being driven 
out as is usually the case. 
Representatives of the barbed wire 
manufacturers met last week in Chi¬ 
cago, in response to a circular sent out by 
J. W. Gates, representing the St. Louis 
Wire Works. The objects of the meeting 
may perhaps be inferred from a reply of 
Mr. Gates to a query upon this point: “It 
is our intention to put up the prices on 
barbed wire one cent per pound and 
form a trust, and we are going right at it 
in a businesslike manner.” 
The Government agent in charge of the 
enumeration of range cattle says that the 
returns, so far, show that in the rain re¬ 
gions the cattle lands had decreased, and in 
the rainless regions the sheep boom had 
driven out cattle to a large extent. Wnile 
the last census showed over 13,000,000 head 
of cattle, this would possibly not show over 
10,000,000, and while it showed 19,000,000 
sheep, this census would likely show 2S,- 
000,000. The hog ranches had possibly 4,- 
000,000 hogs, the last census showing double 
that number. 
The Offer of $10,000,000 for the Cherokee 
Strip has incited the renewal of an offer of 
$20,000,000 which was made to the Chero- 
kees two years ago by a syndicate of Kan¬ 
sas City, Denver and Chicago men, whose 
idea was to bond the Strip in England for 
20 years and to use it during that time as 
grazing ground only, and then sell it for 
$10 an acre. The proposed terms are $1,000,- 
000 down and the other $19,000,000 in three 
months. Thursday, December 11, another 
syndicate offered $35,000,000 for the land. 
It is said to be genuine, but from the high 
figure, it looks a trifle bogus. 
A purchase was recently made of a tract 
of forestland in Herkimer County, N. Y., 
containing 15,225 acres for $36,000. The 
timber is mostly spruce, which is particu¬ 
larly valuable because of its enormous use 
in the manufacture of wood pulp. The 
spruce timber is disappearing rapidly, and 
in a few years will be very valuable. 
Twenty years ago the purchaser bought a 
tract in Essex County, and has ever since 
carried on lumbering on it, being careful to 
take only trees of a certain size and leaving 
the hard wood undisturbed. This is the 
kind of forest preservation that is to be 
commended. 
Hampton’s defeat for U. S. Senator in 
South Carolina has bitterly exasperated 
the Straightouts, who swear they will an¬ 
nihilate Tillman at the next election. 
Hampton has already been nominated by 
them for governor in 1892. His defeat by 
the Alliance is held to portend a similar fate 
for Ingalls by the same agency in Kansas. 
J. L. M. Irby, the new Senator, and the 
youngest of them all, is a bright, brave, 
rather truculent young man, one of Till¬ 
man’s chief lieutenants and Speaker of the 
State House of Representatives. While a 
staunch Alliance man, he will seek the ob¬ 
jects of the order only within the Demo¬ 
cratic party. He stands for .the “new” 
Carolina with the ideas and aspirations of 
the new order of things, and its bitter an¬ 
tagonism to the old aristocratic regime. 
The annual crop of reports about destitu¬ 
tion and suffering in the newer States and 
Territories is being harvested. The most 
deplorable fact in connection with them is 
that they are too often true. While ap¬ 
peals for aid are being made for the desti¬ 
tute, the State governments and immigra¬ 
tion bureaus almost invariably deprecate 
any solicitation of outside aid. A dispatch 
from Grand Forks, N. D., states that the 
Chamber of Commerce and the Business 
Men’s Association have administered a 
severe rebuke to Congressman Hans- 
borough for introducing a resolution in 
Congress asking for an appropriation of 
$500,000 for destitute citizens of North 
Dakota, when six counties of the Red River 
Valley alone in the State raised during 
the crop season of 1890 23,000,000 bushels of 
wheat, besides other cereals, and have 
loaned to wheat buyers of Minneapolis and 
Duluth $400,000 during the last 30 days to 
tide them over the crisis caused by the 
stringency in Eastern! money markets. 
Will those who have plenty aid their desti¬ 
tute brother farmers ? 
CROP AND MARKET NOTES. 
The vintage of France is reported to be 
very large this year. 
The movement of grain and other prod¬ 
uce in the interior is reported„light. 
California pecans are reported to be very 
fine on the trees thus far in bearing? 
California oranges are now shipped east¬ 
ward daily. Very few of them .reach New 
York. 
The Orange Growers’ Association at 
Riverside, Cal., has secured, fumigating 
tents and apparatus for use in their 
orchards. 
All the school children of Cal. are to be 
called upon to assist in making a collec¬ 
tion of wild flowers for exhibition at the 
World’s Fair. 
The Florida Agricultural Department 
estimates that the orange crop of the State 
will be 1,357,500 boxes, or 63.per cent of the 
crop of last year. 
The new crop of Florida oranges is 
comiog in freely. There are good selec¬ 
tions and buyers for the most part work 
upon the top qualities; all.other grades sell 
low. 
Cotton is not arriving herein large quan¬ 
tities. The reasou assigned is that growers 
are realizing on the crop as rapidly as pos¬ 
sible and exporters are making engage¬ 
ments direct. 
There is much complaint throughout 
Southern Illinois about the rotting of 
sweet potatoes. In some houses they are 
keeping very well, but in others they are 
