254 
AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST, 
[May. 
Wheat, Corn, Oats, Pork, Lard. 
Decline iu Prices, etc. 
The prices of breadstuffs and provisions are 
chiefly influenced by those prevailing for the mo¬ 
ment in London ; telegraph quotations are received 
and posted every few minutes during business 
hours, in New York, Chicago, and in other leading 
markets of this country, though the operations are 
nearly over for the day in England and France 
when active transactions open in Chicago, the dif¬ 
ference in time being nearly six hours. There are 
occasional “spurts,” when corners are made or 
feared, and for a few days past the current weather 
has more or less affected the daily rates. This is 
one of the critical periods of the year, for winter 
wheat especially, as a few successive freezings and 
thawings will seriously damage wheat that has 
stood through the winter. The fact that this crop 
may appear quite dead, and yet sufficiently vigorous 
roots remain to start forward, and with favorable 
weather make a good growth, is used by the “bulls” 
and “ bears ” with considerable effect. Frequent 
instances have occurred where part of a field has 
been plowed up for other crops, aud yet the re¬ 
mainder has come forward to an average yield. 
The following carefully prepared table is con¬ 
densed from our daily record of the Chicago market 
reported by telegraph. We give the quotations for 
January 2, February 1, and March 6, 13, 20 and 27, 
with the closing rates as we go to press. Chicago 
being the great central grain and provision market, 
we use the prices in that city in preference to New 
York, where they differ, as a rule, only in the actual 
difference in freight and risk, from those at Chicago. 
The difference in prices between Chicago and New 
York for the different months ranges from 10 to 
15 cents on wheat, 9 to 14 cents on oats, 10 to 15 
cents on corn, 20 to 75 cents on pork and lard. 
The top figures give the dates; the months at the 
side of the table mean that the prices in the same 
line are for wheat delivered to the purchaser, or 
settled for, at anytime in these months. By follow¬ 
ing any one line across, we get an idea of the ups 
and downs and the general tendency of prices : 
RANGE OF PRICES IN CHICAGO. 
1 
Wheat, hit.... 
Jan. 2. 
Feb. 1. 
$ .95 
$1.05 
1.00 
i.io 
.49 
.50 
.55 
.58 
.52 
Oats, bu . 
.39 
.41 
Poke, bbl . 
17.20 
17.95 
18.10 
18.35 
May. 
ii.55 
Lard, 100 lbs ... 
10.42 
11.20 
11.30 
11.40 
May. 
June. 
10.65 
Mar. 6 . 
Mar. 13. 
Mar. 20. 
Mar. 27. 
April 6. 
$ 1.09, 
$1.05 
$1.05 
1.09 
1.06 
1.05 
1.04 
1.02 
1.14 
1.11 
1.11 
1.10 
1.08 
1.11 
Lll 
1 11 
1.09 
.58 
.55 
.51 
.58 
.57 
.55 
.52 
.49 
.63 
.61 
.60 
.56 
.54 
.62 
.61 
.59 
.57 
.56 
.43 
.40 
.39 
.44 
.40 
.39 
.40 
.44 
.43 
.42 
.44 
.44 
.42 
.42 
.43 
18.10 
18.10 
17.95 
18.25 
is.15 
18.20 
18.05 
is. oo 
18.35 
IS .40 
18.40 
18.25 
18.20 
18.50 
18.55 
18.62 
18.45 
18.35 
11.25 
11.20 
11.05 
11.40 
11.30 
11.25 
11.15 
11.25 
11.55 
11.45 
11.40 
11.30 
11.35 
11.50 
11.55 
11.50 
11.35 
11.40 
P. S.—April 7.—Favorable weather, lower foreign 
prices, decreased rates here to-day. The closing quota¬ 
tions from Chicago this evening, by telegraph, are 1 (a) 2 
cents per bushel lower than the above table for wheat, 
com, and oats. 
Comparing the third and last columns, it will be 
noted that there has been a decline of 6 to 7 cents 
a bushel in Wheat, during 30 days past, for that 
delivered prior to June. The small sales for June 
and July are mainly speculative. In Corn the de¬ 
cline has been heavy, 6c. to 9c., the large stocks re¬ 
served in the country, as noted by us last month, 
having come forward quite freely, and there is, 
doubtless, a large reserve yet remaining back, the 
producers being unwilling to sell so far below last 
year’s prices. Oats have fluctuated somewhat, 
but have declined less than wheat and corn. Hog 
Products have not fallen so much as the decline 
in corn would require, despite the German pro¬ 
hibition of American Pork ; but it is to be remem¬ 
bered that there is a scarcity of swine—not enough 
of them to consume the abundance of com. 
IPrices of Wheat for Eleven Years. 
The following table is interesting as showing the 
lowest and highest prices of No. 2 Spring Wheat in 
the Chicago markets, during the month of March, 
for eleven years past, omitting fractions of a cent: 
1873. .$1.17 @$1.23 
1874.. 1.17 @ 1.23 
1875.. .85® .96 
1876.. .97 @ 1.04 
1877.. $1.21 ® $1.29 
1878.. 1.04 @ 1.13 
1879.. .88 @ .96 
1880.. 1 . 12 @ 1.26 
1881.. $ .99® $1.04 
1882.. 1.22® 1.36 
1883.. 1.02 ® 1.10 
According to this, the price has at no time fallen 
below a profit on the cost of production, allowing 
the present general railroad freight rates to Chi¬ 
cago from points a considerable distance west of 
the Mississippi river. 
Wlaat Influences Foreign drain 
iiEarjkets,. 
| The Only machine that received an award on both 
I Horse-power and Thresher and Cleaner, at the Centen- 
I nial Exhibition; was awarded the two last Cold 
Medals given by the New York State Agricultural 
j Society on Horse-powers and Threshers; and is the 
Only Thresher selected from the vast number built in 
j the United States, for illustration and description in 
I “Appleton’s Cyclopedia of Applied Mechanics,” re¬ 
cently published, thus adopting it as the Standard 
I machine of this country. Catalogue sent free. Address 
\ MIXARD HARDER, Cobleskill, Schoharie Co., N. Y. 
The foreign markets are lowered by improving 
weather that favors spring sowing, and by the ac¬ 
cumulation of stocks. The imports of wheat into 
Great Britain for seven months past have been 
about 90,000,000 bushels against 75,000,000 for the 
same period in the previous two years—an increase 
of nearly half a bushel per head for the whole 
population, or an eighth of a year’s consumption. 
This has partly gone into store, and in part taken 
the place of the deficiency in potatoes. These are 
“ The ‘ACME' Pulverizing Harroiv, Clod 
Crusher and Leveler will cover sowed corn 
and peas perfectly, where a common harrow 
will not cover half of them.” (See page 252' 
this paper.) 
double the price of a year ago, in London, and 200 
to 400 per cent higher in Germany. 
The Government in India, which controls the 
railways, is moving to aid the people to compete 
with America in wheat growing, by reducing the 
freight on the long interior railw'ay lines of that 
country. A reduction of 20 per cent in the rates 
will cheapen the cost of putting their wheat down 
in London about 5 cents per bushel. But this 
may be offset by our own decreased freight charges 
both inland and ocean ; the latter have materially 
THE CHICAGO COMBINED PATENT 
Flexible Harrow and Grain Cultivator. 
All steel teeth. Best im« 
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as a sod harrow and pulver¬ 
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in growing Wheat Pota¬ 
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5 to 10 bushels per acre to 
the yield. 25 to 50 acres 
per day cultivated by one 
team. Will pay for itself 
in one year. Send for Illustrated Price List. 
H. A. Streeter. Sole Proprietor aud Manui&C* 
turer. 80 to 86 Illinois St. Chicago, 111. 
lowered recently. 
Catalogues Received. 
SEEDSMEN AND FLORISTS. 
Everett & Gleason, No. .34 So. Market St., Boston, 
Mass. An exquisitely neat seed list, with new things. 
Also small fruits. 
Hovey & Co., No. 16 So. Market St., Boston, Mass. 
This, one of the oldest houses, offers the newest in 
vegetables and flowers. 
E. S. Miller. Wading River. N. Y. General stock of 
greenhouse and ornamental plants and flower seeds. 
Frank S. Platt, New Haven, Conn., offers fruits 
and ornamental trees in his retail seed lists, has one for 
market gardeners, and another wholesale. 
Steele Bros. & Co., Toronto, Ont. Very full in 
farm seeds, especially grasses; also small fruits. 
J. M. Thorburn & Co., No. 15 John St.. New York 
City. Special catalogue of gladiolus and other spring 
bulbs, small fruits, etc. 
R. J. Trumbull & Co., San Francisco, Cal. Besides 
the usual seeds, those of California flowers, shrubs, and 
trees. 
W. C. Wilson, No. 45 West 14th St., New York City. 
A very large catalogue, and. as usual, full in greenhouse 
and bedding plants; also seeds. 
W. B. Woodruff. Westfield, N. J. Greenhouse and 
bedding plants, and vegetable plants 
NURSERYMEN. 
Ellwanger & Barry, Rochester, N. Y. A special 
rose catalogue, containing the newest and rarest. 
Charles P. Gardner. Osage, Iowa. Forest and or¬ 
namental trees, including evergreens and a select list of 
fruits. 
Fred. W. Kelsey, No. 208 Broadway, New York City. 
Select list of specialties and novelties in nursery stock. 
Geo. L. Miller, Jones' Station. Ohio. Small fruits 
and ornamental shrubs, etc. 
William H. Moon, Morrisville, N. J. Fruit and or¬ 
namental trees and plants; very full in each. 
IMPLEMENTS. MACHINERY & MISCELLANEOUS. 
Porter Blanchard's Sons, Concord, N. H.. by cir¬ 
cular. inform their customers that two fires in three 
months do not stop their business of making standard 
churns and butter workers. 
Bradley & Co., Rochester, N. Y., illustrate the 
Bradley Road Cart for driving. 
Mason Gibbs. Homer, Mich., illustrates and describes 
the Michigan Wheelbarrow Seeder. 
A. P. Griffith, Smyrna, Del. A catalogue of farms 
and homes for sale. 
R. B. Mitchell, 36 State St., Chicago, Ill. A portly 
catalogue, illustrating and describing a great variety of 
breeds of poultry. 
Osgood & Co.. Binghamton. N. Y. Osgood’s Com¬ 
bination Scales, fully illustrated. 
A. H. Pomeroy, Hartford, Conn. Scroll saws, and a 
great variety of tools for amateur machines. 
J. E. Porter, Ottawa, Ill. Haying tools, especially 
the Porter Hay Carrier. 
E. W. Ross & Co., Fulton, N. Y. Ross Giant Ensil¬ 
age Cutters. 
I Every Farmer should 
J know that 8 cts. per 
an b Sn uiwiiiaii ! bushel can be saved 
--Fin raising Com, 25 cts. in Wheat, and 2 cts. per 
lb. on Cotton by the use of a __ 
THOMAS SMOOTHING HARROW 
Also manufacture the Perfected PULVERWER 
which contains 72 sharp steel blades, covering lO 
feet at each sweep. Warranted the most powerful 
Pulverizer ever invented. For pamphlet contain- 
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dreds of names of those who use and recommend 
them, address THOMAS HARROW CO. Geneva,N.Y 
ABSBfc. -SIX SPLENDID- 
Geraniums 
Either Single or Double, sent safely by mail, prepaid, labeled,, 
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4 Bronze, Ivy and Silver Geraniums ggaw 
6 Ever Blooming Roses, 6 sorts, for n BTwk 
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4 Hardy Climbing Roses, - - for Brm M H R | 
6 Hew Coleus, 6 sorts, - - for raj M H j 
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3 Heliotropes, 2 Carnations, - for ragw Up H 
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2 Clematis and 2 Carnations, - for wHgH 
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13 Pkts Choice Vegetable Seeds, forwvffp VMS' \Lftr KJ 
15 Pkts Choice Flower Seeds, - for 
For $1.25 we will send any 3 of the above collections all 
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Castrated Catalogue of PLANTS and SEEDS Free. 
f WNISFALL£N Greenhouses, Springfield, O* 
No Man need Lack 
A 
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24 Beekman St. (Box 2,702), New York. 
