44 
AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST, 
[FEBRUARY, 
lAitclieia Garden. 
Little can be done in this department at this sea- 
con in the North, if no glass is used, except to have 
everything ready for early planting when the soil is 
ready. Very few market-gardeners, or even farm¬ 
ers, can afford to do without one or more liot-beds. 
The earliness of lettuce, tomatoes, and other crops 
more than compensates for the time spent in jirop- 
erly preparing a hot-bed, and no farmer who has 
once tried the raising of early plants in this way 
will he willing to give it up. In -the South many of 
the early crops of hardy vegetables, such as beets, 
parsnips, onious, lettuce, etc., can be 60 wn this 
month. It is never safe to sow the tender vegeta¬ 
bles, such as cucumbers, beans, etc., until all dan¬ 
ger from frost is over, and the ground has become 
thoroughly warmed. . 
Manure .—Do not allow the mauure'rfo become 
overheated, but turn over and mix with earth. 
When dry, water occasionally. Save the horse- 
manure in a separate pile, to use in liot-beds. 
Cold Frames. —As the weather becomes milder, 
see that plenty of air is allowed the plants in the 
frames, and on warm days the sashes may be re¬ 
moved entirely; they should never be left open 
during the night, even if it is very warm, for fear of 
a sudden snow-storm or change in the temperature. 
Hot-Beds will not he needed at the North until 
next month, unless very early, plants are desired. 
In some parts of the South they may be prepared, 
and seeds of early vegetables planted. Shelter from 
prevailing winds should be given, and if necessary 
to make them in an exposed place, it will pay to 
erect a temporary board fence. 
Straw-Mats or Shutters will be needed for protect¬ 
ing the plants in hot-beds and frames during 
cold spells, and from too much sun. 
Brush and Foies for peas and beans should be cut, 
as it is poor policy to leave them until needed. 
Foot Crops. —Whenever the ground thaws, the 
roots left in the ground over winter, may be dug. 
Potatoes. —A few maybe started for early planting 
by placing in a warm room and allowing the sprouts 
to start, and then planting in a warm spot. 
Boxes. —A few boxes, four inches deep, may be 
made and filled with rich garden soil, and many of 
the early vegetables started in these; they are 
a- cheap and' convenient substitute for hot-beds, 
if only a few plants are wanted. 
SI © w cr=© ar <i!L e i a rvsatl I,awn. 
Complete all plans for improvements which were 
begun during the winter, and have everything that 
is needed for carrying them out, ready for imme¬ 
diate use. All shrubs, trees, and seeds that will be 
needed, should be ordered at once. 
Half-Hardy Plants, which have been stored in pits 
or cellars, will need looking to, in order to prevent 
their starting into growth. See that plenty of air 
is given, and if the plants in the cellar become too 
dry, give them a little water occasionally. 
Cannas and other roots stored ifi the cellar will 
need to be examined, as they arc liable to suffer 
from dampness. If any signs of rotting appear, 
remove at once to a dry place, where there is no dan¬ 
ger of frost, and cut away all decaying parts. 
Wood Work.— All trellises, arbors, etc., will need 
a coat of paint or oil, to prevent their decay. 
Annuals. —Seeds of hardy annuals may be sown 
in shallow boxes and placed in a kitchen window, 
as recommended for vegetable seeds. 
CJreesiIaosssc ajacl Window l*lasals. 
Air should be given to the greenhouse every mild* 
day, taking care to open the ventilators on the side 
opposite that from which the wind blows. 
Sprinkling. —Give the plants a good sprinkling 
every two or three days, so that they may be kept 
free from dust. The best time to do this is in the 
afternoon, when the ventilators can be closed. 
Bulbs.— Cut away the flower-stalks of all bulbs 
which have finished flowering, and gradually dry 
them off, when they may be taken out of the pots 
and stored in a dry place, ready to be planted in the 
open ground next fall. Bring a few pots from the 
cellar every week, so as to produce a succession of 
flowers during the early spring mouths. 
Propagation of bedding and other plants should be 
continued; as soon as rooted, pot into thumb-pots. 
Neatness. —Keep all the plants free from insects 
by fumigation and washing, and remove all yellow 
and dead leaves, as they detract very much from 
the beauty of a flowering or specimen plant. 
Commercial Matters—Market Prices. 
Gold lias been down tolOSpg, closing January 15th at 
108%, against 109% on the lGtk of December.Busi¬ 
ness in breadstuffs has been on a restricted scale, with 
the main call for spring and red winter wheat, and mixed 
Western corn and Western rye, for shipment, at easier and 
irregular prices. The home-trade demand has been light 
and mostly for job lots, needed to meet pressing wants. 
Holders have been prompt in responding to the require¬ 
ments of buyers, as a rule, at the current figures_Cot¬ 
ton has been active, excited, and higher, the principal 
dealings having been for home use, and on speculative 
account.Wool has advanced on a livelier inquiry, 
chiefly for manufacturing purposes, closing with prices 
.in favor of sellers, on light stocks of desirable grades, par¬ 
ticularly of fleece.Clover-seed has been freely pur¬ 
chased for export, at uniform rates.Hay, Hops, and 
Tobacco, quiet.Provisions have been moderately 
active, closing firmly at our quotations. 
Current Wholes ale Prices. 
Dec. 16. Jan. 15. 
Price op Gold . 
Flour— Super to Extra State : 
Super to Extra Southern_ 
Extra Western. 
Extra Genesee. 
Superfine Western. 
Uyb Flour.. 
Corn-Meat. 
Wheat— All kinds of White. 
All kinds of lied and Amber. 
_ 109k, 
>5 75 
6 10 @10 
50 
00 
25 
30 
3 55 @4 25 
1 G2 © 1 77 
1 18 © 1 G' 
G 50 @10 1 
7 50 @ 0 I 
5 75 @ G ' 
4 20 @51 
40 $5 
25 6 
108 % 
70 © 7 40 
40 @10 65 
GO @10 50 
50 @ 9 00 
70 @ f> 40 
10 @ 5 15 
50 @ 4 25 
GO © 1 77% 
45 @ 1 70 
Corn—Y ellow. 
. 79 
@ 
81 
Tt%@ 77% 
Mixed.. 
77 
@ 
79 
73 © 77 
Oats— Western. 
@ 
58 
54 © 57% 
State . 
. 55%@ 
57% 
Nominal 
Rye.. 
. 90 
@ 
97 
90 © 1 00 
Bai-.lkv .. 
. 80 
@ 1 25 
80 @ 1 20 
Hay—B ale TR 100 lbs. 
. 1 25 
@ 
1 80 
1 35 @ 1 85 
Straw, ?) 100 lbs. 
@ 1 30 
75 © 1 25 
I lb. 
Cotton— Middlings, ?) lb 
lions—Crop of 1870, ?) lb. 
Crop of 1871... 
Feathers—L ive Geese, if 
Seep—C lover, 10 lb . 
Timothy. 70 bushel. 
Flax, 70 bushel. 
Sugar—B rown, lb. 
Molasses. Cuba, TOgal.. 
Coffee—R io (Gold, in bond). 
Tobacco, Kentucky, tec., 70 lb. 
Seed Leaf, 70 lb . 
Wool—D omestic Fleece,?) lb. 
Domestic, pulled, 70 lb. 
California, unwashed,. 
Tallow', 70 lb . 
Oil-Cake— 70 ton. 
1’ork—M ess, 70 barrel- 
Prime, 70 barrel. 
Beef—P lain mess.. 
Lard, 111 tres. & barrels, 70 lb. 
Butter—S tate, 7(1 lb. 
Western, o>. 
Cheese. .. 
Beans— 1 W -bushel. 
Peas—C anada free, 70 bu 
Eggs—F resh ?) dozen .. 
Poultry—F owls. 
Turkeys, ?) lb. 
Geese, 70 pair. 
Ducks, ?) pair. 
Venison—?) lb. 
Potatoes, 70 bbl. 
Sweet Potatoes, 70 bbl. 
Cabbages—?) 100. 
Broom-CObn— 70 lb. 
Apples— 70 barrel. 
Grapf.s—P pound. 
Cranberries—?) barrel. 
Buckwheat Flour—?) lOOlbs, 
20 % 
30 
02 
78 
12 
3 50 
1 90 © 1 92% 
19%@ 
20 @ 
35 ® 
70 @ 
11 @ 
3 25 
22% @ 
20 @ 
35 @ 
70 @ 
23% 
30 
62 
10 © 12 % 
50 @ 3 75 
S%@ 
10K 
8%@ 
10 % 
18 
@ 
35 
18 
@ 
85 
14%@ 
17 
16%© 
18% 
7%@ 
14 
7%@ 
14 
14 
@ 
65 
14 
@ 
65 
48 
@ 
70 
52 
© 
75 
41 
© 
64 
45 
© 
70 
30 
© 
42 
35 
© 
45 
' 8%@ 
9% 
S%@ 
9% 
40 00 
@42 
50 
40 00 
@42 50 
13 50 
@13 
75 
13 25 
@14 25 
©10 25 10 50 @11 50 
50 
@10 50 
7 50 
@10 00 
9 
© 
9 % 
s%@ 
9% 
18 
@ 
35 
20 
© 
37 
10 
© 
25 
' 9 
@ 
25 
8%@ 
13% 
9 
© 
14 
1 10 
... 1 20 
@ 1 25 
1 00 
... 34 
© 38 
38 
... 12 
© 15 
9 
14 
@ 20 
12 
.. 1 50 
@ 2 75 
1 50 
00 
© 100 
75 
12 
© 19 
10 
. 1 50 
© 2 25 
1 50 
... 2 00 
@ 4 25 
3 00 
@ 7 00 
4 50 
6 
© 12 
3 
.. 2 00 
@ 5 00 
1 50 
2 
© 5 
3 
... 5 00 
@10 00 
6 50 
)S. 3 40 
@ 3 80 
3 00 
10 © 3 10 
" 1 25 
41 
16 
18 
2 75 
1 25 
18 
@ 7 50 
® 9 
@ 3 00 
@ 5 
The following'condensed, comprehensive tables, care¬ 
fully prepared specially for the American Agriculturist, 
from our daily record during the year, show at a glance 
the transactions for the month ending Jan. 15th, 1872, 
and for the corresponding month last year; also for the 
year ending December 31,1871. 
1. TRANSACTIONS AT THE NEW YORK 
Receipts. Flour. IVheat. Corn. Rye. 
23d’s this in’tb.189,001 192,000 S67.000 500 
21 d’s last m’tli.321,000 2,973,000 2,311,000 298,000 
MARKETS. 
Parley. Oats. 
331,000 356,000 
933,000 1,783,900 
Salks. Flour. Wheat. Corn. Rye. Barley. Oats. 
23 d’s WtismT.h. 172,000 1,115,000 1,797,000 102,000 168,500 1,009,000 
24 d’s last m’tli.257,000 2,201,000 2,073,000 136,0001,015,000 1,809,000 
H. Comparison with same period at this time last year. 
Receipts. Flour. Wheat. Corn. Rye. Barley. Oats. 
23 days 1872... 189,000 192,000 867,000 500 334,000 356,000 
20 days 1871...304,000 270,000 19S.000 5,000 317,000 291,000 
Sales. Flour. Wheat. Corn. Bye. Barley. Oats. 
23 d’s 1872.. .172,000 1,115,000 1,797,000 102,000 108,500 1,009,000 
26 (l’» 1871....321,000 2,041,000 973,000 47,000 216,000 811,000 
3. Exports from New York, Jan. 1 to Jan. 15. 
Flour. Wheat. Corn. Bye. Barley. Oats. 
1871. 11,512 02,708 253,992 - -- -- 
1870 . 27.20S 130,153 13,755 -— - 
4. Stock of grain in store at New York. 
Wheat, Corn, Bye, Barley, Oats, Malt. 
1873. bush. bush. bush. hush. hush, bush, 
.Tan. 15.3,539,405 803,197 481,093 337,825 2,052,911 128,091 
1871. 
Dec. 11.1,167,881 1,391,034 536,968 - 8,015,107 103,882 
5. Beceipts at head of tide-water at Albany each sea¬ 
son to Dec. 1st : 
Flour. Wheat. Corn. Bye. Barley. Oats. 
bbls. bush. busli. bush. bush. bush. 
1871.290,709 21,313,400 20,042,300 1,107,900 3,839,400 0,639,400 
1870 .430,100 17,124,700 4,805,100 0S7,500 3,9S4,700 6,167,500 
6 . Beceipts of Breadstuff’s in New York in each of 
the last eight years: 
Flour. Wheat. Corn. Rye. Barley. Oats. 
1871.. ..3.049.045 26.518,300 27,108,150 1,055,621 3,869,123 12,540,966 
1870.. ..4.143.993 2-1,0S3,742 9,143,478 550,109 5,020,718 9,620,006 
1569.. ..3.535.716 23,813,652 11,666,784 357,803 3,007,958 8,747,322 
1868.. . .2,860,726 12,983,147 19,053,615 . 773,351 2.853,043 10,221,590 
1867.. . .2,002,892 9,640,131 14,979,277 765,376 2,609,724 8,030,807 
1866.. . .2,720,835 5,729,912 22,189,532 1,314,913 5,695,485 8,811,004 
1865.. ..3.628.526 8,768,929 15,935,277 899,679 3,239,054 9,851,955 
1864.. . .3,967,717 13,453,136 7,164,895 491,915 2,514,891 12,952,238 
7 . Exports from New York, Jan. 1 to Bee. 31: 
Flour. Mheat. Corn. Rye. Barley.Oats. 
1871 .’.1,659,755 21,963,613 13,016,570 525,772 98,745 47,310 
1870.1,950,234 18,446.035 487.792 92,431 28,986 
I860.1,582,211 18,240,586 1,637,586 142,542 49,393 
1868 .1,020,522 5,775,109 6,002,825 153,093 94,340 
8 . Comparative Stock of Flour in Neiv York, Jan. 1. 
1SG9. IS70. 1871. 1872. 
Western and State Flour ...433.173 395,203 518,349 330,197 
Canada Flour. 5,300 575 S50 300 
Southern Flour. 30,601 46,560 45,870 25,974 
California Flour. 19,904 1,110 .... 100 
Grand total, bbls.490,97S 443,478 565,069 856,271 
f). Comparative Stock of Grain in New York, Jan. 1. 
I860. 1870 . 1871 . 1873 . 
Wheat, bushels.4,028,005 4,166,369 3,700,006 4,227,181 
Corn, bushels.2,061,079 010,500 303,033 1,439,804 
Rye, bushels. 296,413 66,650 2,289,065 573,557 
Bariev, bushels.... 617,459 639,933 193,070 565,772 
Oats,‘bushels.3,213,388 1,796,962 1,401.192 2,S74,5S0 
Malt, bushels. 121,173 91,114 14,571 129,180 
Peas, bushels. 71,70S 47,671 35S,330 9,500 
i> T ew Yoi’lc S.Ive-Stoclc Msivlicts. 
WEEK ENDING BCCVCS. 
December 18th.0,455 
December 25th.4.9G3 
January 1st.5,756 
January 6th.6,262 
January 131H.6,741 
Total in 5 Weeks . 39,177 
do forprev. 4 TFee7ts..31,460 
iws. Calves. Sheep. Swine. Tol'l. 
119 1,158 29,693 53,218 89,642 
82 1,158 18,788 37,546 62,537 
139 910 10,850 25,571 43,232 
135 719 IS,043 19,231 41,390 
70 823 25,547 40,223 79,404 
545 4,768 103,926 180,799 319,205 
891 5,115 97,522 1SS.270 323,OSS 
i. Cows. Calves. Sheep. Swine. 
Averagepcr Week . 0,035 
do. do. last Month — 7,865 
do. do. peer's Month... .7,815 
A verage per Week, 1871. 7,187 
109 
954 
20,585 
36,158 
98 
1,351 
24,380 
47,008 
121 
1,884 
34,141 
41,147 
SS 
2,301 
25,152 
25,177 
Beef Cattle.—There has been a falling off of 1,S00 
cattle per week when compared with the receipts of the 
previous month. Closing up the year we have 3S0,931 
cattle against 356,020 in 1870. The fight run of cattle for 
a month past lias caused a steadily improving market, 
and prices are now lc. higher than they were last month. 
Since the former report a large number of very fine holi¬ 
day cattle were sent in, hut they did not bring over 13c. 
@ 13c., or little more than prime stock is worth now. 
There were too many of them to sell well. One yard of 
12 head was sold for $3,000. The market closes very firm, 
Texans, which are scarce, selling at (flic. (S> 10!4c., witll 
fair Western at ll! 4 c., and prime 12>4c.; the best cattle 
selling at 13c. © 13‘4c., save a few head, very fine, at 14c., 
on the scales, GO lbs. per cwt. 
Below we give the range of prices, average price, and 
figures at which large lots were sold: 
Dec. 18th, ranged 8 @15 c. Large sales 10 @13 c. Av. 11% 
Dec. 25th, (16. S%@13 c. (lo. do. 10 @12%c. do. 11 
Jan. 1st, do. 9 @13 c. do. do. 10%@12%c. do. 11% 
Jan. 6th, do. 9 @13 c. do. do. 10%@T2 c. do. 11% 
Jan. 13th, do. 9%@1-1 c. do. do. 11 ©12%c. do. 11% 
ijilch Cows.— The supply has been large during 
the past month, and trade has been unsatisfactory. Milk 
has seldom ruled at the present low rates, during the win¬ 
ter season, and this is discouraging for the producers. 
Besides, dry cows have been hard to sell until within the 
past week. Fresh cows vary from $40 to $55 each for 
poor, $05 to $75 for medium to good, with a few choice 
at:$80 to $00. Calves. —The run is fight, as is al-' 
ways the case during this season of the year, and prices 
have advanced. Most of'the calves are now sent in 
dressed, on account of cheaper freights and the ability to 
send them long distances.' Good to prime milk-fed 
calves arc worth 10 c. © 11 c. f) lb.; common to fair sell 
at 8 c. (a) 9c.; mixed lots, of large size, 4J4c. © 7c. Ilog- 
dressed arc worth 12c. (a) 14c. for milk-fed, and Gc. © 9c. 
for grassers. Slteep and Lambs.- There 1ms 
been quite a falling off in receipts, and prices have worked 
up from !4c. to lc. $ ib. There were some extra holi¬ 
day sheep of 175 © 200 fi>s. sent in for Christmas, which 
were sold at 9c. © 9'/ 2 c. $ fl>., five weight. The advance 
in wool helps the sheep trade, while farmers incline to 
increase their flocks, hence send in sparingly. Few sheep 
now sell below 7c. $ ib., while good iots of 80 to 90 lbs. 
bring 7>4c. © 8 c. Lambs arc now selling with sheep at 
same prices. Poor to medium sheep arc selling at G*4c. 
© 7J4c. fl lb.; fair to good at 714c: © Sc. ; and prime to 
host selections at Sj4c_ Swine.— These are falling. 
oft' in numbers, hut there arc somewhat free receipts of 
Western dressed, amounting to 30,231 during the past 
five weeks. Prices have ruled rather steady, the demand 
being unusually'good. Live are worth 4%c. ® 6 %c.; 
city-dressed Western 5%c. ® 6 %c.; State and Jersey, Gc. 
® 7 %c.; Western dressed, 5%c. © 5%c, 
