AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST, 
[January, 
4r 
the novelties, as many of tli«se are often valueless 
to the ordinary cultivator. 
Pea-Brush and Bean-Poles .—Now is the time to 
prepare a stock of these for use next spring, for it 
is difficult to spare the time to cut them after 
planting has commenced. Cedar or walnut poles 
are most serviceable, though more expensive, than 
other kinds, if one has to buy them. If properly 
stored, they will last several years. Pea-brush of 
the tops of white birch-trees fe the best. In the 
South, many of the hardier vegetables can be plant¬ 
ed in the open ground,- such as >parsnips, onions, 
peas, etc., as slight frosts do not injure them. 
Flower-Garden and Lawn. 
Evergreens are planted more extensively every 
year, now that their value is appreciated, .and this 
is a good time in which to decide where they can 
be used most advantageously to give a pleasing ef¬ 
fect. Too many evergreens near a house are in bad 
taste, as they give it too somber an aspect. There 
should be a proper admixture of deciduous trees. 
Phododendrons , and the other broad-leaved ever¬ 
greens, such as the -Hollies, Kalmias, etc., give a 
fine effect upon a lawn in winter, and produce a 
display of flowers during the spring and summer. 
Shrubs and Trees .—See that heavy snows are not 
allowed to accumulate around the shrubs and trees, 
as their shape is often injured by the breaking of 
the branches. 
Hedges .—Prune when the weather is mild. 
Trellises and Stakes .—Prepare new ones, and re¬ 
pair and paint the old ones if necessary. 
Manure .—The lawn may have a top-dressing of 
fine manure applied to it, and thus save time dur¬ 
ing the spring work. 
CJrceiiliousc and Window Slants. 
Camellias and Azaleas now in flower need plenty 
of water. After flowering, prune into shape. Only 
a few pots of Camellias should be allowed to flower 
at once, so that the supply may last until late. 
Bulbs . — -Bring a few pots of Hyacinths, Tulips, 
etc., from the cellar; with proper care, a succes¬ 
sion of flowers may bo had from Christmas until 
the bulbs are in flower in the border. As the flowers 
decay, cut away the stalk, and gradually dry off. 
Propagation .—This month and the next are suit¬ 
able for propagating a stock of plants for spring 
use. Do not give the propagating pit too much 
heat, as bottom heat is what is needed in order to 
have healthy aud well-rooted-plants. 
Seeds . — Sow seeds of annuals in order to have a 
supply of seedlings for early blooming. 
Frozen Plants .—If house-plants become frozen, 
place in a cold room, and allow them to thaw out 
gradually. Never place them in a warm room. 
Insects . — Do not allow the insects to become nu¬ 
merous, but destroy at once .by means of tobacco- 
smoke, and washing the plants with whale-oil soap. 
----- -- 
Commercial Matters—Market Prices. 
Gold has been down to 109%, closing December 16th at 
109J4, against 111 % on the 16th of November.The 
sudden closing of the canals by severe frost has had the 
usual effect of seriously lessening the amount of produce 
coming forward front the interior. A large number of 
produce boats have been locked up in the ice. Many of 
these were laden with grain,.which, it had been antici¬ 
pated, would reach the sea-board before the canal and 
river navigation should ho suspended for the season. In 
view of the non-arrival of these cargoes, holders of bread- 
stuffs have been generally quite-firm in their views as to 
prices, and have shown no urgent desire to realize. The 
demand, however, from all sources has been quite limited 
— particularly so for flour and wheat for export. The later 
transactions in wheat have been wholly unimportant, 
buyers having been unwilling to pay asking rates, either 
for milling or for shipment. There 'has been an excep¬ 
tionally good inquiry for corn, especially for new mixed 
■Western, partly on foreign account, and at the close the 
tendency, in the instance of this article, was in favor of 
sellers. Itye and barley have attracted very little atten¬ 
tion ot late. Oats have been also dull, with the advance 
realized early in the month barely maintained.Pro¬ 
visions have been moderately active, the main demand 
having been for Mess and Prime Mess Pork, new Beef, 
Beef Hams, Bacon, and Lard, at pretty well supported 
prices. Butter aud cheese have been unusually quiet, the 
inquiry having been almost wholly from local buyers.... 
Hay has been dearer and in fair request..... Hops have 
been inactive, hut steady... .Tobacco has been dull at 
former quotations_Clover Seed has been freely pur¬ 
chased, mostly for export, at generally buoyant prices, 
closing, however, quite tamely.Wool has been more 
sought after, toward the close, with prices quoted strong¬ 
er.... Cotton has been active, excited, and higher, but 
closes weak and rather dull. 
The following condensed, comprehensive tables, care¬ 
fully prepared specially for the American Agriculturist, 
show at a glance the transactions for the month ending 
Dec. 16,1811, and for the corresponding month last year. 
1. TRANSACTION'S AT THE NEW YORK MARKETS. 
Receipts. Flour. Wheat. Corn. Rye. Bariev. Oats. 
24 (l’s tins m’til.321,000 2,973,000 2,344,000 298,000 933,000 1,783,000 
27 d’s lust m’tli.437,000 4,646,000 1,207,000 217,000 1,135,000 1,719,000 
Sai.es. Flour. Wheat. Corn. Rye. Barley. Oats. 
24 (Vs this m’th.257,000 2,204,000 2,673,000 196,000 1,045,000 1,809,000 
27 d’s last m’ th.301,000 4,116,000 2,781,000 77,000 981,000 1,605,000 
3. Comparison with same period at this time last year. 
Receipts. Flour. Wheat. Corn. Rye. Barley. Oats. 
24 days 1871.. .321,000 2,973,000 2,344,000 298,000 933,000 1,783,000 
26 days 1S70.. .535,000 3,184,000 1,540,000 76,000 1,212,0001,936,000 
Sales. Flour. Wheat. Corn. Rye. Barley. Oats. 
24 d’s 1871...257,000 2,204,000 2,673,000 156,000 1,045,000 1,809,000 
26 d’s 1870 1 ,..547,000 3,451,000 4,116,000 67,000 456,000 1,743,000 
3. Exports from New York, Jan. 1 to Bee. 15. 
Flour. Wheat. Corn. Rye. Barley. Oats. 
1871..1,601,110 21,729,721 12,056,059 501,782 98,745 44,445 
1870 .1,885,876 17,773,810 417,328 92,431 27,786 
1869 .1,512,020 17,903.887 1,619,970 142,542 48,538 
1868... 842,393 4,809,527 5,645,795 153,093 61,598 149,479 
4. Stock of grain in store at New York. 
Wheat, Corn, Rye, Barley, Oats, Mall, 
1871. bush. bush. bush. bush. bush. bush. 
Dec. 11.4,167,884 1,391,034 536,908 --3,015,107 103,882 
1870. 
Dec. 15.3,060,762 208,319 143,069 500,397 2,0S5,137 231,129 
5. Receipts at head of tide-water at Albany'each sea¬ 
son to Dec. 1 st : 
Flour. Wheat. Corn. Rye. Barley. Oats. 
bbls. hush. bush. bush. bush. hush 
1871 .290,700 21,313,400 20,042,300 1,107,900 3,839,400 6,639,400 
1870 .430,400 17,124,700 4,805,100 587,500 3,9S4,700 6,167,500 
Current Wholesale Prices. 
Nov. 17. Dee. 16. 
80 @ 
79 @ 
53%® 
54 "@ 
90 @ 
87 %@ 
10 @ 
GO @ _ 
18%@ 19% 
20 @ 
35 @ 
70 @ 
11 %@ 
Price of Gold .. 
Flour—S uper to Extra State if! 
Super to Extra Southern_ 
Extra Western. 
Extra Genesee... 
Superfine Western. 
Rye Floor . 
Corn-Meal. 
Wheat—A ll kinds ot White. 
All kinds of Reel and Amber. 
Corn—Y ellow.. 
Mixed... 
Oats— Western .. 
State . 
Rye . 
Barley... . 
1-Iay—B ale ?> 100 lbs. 
Straw, 18 100 lbs... 
Cotton—M iddlings, ift n>_ 
Hops—C rop ,01 1870. afl Tb. 
Crop of 1871.. 
Feathers-—L ive Geese, 10 lb. 
Seed—C lover, 10 lb . 
Timothy, 18 bushel. 3 00 ® 3 25 
Flax, 18 bushel. 190 @195 
Sugar—B rown, 18 lb . 
Molasses. Cuba. lOgal. . . 
Coffee—R io (Gold, in bond). 
Tobacco, Kentucky, &c.,f)lb. 
Seed Leaf, ^ lb . 
Wool—D omestic Fleece,18 lb. 
Domestic, pulled, 18 1 b. 
California, unwashed. 
Tallow, 18 lb . 
Oil-Cake— ft ton... 
Pork—M ess, 18 barrel. 
Prime, 18 barrel _ 
Beef—P lain mess. 
Lard, in tres. & barrels, 13 lb. 
Butter—S tate, 18 lb. 
Western, ?! lb. 
Cheese . 
Beans—?! bushel.. 
Peas—C anada, free, 18 bn_ 
Eggs—F resh. ?! dozen _ . 
Poultry— Fowls. 
Turkeys, 18 lb. „ 
Geese,?! pair. 150 @3 00 
Ducks, ?! pail-. 62 @ 1 00 
Venison—# tb. 12 
109% 
70 
@ 
7 
40 
$5 
75 
@ 
7 
40 
7 
00 
@10 
25 
6 
10 
@10 
25 
6 
45 
@10 
50 
6 
50 
@10 
50 
7 
45 
@ 
9 
00 
7 
50 
@ 
9 
00 
5 
70 
@ 
G 
30 
5 
75 
@ 
6 
25 
4 
20 
@ 
5 
15 
4 
20 
@ 
5 
30 
3 
60 
@ 
4 
45 
3 
55 
@ 
4 
25 
1 
65 
@ 
1 
76 
1 
62 
@ 
1 
77 
1 
52 
@ 
1 
67 
1 
48 
© 
1 
67 
82% 
79 
@ 81 ' 
81 
77 
@ 79 
56 
55 
@ 58 
55 
55%@ 57% 
95 
90 
@ 97 
1 13 
80 
@ 1 25 
1 60 
1 25 
@ 1 SO - 
1 10 
75- 
© 1 SO 
30 
62 
80 
12 % 
19%@ 
20 ' 
35 
70 
11 
3 25 
1 90 
20% 
30 
62 
7S 
12 
3 50 
1 92% 
8 
@ 
10% 
8%@ 
10% 
20 
@ 
37 
18 
@ 
35 
13%@ 
1531 
14%@ 
17 
7 
H® 
14 
7%@ 
14 
14 
® 
65 
14 
@ 
65 
50 
@ 
68 
48 
@ 
70 
37 
@ 
63 
41 
@ 
64 
30 
@ 
42 
30 
@ 
42 
9%@ 
10 
8%@ 
9% 
39 
00 
@41 
00 
40 
00 
@42 50 
13 
20 
@13 
25 
13 
50 
@13 75 
9 
50 
@10 
00 
9 
75 
@k 
) 25 
7 
00 
@11 
00 
7 
50 
@10 50 
9%@ 
10% 
9 
@ 
9% 
20 
@ 
40 
IS 
@ 
35 
11 
@ 
25 
10 
© 
25 
s%© 
14% 
8%@ 
13% 
1 
70 
@ 3 
50 
1 
10 
@ 3 25 
1 
20 
® 1 
25 
1 
20 
@ 1 
l 25 
25%@ 
28 
34 
@ 
38 
12 
@ 
17 
12 
@ 
15 
12 
@ 
19 
14 
@ 
20 
Potatoes, ?! bbl. 
Sweet Potatoes, ?! bbl. 
Cabbages—?! 100. 
Broom-corn—?! lb. 
Apples— 18 barrel.. 
Pears—?! barrel. 
Grapes—?! pound. 
Cranberries—?! barrel. 
Buckwheat Flour—?! lOOlbs. 
„ ^ 18 
1 25 @ 2 50 
1 75 
3 00 
6 
_ 2 75 
@ 7 00 
- @ 13 
1 50 @4 50 
5 00 @15 00 
3 @ 7 
@10 25 
1 50 
60 @ 
12 @ 
1 50 © 
2 00 @ 
4 50 @ 
G <a 
2 00 
2 75 
1 00 
19 
2 25 
4 25 
7 00 
12 
5 00 
Nominal 
2 @ 5 
5 00 @10 00 
3 40 ® 8 80 
3 00 @3 50 
lYew York ff.ivc-Stock Markets 
week ending Beeves. Cows. Calves. Sheep. Swine. Tot'l. 
ovember 20tli.8,750 85 1,508 
ovember 27th.9,577 98 1,414 
ecember 4th_...4,467 103 1,073 
ecember lltli.8,666 105 1,450 
'otal in 4 Weeks... .31,460 391 5,445 
o.for »rev. 4 Weeks 31,381 435 7.536 
29,567 49,739 89,619 
20,705 49,676 81,470 
20,991 46,858 73,495 
26,256 41.997 78,474 
97,522 188,270 323,088 
1riv; 1 rft qko turn 
Beeves. Cows. Calves. Sheep. Swine. 
Average per Week .7,865 98 1,361 24,380 47,068 
do. do. last Month.... 7,815 121 1,834 31.141 41.147 
do. do. pren’s Month....8,882 116 2,643 31,645 33,899 
Average per Week, 1870 . 6,817 97 2,240 28,151 17,108 
Ileef Cattle.—So far as the supply goes, there is 
little difference between the past month and that preced¬ 
ing it, hut as the holidays approach wc are getting a 
better and (heavier class of cattle, thus swelling the 
amount of beef. Severe cold weather and snows at the 
far West have led to shipping cattle East which were in¬ 
tended for wintering upon the plains. The number of 
Texan cattle which have perished from exposure and 
lack of food must convince feeders that hay should be 
put up and shelter provided for stock during the severest 
part of the winter. The markets here have been unsatis¬ 
factory to drovers, and do not give much promise for the 
future. The very low ruling of pork has much to do in 
the way of lessening the value of beef. Then, again, 
poultry is very plenty and cheap, and buffalo meat is be¬ 
ginning to arrive from Kansas. Chicago dressed beef is 
also coming forward, and sells at 6%c. © 7%c. $ B>. foi 
sides. Some of the Texan cattle now coming forward, 
are very good, and sell at 10c. ft. A few extra holiday 
cattle are selling at 13%c. @. 14c. 
Below we give the range of prices, average price, and 
figures at which large lots were sold: 
Nov. 20th, ranged (%@13c. Large sales 10@U%c. Av. 10% 
Kov. Jith, do. 6 @12%c. do. do. 9@l0%c. do. 9% 
Dec. 4tli, do. 7%@12%c. do. do. 10@ll c. dp. 10% 
Dec. lltli, do. 8 @13 c. do. do. 9@12 c. do. 10% 
Mllcli Cows.—After the first filling up of the milk 
producers—establishing themselves upon a winter foot¬ 
ing—fewer cows are required, and trade is usually dull. 
At least, such has been the case for the month just ended. 
The high price of hay operates against the sale of poor 
cows, milkmen wanting only good ones. They vary from 
$45 to $55 each for poor, $05 to $75 for medium to good, 
with a few choice at $80 to $90.Calves.—Cold 
weather, when the demand runs upon pork, is not a good 
season for the sale of calves, and prices have declined 
about y 2 c. I|3 ft. Good to prime milk-fed calves are 
worth flc. @ 10%c. 19 lb.; common to fair sell at 7c. © 
8!4c.; mixed lots, half grassers and half.milk-fed, of large 
size. 3c. © Sc.; and common grassers at $5 © $8 per 
head. Hog-dressed are worth 11c. @ 13!4c. for milk-fed, 
and 5c. @8%c. for grassers.Slieep aiul Lambs. 
—There are not many lambs selling by themselves. The 
few coming forward arc generally weighed with, and 
slightly increase the price of the sheep. There is quite 
a falling off in receipts, the arrivals being much less than 
they were at this time last year. Farmers incline to in- 
crease’ their flocks, in view of the better prices obtained 
for wool. Some extra fat lots of 130 © 160 ft. sheep are 
now arriving for the holidays, and sell at 8c. © 8%c. 
ft., live weight. There is a good demand for sheep, 
and prices are rather improved. Poor to medium sheep 
are selling at 5%c. © 5%c. ft.; fair to good at 6c. @ 
6%c.; and prime to best selections at 7c. © 8c. Lambs 
range from 6%c. © Sc. ^ lb., a few choice reaching 8*4c. 
.Swine.—These have been coming forward even 
more freely than they did the previous month. Su-ch sup¬ 
plies were never seen before. There has been little 
change in prices. Dressed are now arriving both from 
Chicago and Cincinnati. Live are worth 4%c. @5%c. ; 
city-dressed Western 5%c. © 6%c.; State and Jersey, 6c. 
7%c.; Western dressed, 5%c. © 6c. 
containing a great variety of Items , including many 
good Hints and Suggestions which we throw into smaller 
type and condensed. form, for want of space elsewhere. 
Remit ting- Money s — Checks on 
New York City Banks or Bankers are best 
for large sums ; make payable to the order of Orange 
Judd Sc Co. —Post-Office Money Orders, 
for $50 or less, are cheap and safe also. When ihese are not 
obtainable, register letters, affixing stamps for post¬ 
age and registry; put in the money and seal the letter in 
the presence of the postmaster, and take his receipt fat' it. 
Money sent in the above three methods is safe against loss. 
Postage : On American Agriculturist, 3 cents 
a quarter, in advance ; on Hearth and Home, 5 cents per 
quarter. Double rates if not paid in advance at the 
office where the papers are received. For subscribers in 
British America, the postage must he sent to this office 
fob prepayment here. 
Round Copies of Volume Thirty 
arc now ready. Price, $2, at our office; or $2.50 
each, if sent by mail. Any of the last fifteen volumes 
(16 to 30) will also be forwarded at same price. Sets of 
numbers sent, to our office will he neatly bound in our 
regular style, at 75 cents per vol. (50 cents extra, if return¬ 
ed by mail.) Missing numbers supplied at 12 cents each. 
