The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1877-08-28 00:00:00

AGRICULTURAL REPORT FOR
HAMPSHIRE.

Having, in previous report. during the growth of
the @heat plant, referred to i s unpromising aopear-
ance consequent upon unfavourable weather for the
crop, the harvest in this county is now sufficiently
advanewl to be wtiniated in it.. reaultA, and although
we were prepared to expect a yield of wheat below the
average, yet we were not prepared to say that the
deficiency would he so great as has been now revealed
by the test of the threshing machine. We, therefore,
consider it one of the met deficient crops since the
wemorable harvest and failure of the wheat crop in
185:1; in fact, this season, from iced time to the
harvest, has been ahnost an exact repetition of that
year in its effect upon the grain crops. Wheat on the
hill farms is much superior to that on the mixed soils
of the vale farms. The samples of wheat which have
appeared at market are variable, but none of heavy
weight
The crops of Lent corn, both barley and oats, are
fine, the former being nearly an average, the latter a
full average, if not a little wer. Thew crops made
extraordinary progress after the tine rains in the early
part of July, but it has been generally remarked that
where Lent corn has been sown this year after neits
fed off by sheep, that the crops are irregular, and
instead of being henefitted are much injured by the
treading of sheep in the winter and spring. It is not
to be expected that the barley crop, under these
circumstancee, will generally turn out a sample fit for
malting purposes, it being also, in many instances,
dark in colour.
Winter beans are a fine crop, perhaps never better,
but the s ring beans are irregular and variable, some
pieces being good, others blighted. Still, taking both
varieties together they are rather over the average.
Hoot cropa are promising but backward. Mangel is
become an important farm produce, and more is grown
this year than previously. The plant, however, is far
from regular, but growing well. Swedish turnips are
a greater failure than for some years past, owing to the
destruction ban y fly, but y deficiency will be made up
by the common turnips, Which have been substituted,
and the very large breath sown throughout the county
are growing rapidly, and promise an abundant crop.
Peas are an average, although the early sorts were
attacked by the green "aphis.' The later sorta have
wowed the attack in most instances, and will prove a
good crop. This is considered one of the most pre-
carious crops which we grow in this county. The
haubn is however valuable fodder, when well
harvested, particularly now straw awl hay is selling so
welL
Seed vetches are repwted as yielding badly in many
Instances, trifolium, however, yields well, and a con-
siderable breadth is said to have been reserved for
wed.
The crop of field hay, although in many instances
the plant of seeds was deficient, will prove a g•ooil
average bulk stacked in first rate condition, The
meadows and dry pastures have produced the bed
crop grown since the year IStat, and has been secured
In fine condition as a whole, and, being of the best
quality, will again bear a good price, as but little old
hay is left, and straw also must be vary scarce and
dear, owing to the short produce on the strong wheat
soils.
The clover seeds usually sown in the Lent corn are
this year a capital plant, and in some cases will inter-
fere with the harvest of the corn if the weather
should turn showery: if fine it will greatly improve
the straw fodder. Where a crop of clover hay has
been taken, the see aid cut clover promises well, and
the wed having been dear for the past two years, it
will probably induce parties to save seed instead of
taking a second hay crop. Green fooder for the cattle
and horses on the farm promises abundance, particu-
larly where vetches and oats were sown in June. Ws
have lately noticed splendid crops sown the last week
in June, which will prove excellent cattle food all
through September and October. Trifolium also, now
we have an extra late sort introduced, will be seeded
in autumn and spring, and afford a capital crop from
May to October, inclusive.
The parttime are everywhere full of grass; this,
together with the prospect of a full root crop, has had
the effect of raising the price of sheep, and although
the price during the month of July was considered
satisfactory to both buyer arid seller. yet the price has
risen during the past fortnight from :is to 4s per
head. Horned cattle have also sold well since the
rains in July.
Jossaus BLegurt.L, Land Agent, Southampton.
August 22nd.

IVITOWS NEW RICCA LITZ RCD MIFOLII.7II.—" All
who have engaged little or much in the culture o
trifolium inearnatum must be aware of one detracting
circumatenos connected therewith, namely, the rapidity
with which the crop loses its succulence after coming to
its hest Trifolium is excellent sheep food just when
coming into bloom, but the best of crop* cannot be
reckoned on to last more than from a week or ten days
are the flock gets tired of it, rejecting a large proportion
of the stalks which become sticky and hard, for which
reason the foram is also rejected by cattle and horses as
• soon as the crop goes off its prime. We have now early
sad late kinds of bilabial, je,t as we have of vetches,
Omni or potatoes Keens. Sutton and Sons of
ftus4lpg, have in short brought out a third variety. which
Wm term Sutton's new extra late red trifolium, •
aplendid cropper, and up the latter part of June was
producing at the Reeding Farm a most abundant crop of
nutritious green food. At that period we had an
ortunity of comparing it with the other kinds to
mlich we have Minded. BMh of these, namely, the early
sad ordinary late red had then quite lost their character
eg ...dulness as green food, bind were even dry and faded
Is the eye ; but the new extra late red only in its
prime with • degree of mucilage and f=ure, which
so late • period (midstunmeri made it truly valuable.
We know not to what extent Messrs Sutton Sans are
'Negated m anypty seed of the new variety, but they
ae &gibe haves good demand when it. merits become
baker knows."—lttom the "Chamber of Agriculture
/011,1144" Aug. IRA, ler.