The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1871-05-20 00:00:00

OUR FOOD PROSPECTS.

Mr. H. J. Turner, Land Agent, of Richmond, Yorkshire, has
sent the following to The Ttmex, for publication :

_
Business engagements during the last four or five
weeks have given me an opportunity of viewing much
land in the Miftland and Northern counties, and it
possibly may interest some of your readers to learn the
Impression this irspectioe has made on my mind re-
specting the promise in our agricultural crops.
The severe frosts of winter and early spring corn-
pletely checked all premature growth in autummeown
wheat, and although March brought plenty of duet,
and April fins spring weather during the day time,
the nights were generally cold and not unfrequently
fr. sty. With such weather the progress of the wheat
plant has been slow everywhere, and in many districts
not a few fields of wheat have Lad to be ploughed down.
We are now at a critical time it rr the wheat crop. If
the weather proves favourable I think the somewhat
late condition of the plant favourable, rather than
otherwise, as we may reasonably expect more vigorous
growth thannsual when the retarded plant fairly begins
to shoot forth; but if we have severe frosty nights fre-
quently now they cannot fail,seriously to keep back, if
they do not greatly injure, the crop. Last Wednesday
tdgfit•tho thermometer here was down to 29 degrees,
and there was plenty of black ice to be seen on Thurs-
day morning. The dry weather in March had made
all early plouglud land in good condition for spring
sowing, and I think I never remember a finer seed
time, or the land when sown showing a better finish.
Clover and other annual grass seeds looked small
and poor for a long time, but they have wonderfully
recovered, and I have been over many fields, both on
good and on moderate land, giving rich living to Ca',
and lambs for severs.l weeks past, even in the
northern counties. The planting of the general crop
of potatoes in the fields has been finished. Some-
times the land when ploughed up for the rows was
often sour and cold, and I do not expect with thobe
frosty nights that potatoes will come up EOM. A good
deal of land in the northern counties has already
!men sown with swedes, and the seed has thus been
got in at a goad time, and with the lame' in a pron.ining
state. All kinds of spring corn have come up fairly,
but it ill too soon to judge of the prospects of those
crops. Old grass land of good quality is, in every
district where I have been, in its richest dress. The
colour is beautiful, and from the let of May on much
and there has been a full bite.

Beef and mutton are commanding high prices, and I
see no prospect of a reduction in tho e prices. I am
now and have long been of opinion that the only
charce of butcher's meat being permanently lowered
in value is that some mode may be discovered of
curing without spoiliog the quality of mutton in
Australis.

Wheat no !Alf( in price, and I think there is every
probability of its remaining so until harvest. Potatoes
are also high in price... .

Thus every kid of human food is dear, but winter
is over ; trade generally isII 'wishing ; wagea are good;
and we may reasonably hope for a season of moderate
prosperity.