The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1884-08-23 00:00:00

THE HARVEST.

In various parts of the country, especially in the
home, the western, and eastern counties, harvest
operations have been vigorously carried on during the
past week. In Berkshire the beautiful harvest
weather of the last fortnight or so, unknown to
England for twenty years past, has worked a wonder-
ful improvement in the cereal crops, which promise
to be the best for many years past. No finer crop of
wheat has probably been gathered since 1874. Others
speak of the wheat as a full average or more.
Barley is also a good average crop in most districts,
and with a continuance of the present fine weather
will be harvested in excellent condition and of a
bright colour. Oats, which were very backward at
the beginning of the season, will generally be under an
average, in spite of the wonderful improvement of the
past few weeks. Beans and peas have suffered much
from blight, and will ho below an average, especially in
the case of the spring-sown varieties. The root crops
look promising, but they need moisture, and
hoeing is backward. The rains of July came just in
time to save many of the early-sown fields, and there
are still complaints that mangold wurtzels are
deficient in plant and irregular, while swedes in soma
-
cases are showing signs of "clubbing." The earlier
cuttings of hay, though light, have seldom been
secured in finer condition than during the present
season, Those taken later were not so good in.
quality, owing to the wet weather, and some loss has
been caused by the over-heating of stacks too hastily
put together.
The wheat harvest in Cambridgeshire is about over
on the high lands, and where the corn has been
thrashed the yield is not satisfactory, being less by
one-eighth than what had been computed.
In Northamptonshire the harvest is being rapidly
proceeded with, and, if fine weather continues, a fort-
night will see the corn in. Farmers at the market in
the county town on Saturday reported a wheat
average exceeding that of recent years, but oats and
beans are not so good a yield. New wheat was shown
in all the district markets last week, and the samples
were very fine. Prices, however, were not such as to
induce farmers to thrash early. New red wheat has
fetched 355. to 405., white 395. to 435.
The 1884 harvest will, undoubtedly, so far as Wilts,
Hants, and Dorset are concerned, be one of the most
remunerative since 1854. The work of securing the
yield now is general, and it is evident that thrashing
can be commenced as soon as the reaper has concluded
his work. Several samples of wheat which have
already been thrashed for the market exhibit a quality
and yield far in advance of late years, whilst the
straw will be worth £1 a ton more for feeding pur-
poses. The weight of the corn is exceptionally good,
and will be worth is. to 2s. more to the millers. In
some portions of the district hands are kept on day
and night securing the grain. Especially is this so in
the neighbourhood of Warminster, where the pros-
pects are of a peculiarly favourable character. The
traders in the towns of the three counties are anti-
cipating increased business as the result of the
harvest.
The hot weather has done wonders for the corn
harvest in Worcestershire, which is now rapidly pro-
ceeding. The heavy rains last month laid some of
the weak corn, and mildew had set in, but the wel-
come sunshine has pretty well cured it. Wheat ricks
are beginning to rise in the stackyards. The wheat
crop will be an average one, and barley is generally of
good quality. Beans are the worst crop we have had
for some years. Rots rather late, and swedes had to
be sown two or three times. These and also man-
golds, however, are now growing fast. Potatoes a
capital crop, and only showing disease here and there.
Fruit partial; apples a good crop, pears none, and
plums half a crop. Hops have much improved in the
last fortnight.
There was considerable interest centred in the
supply of new wheat at the Doncaster market on
Saturday. Although the attendance was moderate,
farmers generally being employed harvesting, there
was a fair quantity of the new sample offering. The
condition was capital, almost without exception, and
it may be added that the reports as to the yield
were at least encouraging. One parcel of fine yellow
wheat showed a yield of six qrs. to the acre, or a total
quantity of 150 bushels thrashed out; but then
instances could be given from the light thin lands
which would seriously discount examples such as
this. As a rule, however, there is reason to expect
excellent reports as to yield.