The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1883-06-30 00:00:00

HARVEST PROSPECTS,

Under the aboVe heading the Daily News has an
article from which we make the following extracts :
In some districts, perhaps, farmers have int yet
had as much rain as they desired ; but a showery
period appears to have set in, so that every one will
probably have enough before settled weather comes
again, as we hope it will come, in time for the bloom-
ing of the wheat plant, now about to commence in the
early districts. Already a most beneficial change is
apparent, and farmers generally are in excellent
spirits. It is a pleasure to walk through the
cornfields just now. The autumn-sown wheat
is corning into ear on strong, healthy straw—too thin
in places, it is true, but as thick as need be in others.
Spring wheat is thick and a 3 promising as that
hazardous crop usually is. Barley and oats are
remarkably well planted and healthy almost every-
where: beans are full of vigour, though rather
short after so muoh dry weather ; and pea; as usual,
vary considerably, but are on the whole quite up to
average condition for the time of the year. All these
crops are late, though instead of being a month late, as
they were at the end of April, they are now about a
fortnight behind their usual stage of growth for the
last week of June. These remarks apply, as a rule,
to nearly all England and Wales, excepting the
northern counties, which, with the greater part of
Scotland. have a decidedly poorer prospect at the
present time, as they suffered more from the ungenial
weather that prevailed through a portion of the spring,
and was prolonged with them after a favourable change
had sat in further south.

Of the root crops it is too early to speak with any
confidence, and it is not easy to give in a few words
the gist of the various, and to some extent conflicting,
reports that have been published in relation to them.
Mangolds and Swedish turnips have generally planted
well, but have not grown very rapidly as a rule. In
some districts they are remarkably healthy, while in
others they have been attacked by insect enemies.
Everywhere, however, they have been greatly bene-
fited by the rain, which has come just in time, too, to
enable farmers to sow white turnips under favourable
conditions.

Hay nearly everywhere is a very light crop on the
pastures, clovers and cultivated grasses being fairly
good, though not up to their early promise. Hay-
making has been interrupted by the showers, but very
little damage is reported at present, and farmers were
too glad of the rain for their corn and root crops to
grumble about a little hindrance to haymaking.

Potatoes have seldom had a season better suited to
them, excepting early crops, which were cut by the
May frost. The land worked like an ash•heap when
the tubars were sown. The dry weather that followed
was well suited to keep the plants healthy, and the
recent rain had been just what was needed to increase
the yield. With fine weather as a rule up to the time
for raising the tubers, we should have a great crop of
potatoes, which will be of vast importance in Ireland
and Scotland.

The hop•gardens of Kent, Surrey, Sussex, • and
Hampshire present a remarkable contrast to their
appearanee last year. The vines, almost everywhere,
are strong and healthy in colour, while there are but
few complaints of "fly." In fact, present appearances
denote a better hop crop than we have had for many
years.
- -

From the fruit districts reports are variable except
that a great apple crop is to be expected. Pears are
fairly plentiful in some orchards, and thin on the trees
in others. Stone fruit is rather scarce. Bush fruits
are fairly plentiful, black currants being abundant.
After the rain strawberries should also be plentiful.
Early market-garden produce has been somewhat
scaree, the spring frosts and the drought having alike
been unfavourable to most of these vegetables.

On the whole, agricultural prospects are decidedly
cheering. Everything depends on the weather up to
harvest, and especially during the critical blooming
stage of the corn crops; but if we should be favoured
with ma abundance of sunshine and a few showers
occasionally, and should still further be blessed with a
dry harvest, the produce of our fields and gardens will
be far beyond the average of recent years,

The Magnet of Monday, in review of the British
corn traele during the past week, reports :---The re-
freshing rains which have visited all parts of the noun•
try have greatly benefitted the crops. Barley, which
was previously wanting moisture, looks better, but the
progress of the hay harvest has been checked. The
crops, regapded as a whole, are looking healthy, and
should fine warm weather succeed the rains, favourable
results may ba looked for.