The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1873-09-02 00:00:00

FARMERS PROSPECTS FOR 1873-4.

At this precise season it I. very important that not
only farmer,, but all orders of the Rritteh public,
should aseertain as nearly as poroih:o their food pros-
pects for the emoting year. The harvest of the Unit-'l
Kingdom hes a far more momentous oonecquence to
Ibis country than Is generally Rupp:teed. It influences
Irreatly the monetary, the amareereial, the uranuf.otur-
leg interest., and almcet la like proportion with the
agraultural produc-re. I need only inetano • the erect
depression In our trade from a bad hareem% and the
export of the precious metals to supply our deficiencies.
We have in these daya to look st 111. subj.-at or quo.-
lion from many ellffaieg standpoints. Take the popula-
tion 011 k. United Kinedoto ; it has more than doubled
Wolf daring the past 60 years, and the annual increase
exceeds • quarter of • tolllicre. All to this the deter-
mination of every oboe to live somewhat lo advsnoe of
former times—the labouring claims more especially—
they are continually demanding • higher rate of wages,
and whether It la liked or not, it mum be amorded to
thgm. This, of inures, will manse no looreasei demand
for the mammon necesearies of 11(e, and of many more
domeetiat oomforts, ail tending to require enhanoed
supplies. Take, again, thee' food supplies. If your
readers will but examine the statistical return. relative
to them, they will coon be convinced that they ars by
an means °commensurate with the Marren:to( our pope-
halloo and their enlarged and increasing requirements.
The agricultural return, taken collectively tor the past
all or eight year. show no Imeresse in oar stock of food-
providing animal., Lot rather • falling off. Our ha-
Porte of the like animals taken also collectively have
Wormed, but in • very small ratio. Our dead meal
Imports, and our imports of ohm**, batter, eggs,
poultry, have been rather more satiafectory, but do
not keep pme with the lucre.., of oar popoladon.
New, leaving our animal food or meat supplies, take
thom of bread-stuffs, which can be sent to no from all
parts of the world. it t. pretty certain that the world's
stook, of grain are at a Minimum, and all countries are
in expectation of • higher range of prices. An Austra-
lian paper received to-dsy quote. wheat at Adelaide at
Be per bushel ; Californian wheat is still higher. The
European countries all report a doubtful produce, and
France, our chief competitor for imports, has a discrtledly
" diaappointine harvest." Again: take our home sup-
plies—our stocks of old wheat were probably never so
low. There la but very little grain in stack or granary.
The present harvest sannot be an average one. The
statistical return. will soon disclose • lees breadth as
Soling under this crop, and the yield of wheat cannot
be an avenge one. Other grain may spproach ea
average, and the barley crop le likely to exceed It, and
the breadth sown Is 'weer, and may thus aid the pro-
duction of pork. Potato.' do not much exceed two.
third, of the breadths planted last year, and although
denoting leo diaseas, at the pretreat the crop prodace
cannot be a large one. The Mild mope for wintering
farm stook are eatisfaMory, and will help our supplies
of meat, but that very instance of good food crops has
eaused • higher range of prices; for store 'teeth, iambs
aad 'meg eatt/e were never dearer. Front all Ills
ootabinatien of tames I am conadently led to beams
that • lengthened period of high priers awaits us, mere
sort ale ly for our &shard food-our "bstohers' MOO," and,
emeomise Si we may, the requisite supplies will mateely
be fortheoraing. It may appear perfectly ridicaleue to
urge • suspension for some time of the slaughtering of
calves and lambs, but notwithstanding the privations
thus to be experienced by the oonminion of veal and
lamb, it would prove • wonderful and luting advantage
to the United %Madan. —O. P.