The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1872-11-30 00:00:00

THE CROPS OF 1871

In connection with this subject, which is one of increasing
anxiety now that the winter is so near, Mr. dames Card, a
well-known authority, has sent the following letter to The
Times for publication :
It is impossible to view without apprehension the
food prospects of the country as resulting from
last harvest and the incessant rains which for so
ninny weeks have rendered the heavy wheat lands
most unfavourable for the reception of seed.
Not only has great loss been sustained in the
Northern counties and Scotland by damage to the
oorn crops during a wet, protracted, and expensive
harvest, but it has been found, both North and
South, impossible to prepare and now the richer and
heavier class of soils, the true wheat lands of the
country, in the satisfactory condition necessary to in-
sure a crop. The season ise.now so far advanced that
with a change to fine weather there is not time to make
up all the lost way. But should the wet weather con-
tinue I fear we shall find the harvest of 1873 as un-
productive as that of 1853, which was the worst we
have had since the repeal of the Corn Laws, and was
the consequence of the wet autumn and winter of 1852.
The loss of property sustained by the farmers in the
North, in deficient and damaged corn crops, is very
considerable, but in its influence on the supply of
bread to the country we must be careful not to over-
estir. ate it. The entire wheat crop of Scotland does
not afford quite one week's consumption of the United
Kingdom, and if even the half of that crop had been
lost it could but slightly affect either the price or the
supply. We may, therefore, dismiss that element as
of any very serious moment in considering the food pros-
pects of the country in the coining winter and spring.
Ever since the year of the Potato Famine in 1846
the most experienced growers of that root have observed
a certain delicacy about the plant in certain eircum.
stances of weather, which led them to fear that should
at any time these adverse electrical conditions of at-
mosphere and ram appear in excess the crop would be
liable to failure. This showed itself in 1861 and 1862,
when the crop was especially defective, and in 1871,
when it was probably 30 per cent, below an average
crop. But these adverse conditions' have culmi-
nated in the weather of the summer of 1872, which
has proved more unfavourable to the potato crop
in England and Scotland than anything we have
experienced since 1846, 1847, and 1848. Bad, how-
ever, as the matter is, it is not as a national loss to be
compared with the almost total destruction of the crop
in those years. On rich and low lying soils in almost
every part of this country the crop this year may be
pronounced most as defective, probably to the extent
of 75 per cent., or more, while on dry soils in open
situations the yield, though not great, is comparativel-
sound and good. It would be rail to offer any ,
mate claiming more than fair conjecture in a matter
so uncertain, but I have little doubt that the potato
crop of Great Britain will be one million and a half
tons deficient. How this is likely to be made good I
will have occasion presently to explain.
The failure of the potato is at all times a very
serious question in Ireland. Twice the breadth ef
land in that c•untry is yearly under potatoes as com-
pared with this. We grow between five and six hun-
dred thousand acres; they plant a million. When
the crop is abundant the surplus is Reid or given to
live stock. When there is scarcity the favourite
food is used with that parsimonious economy which
is characteristic of the small Irish farmer, and his
defective crop is made to suffice. In the three
years-1857. 1858. and 1859—the Irish potato crop
yielded 12,731,000 tons. In the three following
years, 1860, 1861, and 1862, 6,748,000 tons, or little
more than one-half of each of the three preceding
years. There was much poverty and .pinching, but
no famine caused by three successive years of half
crops. The condition of the Irish small farmer and
labourer is immensely improved since 1862, sad his
power of withstanding an adverse season has been
ilrCtened in the same proportion. To what extent
ely to be called to suffer in the coming season?
We shall haw with considerable certainty, no doubt,
so soon as the official inquiries are completed. My
own information, from excellent sources, is that about
" half a crap of potato's; will be saved." If that

comparatively
esti-