The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1872-06-22 00:00:00

THE HARVEST.

Some idea of the prospects of the harvest In this country
is given by Mr. J. J. Mechi, who writes that on closely ex-
amining tile crops on Saturday he comes to the conclusiou
that, although in many cases the nag of wheat has been
frostnipped and withered (thus preventing rankness, and,
perhaps, somewhat lessening the size of the ear), the stems
are healthy, firmly erect, and strongly-rooted, and there is
no sign of the once much-dreaded rout-rutting or stem
falling. Ile adds:—

" Late night frosts have delayed growth, so that
harvest will probably be a week later than was anti-
cipated. I expect that it will commence in Essex
about the 25th of July, and become more general the
beginning of August. We hope to begin here (Tiptree
by Kelvedon) on the let of August. Wheat on light and
friable, and on drained and well-farmed clays, will pro-
bably, if this tine weather continues, reach an average;
but not on poorly -f armed or un d rained days. Barleys are
critical, but will, I think, greatly iinpro ve. Oats are a full
plant, and very healthy. Beans and pews promise
abundantly. Clovers and winter tares luxuriant.
Young clovers a full pint, and healthy. Grasses a
full crop. Early potatoes frost nipped and weak, but
improving. Mangel late—weeds, in too many instances,
superabundant. There is a striking contrast this
season between well and ill farmed lands. The
following results are probable :—Favourable: Per-
manent pasture, 22,500,000 acres ; clover and
other grasses under rotation, 6,236 acres; oats,
4,360.000 acres; beans, 550.000 acres ; peas. 391,000
acres—United Kingdom, 34,037,000 acres. Unfavour-
able: Wheat. 3,631,000 acres; barley, 2,616,000 acres
—.Celled Kingdom, 6,447,000 acres. Uncertain, too
early to judge.—Potatoes, 1,693,000 acres • tsrnips
and swedes 2,500,000 acres ; inangold, 593,000 acres ;
carrots, 25,000 acres; cabbages kohlrabi, and rape,
222,000 acres—Uiiited Kingdom, 4,833,000 acres.
Vetches, lucerne, and any other green crop except
clover or grass, 436,000 acres."

An American paper of the ath inst. says :
" The reports from the agricultural districts are in
the main reassuring, notwithstanding the leases in-
curred in particular districts by droughts and in others
by an overpleutifid fall of rain. ('retain districts
have suffered severely from the ravages of insects and
shouglit. In Missouri the loss has been especially
heavy, the ravages of the &Lich bug and the over-
plenteous fall of rain having contributed to the almost
complete destruction of the wheat crop. Even here
Nature has interposed to soften the severity of the
blow by increasing the value of the grass and fruit
crops, which were reivarkably prosperous. Texas and
Georgia have been specially favoured, and all reports
speak of full granaries and pleasant prospects for the
lancers. The cotton in some States has suffered
almost a.s much as the corn, end will no doubt be short
in quantity and poor in quality."

The 1 inancier says that advices from most of the
wheat-growing departments of France, received on
Wednesday morning, speak with considerable om-
titlence of the probability of an abundant harvest, now
that bad weather has been followed by a warm and
stimulating atmosphere.