The Express.
London, England, 1855-05-23 00:00:00

THE WHEAT CROP OF THIS YEAR.

SOME apprehensions hays recently been expressed
in various quarters regarding the prospects of the
wheat crop in the United Kingdom. We are indis-
posed in general to encourage premature surmises
and anticipations on such subjects, inspired u they
sometimes are, and still oftener are suspected of
being, by morbid tendencies or sordid schemes of
over-reaching profit. On the other hand, nothing
contributes more usefully to dispel one-sided, if not
sinister, impressions regarding contingent failure or
scarcity, than the frank and full recognition of
authentic facts as they arise, and the dispassionate
examination of their comparative value and impor-
t tacos from time to time.

Many large fields of wheat in certain districts of
the eastern side of the kingdom have, we are told, I
been ploughed up with a view to their being re-sown,
within the last fortnight. From this obvious and
undeniable fact, the somewhat hasty conclusion has
been arrived at that a large portion of our staple
crop is only now in course of planting, and that,
consequently, we must prepare for all the hazards of
a late harvest, and all the incidental risks of preva-
lent dependence upon an unusually vast importation
from abroad. The sober truth however seems to be,
in so far at least as our present means of information
enable us to judge, that the instances are upon the
whole very rare where the winter seed has perished.
In the light lands of West Norfolk, Essex, the East
Biding of Yorkshire, and Northumberland oases of the
sort are indeed to be found, chiefly where the fields are
dgreat extent. The last-mentioned circumstance ac-
counts in a great measure for the loss that has occurred;
for it is observable that wherever the wheat fields
were sufficiently sheltered to prevent the snow from
being swept from off their surface by the wind, the
frost does not appear to have penetrated deep enough
into the soil at the critical period of primary germi-
nation to destroy vegetable vitality. Thus some com-
pensation is afforded to the agriculturists of second
sad third rate means for the want of those advan-
tages which in more propitious seasons the larger
farming capitalists are wont to enjoy; and as the
cultivators of moderate sized fields compose the
great bulk of the farming class, it is this time at all
events a matter of congratulation to think that
the ancient hedge-rows and guards of pi-
lards whose up-rooting has of late tended
so much to spoil the general aspect of the corn-grow-
ing districts of England, have not been spared in
vain. Possibly we may yet learn by the time the
work of extirpation has been nearly completed. that
our unscientific ancestors were not wholly without
wisdom when they took such pains to plant out the
easterly wind that proves to be so withering a
scourge during the months of spring.
But even in the regions that lie most exposed to
*s east wind, we believe we are well warranted in
I saying that the wheat crop has escaped in general
my serious amount of injury. A week's rain
1 mead speedily change the still sterile aspect of
the soil into verdure full of promise and rich in
beauty. The crop is not deed, and awaits only
die sleekening inflames of those gentle showers
we used to look for is April. to bunt its temporary
tomb. No doubt it is matter of grave anxiety that
not only April, but the greater part of Sky, should
have passed without the genial visitation so long ex-
pected. A late honest is thus rendered inevitable ;
and it were folly to =weal from =selves the lia-
bility to which ws are thereby exposed of considerable
luctuations in the prim of bread =ring the next
four months. It is during =oh periods that we have
cause to be especially grateful for the =jesting and
corrective operatives of free trade. Perhaps the
mat signal and utterly unexpected illustration of the
expansive benefisence and elastic utility of the true
system of international exchange is at this
moment exhibited in the shipment of car-
goes of wheat and maize from Liverpool
to New Tack is order to supply certain of
the midland States of the Union with what they
stand in need of for their domestic consumption. The
total amount tins shipped may not be very great, but
it will probably be enough to exercise a sedative in-
fluence= certain trans-Atlantic markets, and to check
the worst and wildest of gambling speculations—
that in corn—on the supposition, real or feigned, of an
impending dearth. That we should witness the ex-
port of bread stuffs during May to America before our
own wheat crop can be said to have shown above
ground, without murmur at misgiving, is also
a great fact. It provea how thoroughly
into
the
popular faith: in freedom of trade has entered
the minds of our community; and how the
ghest-stories about getting all we can without
giving anything we mar possibly want in return,
bale c to be regarded by the millions whose
Woreboob spa sum were sufficient to buy
timi 11oand mos the quartern loaf being at 1
sON vat taik mow Tops trill nab Om to