The Express.
London, England, 1851-08-13 00:00:00

THE WEATHER AND THE CROPS.

The accounts from the prcninces respecting the'
present state of the various crops are, with the exception of
some gloomy rumours of a partial failure of that ill-condi-
tioned root the potato, most satisfactory. The hay harvest
is secure, and from nearly all quarters local report speaks
favoura'ily of the wheat, hurley, oat, bean, and ma crops.
—The Ipswich Express sacs: • Throughout Essex,, Suffolk
and Norfolk the scythe and sickle are now busily engaged
in cutting down the wheat crops. The late fine weather
brought them to perfection somewhat earlier than was ex-
pected, and up to last Saturday night a very large breadth
of wheat had been cut. Comparatively speaking, but little
of this fell before the edge of the sickle, the scythe being
now more generally used than ever. Our accounts agree
in stating that the wheat crops of these counties rather ex-
ceed the ordinary yield: at all events, it is certain there
will he a full average. We will subjoin an authentic state-
ment of the actual prosy sots of the crops fur the counties we
have n.smeil :—Essex : Wheat, average; barley, not ave-
nge : oats, had; green crops, good; potatoes, doubtful;
old stock wheat, under average. Suffolk : Wheat, over
average ; barley, not average ; oats, average ; green crops,
gust; potatoes, doubtful; old stock wheat, under average.
Norfolk: Wheat Full average; barley, not average; oats,
good ; green crops, various; potatoes, promising; old stock
wheat, under average. Since these returns were given
there have been several days of beautiful harvest weather,
which have been IL ry lkneticiAl to the green crops as well
as to corn."

The following are returns from some important localities:
Retina. Afro. I.—The weather through the past month
was variable, but thanks to a gracious Providence there has
not beam much damage done in this part of the country.
During the last few days it has bus u more dry and atttlea,
and the wheat is gc tting ripe at a rapid rate, and most of
the farmers in this neighbourhood will commence reaping
before the close of the week. The rutting of winter beans
and peas has been going oa for some days, and those farmers
who are advocates for cutting wheat green are employing
all hands they can. In some few cold backward farms in
this county there will be no wheat ripe before the middle
of August. The crop of wheat in respect to straw is by
no means a bulky oar. In most of the ears there is a
failure on one side, and in some places the deficiency is
very great; in most of the wheat in our neighbourhood
we believe that oue-fourth of the meshes have no grain
in them. We are still of opinion that the frost is the
cause of this failure, anal that the maggot is only the
effect. We have plea-ore in saying that there is very
little sign of blight or mildew, and the wheat ripens
very kindly; the grains in general are large and plump,
and nearly double the size they were last year, and are
like ly to yield an abundance of Hour. Wu calculate on
a fair average crop, but as the harvest will he a full week
later than usual, there will be some risk in harvesting the
grain in good condition. The barley crop is in general a
promising ot.e, but, like the wheat, it is not so bulky a
crop as it was last year, nor will it fill up nearly so much
room, but tic cars arc in general long and well filled, and
the grain is plump and likely to be of a far better qua-
lity than it was last year, anal the straw is in general
stiff and free from blight. Some of the barley will
soon be ready for the scythe, and a large part of it will be
fit to cut by the time the wheat is finished; but barley in-
tended to be made into malt should never be cut until it
is thoroughly ripe. We think that this crop is a fair
average one, and that the quality in general will be much
better than usual. The showers have improved the oats,
and although this grain will be late, the crop is jagged
well, anal is likely to be productive, some of the pieces of
Tartary oats will not be ripe before the coil of Septem-
ber. 'llie winter beans arc nearly everywhere most excel-
lent, and podded latter than usual, anal are of a supe-
rior quality. The spring beans and the peas are a fair
crop, anal the winter vetches ace podded well, and there
are more bushels to the acre than there have been for several
years. The crop of white clammed is a fair one, but,
owing to the unfavourable state of the weather, some of
it has been carried out of condition, anal the quality will
not in general be good. The sanfoin metal is cut.
and some of it is carried in good condition, anal
the fodder and quality of the seed are excellent,
but that which V. 1.1 cut early is much damaged
lay the wet. There arc but few pieces of good marigold
warted, anal most of the swedes are back ward and not likely
to be so good as they were last Year. The early planted
swedes and rape have been muell infest .d and retarded in
their growth by a small green mag,got, bred from a moth
that deposited its eggs on the underside of the leaf; so
numerous were these maggots in so;ne ?lam that they ate
up the crop, anal the land has been ploughed anal planted
with turnips. The crop of tuniips is likely to be a fair one,
but they are not so forward as they were last year, and a
great deal will depend upon the kind of weather that we
may have in the autumn. The second crop of clover is a
Raid anse.and sheep keep at present is ahunalant, and although
every other kind of stock is dull or tic and cheaper, and
every kind of grain is low in price anal difficult of dispmed,
the sheep trade continua. animated and the price is
as high as ever. There is a large breadth of potatoes planted,
and it is not until within these Sew days that we have
seen any symptoms of the blight, but on inspecting
some of the fields this morning, we observed many
of the rusty spots on the leaves that have on former
years preceded the rot in the tubers; we saw these spots
lasi year, and the greens died away and the potatoes
were mall, but the roots continued sound and were good
eating, and as many of the potatoes are already grown to a
large size we hope that not much damage will be sustained.
The apples grow very fast, and we think there will be au
average crop.—lielfs Weekly Messenger.
Br( KINUDEXISIIIIIE (WENDS/VW:The crops arc look-
ing remarkably well in this locality, anal the field, seem to
speak of plenty. Look which way you will, the wheat has
generally escaped the blight. In !UMW few eases reaping
has commenced, but we cannot say that it will be general
till Monday next. The last few days have wonderfully
altered the appearance of the grain, las that it may be said,
The fields are already white for harvest." The potato
blight has made its appearance in this neighbourhood, and
has spread for miles round; anal although bath the haulm
anal the bulb are affected, still there is reason to hope it will
not be so bad as in former years.
CANIRIDGESIIII4E. (MANTA.) Reaping has com-
menced here. One amateur has cut, thrashed, and dressed
his entire cropping, anal has ploughed his farm for seeding.
—(COTTENIINNI.)—Some few farmers have commenced cut-
ting their corn during the weak, and the greater part com-
mence on Monday next. The crops generally are a good
average, both as regard, quantity anal quality.—Cam6ridye
Chronicle.

Ct unettLaNn.—Subjoined arc paragraphs from the
Carlisle Journal: —The weather during the a eel: has been,
upon the whole, favourable to harvest operation.. Much of
the outstanding hay has been cleared off the ground in good
condition, and the grain crops are rapidly ripening. Turnips
and potatoes present a most healthy appearance. On Thurs-
day a considerable quantity of rain fell, and the atmosphere
was sultry and uppre.live.—Mr. J. Creighton, of Scotby,
has commenced cutting a v:ven-acre field of barley. A
sample of it has been sent to us, which appears to be well
grown and in tin, condition. Other farmers hi the vicinity
are beginning, we hear, to use the sickle. Mr. J. Forster,
of Longthwaitv, commenced to cut a Held of barley on Tues-
day morning last, It is of excellent quality, and fully ripe.
(Las: a Disttiter).—The weather of late has been remark-
ably fine for the crops. The hiy harvest is pretty nearly
brought to a termination. The grain crops are looking re-
markably well. The present fine weigher will hasten grain
forward very much. Potatoes are being taken up; and in
some places they are slightly tainted with disease. Turnips,
mangold-wurtrel, &e., look extremely well.
DEMIVSHIIIE (Nuarit).—The corn crops are approaching
maturity. Harvest must, however, he later this year titan
last by ten or twelve days.—DerOy Reporter

Dcvossit Inc —Sitvearox.—llarvest has now begun in
earnest. The autumn-sown wheat on good soils is a heavy crop,
on the clay soils it will cut out thin. The spring-sown wheat
is an inferior crop, thin and light in straw, in consequence
of the little opportunity the spring months afforded, from
continued rain, for putting it in good tilth. The corning
of the crop is more than commonly good. Some think there
is so much corn that is thin iu the straw, that the yield will
not be an average one ; others think that it will not fall
short of it. The barley certainly will not be a heavy crop,
but less than usual. Oats are the lightest crop that has
been grown for some years. The extreme dryness of May
and the early past of June account for this. Peas are
much blighted and very inferior. The winter beans are
a splendid crop, but the spring beans, like the pleas, were
covered with blight. and are worth but little. No
doubt can exist, that in soils which arc too dry
for the spring bean, the winter one will produce
good crops, as it gets strong before the dry weather of
summer can affect it, and the blossom falls off before the
aphis makes its stta k. The hay crop of both kinds is
a very rood one, and put away in the best condition. Few
seasons have occurred in which so much good hay has been
put away in such excedent order. The potatoes are very
promising, although there are some bad cases of the blight,
yet the main crop is at present quite free from it. The
apples begin to show themselves again. Some orchards are
loaded with fruit—some have little or none. This crop will
probably rather exceed the half of a full bearing. The
ground was so dry when the Swede turnips were sown that
there are few regular pieces to be found. The seed la•
come up at different times, but in the end the greater part
of the ground will be covered. Mangold is very good, and
the crop will be a heavy one.—ltel's Weekly Messenger.
—(D.swxtint).—The harvest is being proceeded with
rapidly, a great quantity has been cut, and the crops
in general are good, with the exception of late barley,
' which is low in some places. Should the line weather con-
tinue another fortnight the greatest part will be got in
in excellent condition.—(Exxuerit).—The harvest has
commenced in this neighbourhood in good earnest, people i
seeming anxious to take advantaec of the present fine
weather. Accounts speak favourably of the crops —Deroa-
Mire Chronicle.

DO RS ET. —During the early part of the month the weather
was d 7 and hot ; the grain crops made great progress towards
matunty; the bulk of the hay crop was secured in excellent con
dit ion ; the earlier turnips and man gold were greatly retarded
for want of rain; those later sown did not germinate at all until
since rain has fallen. A tremendous thunderstorm, accompa-
nied with hail, has occurred, doiugeonsiderable damage. Dur-
ing the last ten days a large quantity of rain has fallen, which
has been of immense benefit to the various root crops, which,
as well as the aftermath of gain loin, clover, ige., are now grow-
ing luxuriantly, the latter affording a capital bite for sheep.
Owing to the Lick of sunshine, and the low temperature that
imam Lady prevailed, the harvest will be a full week later than
what might, a month ago, have been calculated on ; hitherto
we believe no damage has been dune, and, should the weather
provegenial, reaping will COMIllt 11(%! gaierall) about the 12th
or 11th. The crop, there is every reason to expect, will he a
full average, both as regards quantity and quality. A con-
tinuance of wet will, however, have a very opporite effect,
and will no doubt materially influence prices. We have seen
torn in sheaf already, and have obserrci some fields in the

southern part of the county, which will be ready for the
hook about the 6th; but these are exceptions. Barley and
oats continue to promise well, although in some instances
laid by the heavy showers. A few early peas have been
harvested in fair condition; the later ones promise well.
Some farmers make it a point to grow a few acres of early
white peas, getting them off the lend in time for the latest
sown turnips.—Abridged front the liliertkutite Journal.
Essex.—The past week made a great change in the ap-
pearance of the wheat crop, and the brown end ripened
appearance of the car inviting the sickle, the harvest has
commenced generally in this vicinity, with the meet satis-
factory prospects as to the weather, and plenty of labsurers
at command. Peas in many districts are cut, and a few
fields are already cleared. On the whole the crops arc
spoken of as good ; in the Roothings they appear fine and
heavy, and though the wheats in some parts of the
county arc here arid there laid by the late heavy storms,
they do not appcarto have suffered to any great extent.—
remnant-Raoul' OF WITItAII, Aro. 12).—Our crops ere
approaching maturity ; some have already been
severed, and harvesting will become general during the
ensuing week, when the effects from the ungenial season
since the commencement of March, and the sudden and
more recent altenations of temperature during the put
month, will be evident, and it is to he feared injuries to a
far greater extent will appear than has hitherto been pre-
dicted, and that the present crop of wheat will fall in some
instances considerably below the average. Some of the
earliest wheats are dying kindly, and where not, root felled
I or blown by the recent storms a good sample may be ex-
pected, as blight and mildew, although partial, have not
appeared to that extent which last season reduced the
wheat. from three to five bushels per acre below the average,
and hail even a much greater effect upon the barley crop,
which is at present free; and those sown in Norember are
likely to succeed better than was anticipated, after the
deluge of ruin in March, which has seriously affected the
spring sown, and although the sample may be good a great
crop is not to he expected. Winter Beans and early sown
peas will exceed an average, but the later varieties are not
quite so productive. Oats, the going out of cultivation,
and the few gown, including winter varieties, are ex-
ceedingly partial. The weather during the week has been
unsettlail, accompanied by violent storms; this morning is
fine, with a light breeze from the north, and the barometer
is Mang, indicating a more settled atmosphere, which is
now all important and must desirable.—Essex
The Potato Crops.—The Ipswich Express says: "We
sincerely regret to state that in many places in the vicinity
of this town the potato crop is hopelessly destroyed. Upon
the allotments on the • Californian ' estate the ruin is
nearly complete. On the north and west sides of the town
the crops are rapidly decaying, the spread of the disease
being eeeecially remarkable during the past two or three
day.. At Melton and in the neighbourhood there is a great
failure; iudeeil, we understand that the atmosphere is
affected is affected by the decay which is going on. We
yesterday saw a great many specimens of the diseased
potatoes. In many caeca the roots were remarkably fine,
bet on being cut they showed the havoc that hail been
made, and was being male, by this mysterious scourge. In
this immediate neighbourhood the failure promises to be
greater than it was in 11446."
GLOUVEsTEIO4IIIItE.—The wheat crop in the district ex-
tending fifteen to twenty miles round Gloucester will be a
full average one in quantity • hut most of those fields, the
heaviest in straw, ore much laid by the late heavy rains,
and will suffer in the quality of the samples, if not much
in the yield, from this cause. Reaping has but just com-
menced. Barley is in general bulky in straw, and pro-
mises a good yield ; but owing to the heavy rains, a con-
siderable port is expected to prove of rather coarse quality.
Very little is yet fit for cutting. Oats are grown here to a
very limited extent; but this crop is expected to prove a
good one. Winter beans arc generally well spoken of, and
the spring ones are expected to prove an average crop.
Peas are generally good, where grown, for a field crop.
The Bristol G trete says'.—We have had another month
of changeable weather, and a range of temperature somewhat
lower than usual at this time of the year. The wheat plant
has made considerable progress, and reaping has commenced
in some of the forward situations, and will 0e pretty general
towards the latter end of next week, should the weather
prove favourable. The wheat crop has in many places been
much laid by recent heavy rain ; but it never looked better
than at present.—(Tzwaesairia.j—The wheat in general
promises a fair crop in quantity and quality, except where
laid by the heavy rains. Darby is also likely to prove a fair
crop, and on tile whole better than last year. Winter beans
are very good, and ready for cuttinc, and the spring ones
are a fair crop. Reaping has just commeneed.—(Cotex-
er.ereit.)—The wheat crop in this district is a fine one, and
promises well for a good yield. The early.sown barley is
very promising in most instances, but the late sown is very
thin. The oat crop is good. Some beans arc very good ;
others are, on the contrary, rather blighted. Peas promise
a favourable yield. Of potatoes there bionic little complaint,
but taken generally they are as good as could be wished.
Itameettfite.—Sol;TllAMPTON.—harvest iS being carried
on here with great activity. A great breadth of wheat has
already been stacked, and should the present fine weather
continue, nearly the whole in this part of the country will
have been housed in the course of ten days. The corn was
never known to ripen so fast. A great quantity of oats and
winter beans have also been cut; and barley ripens so fast
that the fanner,' will scarcely know which grain to attend
to first. Within the last week unmistakeable evidence of
the potato disease has manifested itself. In moot places
the haulm only is affected, and the growers arc taking the
precaution of digging the early sorts. The crop is excellent,
and should the disease, at this late period, ezumd itself
much further, it will be satisfactory to learn its ravages
cannot have the effect of last and previous years, in conse-
quence of its late appearance.
Ilemtrounetitne.—A long lingering hay harvest is now
being brought to a close throughout this district. The late
dropping weather has certaialv damaged a good deal of hay,
hut the early harvest was welt ended, and the swathe a fair
average. 'I he pulse harvest has commenced, and of peas,
beans, and vetches, the reports are very favourable. Swedes
and mangold wurzel now pmmisc a more bountiful crop,
and the moisture has been most favourable to the sowing of
common turnips. The barleys arc looking very healthy,
and with a propitious harvest the crop will, no doubt, reach
a full average. We regret, however, to receive conflicting
accounts of the wheats ; blight is mainly prevalent more
or less everywhere • we hope, nevertheless, it is not nearly
so severe as it was last year. The hop grounds of this dis-
trict begin to wear a most luxuriant appearance, and should
the high temperature of yesterday (Friday) continue
throughout the month, the crop will certainly be large. In
the orchards the crops of both pears and apples are partial ;
" lucky " orchards may turn out large quantities of fruit,
but, generally speaking, the bulk must be under an average.
We have great 'pleasure in stating that all accounts agree in
anticipating an abundant crop of late potatoes, and as yet
there is no general appearance of disease.—llerebrd Times.
IIVNTINispoN3itME.-11arvest comes very fast now, and
cutting will be very general on our high land in a few days,
if fine and hut, as at present. New peas are in the market,
but they arc neither dry nor good at present ; the next par
eels will be better conditioned. The wheat crop in the fens
is now very ill spoken of, but I have no
.proof of it, further i
than report. I do not think the crop is a large one any-
where, but must think it is a good average.
KENT.--CHANDILOOK.— There arc two or three pieces
of meadow grass but just now harvested. Oat and barley
harvest has commenced, and a better yield of both corn and
haulm is now expected than was at one time anticipated ;
and with regard to the wheat " fields of yellow grain,"
" fi.ir plenty '• seems determined to fill our isle with " home
grown corn, •• and render it one in which its inhabitants
can " eat their bread without scarceness." The sickle will
be " put in" this week pretty generally. Maidstone
Journal.

LANCASHIRT.—The Preston Guardian of Saturday says
—Harvest weather has fairly set in. During the week we
have hada prevalence of easterly winds, with a clear sum-
mer sky, the sun shining most brilliantly, ripening the
crops and fatiguing the pedestrians. Some few patches of
wheat have been cut ; amongst other places the tract of ex-
cellent wheat land between Poulton and Fleetwood.
Should the fine weather continue we may expect next
week that all forward crops will be placed under the opera-
tions of the sickle, and late crops finally disposed of.—
The past week has been gloomy and wet, which has made
the getting in of hay in good order a somewhat difficult
affair. The various crops of corn are progressing favourably,
although it cannot be supposed, with fair harvest weather,
that the yield will be more than an average, if it equal that.
The sowing and planting of turnips this year has not been
of so great extent as usual, and potatoes yet give a poor look
out, and although the rot has not yet made its appearance
to any greut extent—nor may not do—still the return must
be light.—Both wheat and oats, on rich soils, are promising
to be rich crops, but on stubborn, and also on weak light
lands, both deseriptions will be unusually light. On the
whole, however, should the weather prove favourable fur
the harvest, the produce may be nearly an average of for-
mer years, though rather less than the past year. Beans
are better than they have been of some late years. Winter
potatoes, with the exception of the later kinds of kemps,
are looking tolerably fair, but on the moss land, where
they have been so much injured by the frost, and where the
largest breadth of land has been planted since affected by
the disease, they will be miserably- poor. The "question
of the day " with farmers in this part appears to be, " What
is to be dune with the moss land %" The answer might
soon be given—sow clover and rye grass, or any description
of grain, rather than risk the expense of planting such land
with potatoes.—Preston Chronicle.

LEICESTLIISIIIIIM.—Though a large quantity of rain has
fallen, we hope ne great damage has been done to the grain
erops, yet, in some instances, they are mach laid. They
are generally good, and we believe, upon the whole, there
has seldom been less symptoms of disease amongst them.
The pulse crops are at present free from the blight of aphides,
and the whole promise well fur a good yield, though, in some
instances, where the crops see light, the quantity will be
beneath an average. Fine weather is now wanted to ripen
them, and should this showery time be prolonged, the har-
vest will be late. We are glad to observe that the potato
crop looks well ; and, at prs sent, we hear no complaint of
the blight.—Leicester Journal.
NORFOLK (Wesv).—The late heavy thunder-storms, in
di&•rent parts of the country, lodged all the stout cora, and
beat down a great deal of the thin or lighter crops; the
injury from this cause has been in some places serious.
Toe turnip crop, which promised so well at the end of June,
has met with several checks, and its appearance is one
of the most moderate that we have seen for many years.
about the tint week in July nearly all the turnips then
coming ready for the hoe were attacked by a small green
caterpillar, which in some instances cleared off whole fields,
so as to render it second sowing necessary. In others large
naked patches arc now seen, and in nearly all a stinted
growth is very visible. The heavy rains have re-
tarded the growth, and very much interfered with the
hoeing, the weeds and spare plants growing again as fast as
they were cut out. All this has contributed lamer the pros-
pects of our root crops, and the later hay having suffered from