The Express.
London, England, 1848-08-15 00:00:00

THE WEATHER AND THE CROPS.

CIIESIIIRE.—With the last evening we hope has
ceased the heavy rains which for the last fortnight have
exceeded anything we can remember. This morning
opened with a golden eastern sky, possessing that mellow-
peas of tint which generally precedes fair weather. If such
should providentially be the-case, the harvest will be on
directly. We find that there is a mod deal of blighted corn
in parts, and a goon deal lodged. We hope, however, with
fair weather, there will not be any important ground of com-
plaint after all Dairying proceeds well ; the pastures and
aftermaths are laden with their emeriti(' treasures. We wish
we could prophesy " smooth things" abort the potatoes ;
prospects are by no means bet er—we fear worse. Surely
every one will endeavour to get out Swedes, to sow common
turnips, and to introduce abundance of the Bramica family
on every available plot. If people would energetically pur-
ace this course, prices could not get so high, and even
the potato would be kept within moderate bounds. A person
I in the Neighbourhood of Leyland has bought one hundred
loads of potatoes, Cheshire pink-eyes, to be delivered sound
at Christmas next, at 6a. per load, 2401 b. to the load. This
shsws that some people expect potatoes to be at a reasonable
price this season. Every tars should now be taken to select
sound potato seed for the ensuing year. Wind still westerly,
with a brilliant aky.—Manchester Courier, Aug. 10.

ConNwam..—The weather for the last week has been very
favourable for the harvest, and a great quantity of wheat and
oats has been carried. The potato crop in this neighbour-
hood is very bad, and it is stated that more than one-half is
lost.—Aug. 12.

DORRETISHIRE.—The harvest operations, which had been
somewhat retarded by the weather, commenced in this
neighbourhood last week, and a number of reapers are. now
at work. The crops, although beaten down by the weather
in some places, are not materially injured, and a good
'lmmo yield is looked forward to.—Salisbury Ilerald,
Aug. 12.
- - -

linstrantun.—ln consequence of the continued wet wea-
ther in this neighbourhood, the wheat, the greater portion of
which has been cut, is much deteriorated, having in many
places grown out ; and, should the weather continue wet, it
will be almost destroyed. The potato disease is also making
rapid strides from the continued rains, and should not a
favourab!e change in the weather take place, -he failure in
the crops of this valuable esculent will be mist extensive.—
Hampshire TekgrapA, August 12.
ihNTINGDONSHIME.—The weather during the end of last
week was showery, and interrupted the cutting of whest;
it has since that time been tine. The greater part of the
wheat crop on the high land is now cut, and a little has been
carried in some gleam. It is found to be light in hand, and
is not expectad to yield well. Barley is lat.; there is very
little that is yet fit to cut ; it appears to have a good ear. In
the Fens there is a considerable quantity of wheat cut: the
crop is bulky, hut it is mildewed. Turnips and coleseed
grow well Grass keeping is plentiful. Potatoes are
dis• astd; they become worse daily.—August 9.
- • •

KENT —ln the eastern part of the county the harvest is
now gn ng on universally, and with geed activity, though
retarded by the rein. Reports mostly speak satisfactorily of
the produce of wheat, barley, and oats, hut the benne and peas
have, like the potatoes, been attacked by blight Where
reaped quickly, the grain is saved—otherwise this turns
black and become rotten. The late boisterous weather has
beaten the corn about very much.—KentisA Observer. The
Canterbury Journal, speaking of Sheppy, rays: The har-
vest. which was progressing rapidly, has been greatly re-
tarded by :he ledett roue and unsettled state of the weather
during the past week. Opinions respecting the wheat crop
are very conflicting; the majority of the agriculturists appear
to consider it light and thin in the ear, and ere fearful the
yield will not he an abundant one. It is contemplated that
there are from 800 to 1,000 Irish (men, women, and chi,dren)
scattered through the island in search of employ this harvest.
NOUTHUMBEHLEND.—The state of the weather Is now a
subject of great interest and importance, as the daily heavy
rains stop the finish of the hay harvest, and cause injury tt.
the corr. crops. Wheat makes little progress towards ripen-
ing, hut, with bright fine wrath( r hervest will become pretty
general by the cos° of the month. On good lauds in favour.
able situauuns wheat may be cut in about a week hence,
should dry weather set in. The crops of grain are almost
universally good, and oats are of very vigorous growth. The
prospect of a great yisl4 of potatoes of the very best quality
is great almost beyond example; and the late crops, which
are in luxuriant bloom, are generally as healthy looking as
the early crops n w ripening. The I.roduce of the gardens
is generally as abundant and fine as iu the fields, so that at
present nothing is wanting but fine weather to perfect the
splendid crops with which the roil is lad.n.—Newcartle
Journal, Aug. 12.
RETLAND.—The harvest is now thorovaly commenced in
this county, and wheat is generally much the forwardeat
ert•p; indeei, a great deal of barley and oats will not be
reed] to cut befi.re September, and will fall light. The
wheat crop is certainly much inferior to last year. Barley
and oats are also light, except, of course, in particular
instances.
• • •

SOMEUSETSHIRE.—The wheat harvest, which commenced
around thi. town and, to a great event, in this county, about
ten days ago, has been much impeded in its progress by the
frequent and occasionally heavy showers. The crop is spoken
of as being very abundant, and free from any impairing
visitations by blight or insect. The potato-diseue is spread-
ing in this neighbourhood.
Sussex.—Taking the co•inty through, it is stated thlt the
growth will he one-fourth leas than last year. We have had
within the last fortnight very high winds, and wheat, in
ex?osei situations, has blown out. The quantity of old
English wheat in the hands of the farmers is certainly more
than usual. The low price, as compared with last year, has
induced many who could hold to do so.
Wates.—The wheat crops have been much laid by the
late rains. In general we do not think there will be an
average yield. In many districts the berries are small and
the heads light. Reaping has become very general, from this
city down the Welsh shore of the Dee, in the vale of
Clwyd, and on the better lands near Conway, Aber, and
Bangor. Very little is cut in Anglesey. The barley crops
are good, but are sadly in want of dry weather. Oats gene-
rally are quite an average crop. We never saw the Angle-
sey oats better than in the present year ; we believe they
were good last year, and were extensively used for unsling.
Beans are an excellent crop on the stiff lands from King's
Ferry to the point of Ayr, and also on Rhyddlati marsh,
The hay harvest hes been universally late. The yield is not
more than an avenge, in some instances leas ; and in general
it is not well got. We feel some hope that the potato crop
will be more productive than anticipated, from the fact that
the foliage, flowering and fruiting, have been better than for
the last three yean ; but the draw back is the present wet
weather, which is bad for all crops, but especially bulbous
roots, and may, yet cause rottenness as well as dimwit to ex-
tensively prevail.—Chester Chroni
al extra visit WSJ made by
ck.
Jitnixv.—On Friday last a speci
the committee of the Agricultural Society and their friends
to the yarious farms in the island, tot the purpose of suspect-

log the wheat and potato crops. They started at b,tween
nine and ten o'clock in the morning, and returned about six
in the evening, having seen farmers in St. Helier, St.
Saviour, St. !flutist, Trinity, St. John, St. Mary, and
St. Lawrence parishes ; farms of every ots were inspected,
from the highly-tilled pleasure term of the wealthy
agriculturist to the self-w. rked farm of the small land-
holder, The result is most satisfactory, for although disease
is prevalent in the potato crop, still it is partial, and as yet
not of that alarming character which it exhibited in 11146.
The wheat crop is nelow the average, but still there will he
a lair return • and although in many farms smut is visible
and the grain deficient, it cannot be said that there is a
failure, or that injury has been u yet materially oust tined.—
Aug. 10.

Dentist.—The rain, especially in the neighbourhood of
Dublin, has been frequent and deluging. The intervals of
dry weather have been short; and even these have been cold
during the night and towards the approach of evening. The
consequence is, that the corn craps are not r'pening so fast
as they were expected, and that the yield promisee to be pro-
portionately scanty, as always was the case whenever the
harvest happened to be a late one. Nor is this all ; for the
potato disease,l which, up to this, has only been discovered
m a mitigated form in Ireland, and which set med to have
been nearly arrested a fertnigt.t ago, is said to be again ex-
tending itself through fields, heretofore untouched, with
augmented virulence.—Dublin Aug. 9.
CLQNSI EL,—The fatal blight has shown itself more gene.
rally than we conceived, although more than one month
later than it "was discovered in 1846 ; " the consequence
will be, that the potato crop cannot prove a failure to any-
thing near the same extent as at that dieutroue period, al-
though the most sanguine hitherto are now beginning to
calculate upon a considerable diminution of this year's
produce. On Saturday last there were about eighty loads
of potatoes exppsed for sale in our market, which were dis-
pose dof at from 4d. to sd. per stone of 141 b. Our Nenagh
correspondent writes that the potato disease has shown itself
partially in that neighbourhood, but that no serious alarm
u felt there.—elonatel Free Press.
Coux.—We still receive conflicting accounts of the potato
crop ; but we r-ezet to say that they are not generally fa-
vourable—rather the contrary. In many cases the tuber
has been greatly diseesed ; and we know of more than one
Motive- where fields have been dug up, and more than
a quarter of the crop has been rejected as utterly deitroyed.
We do not write this to alarm; we simply do an act of duty,
and with this object—to warn our readers that the winter of
'4B and the spriug of '49 are before them, and to imprees
upon them the necessity of taking some step towuds pro-
viding employment for the people.—cork E.raminer.

Drauv.—Potatoes have not manifested much, if any,
appearance of the disease as yet. We would still fain be-
lieve that the etfes to of the high winds we have had are
in many installers mistaken fur the appearance of the blight
in the stalks and Is ayes of the plants. Potatoes aro plentiful
at market, and quite free from disease.—Derry Sentinel.
DitossitEnrs.—From inquiries nada in the surrounding
distri ts of Meath end Louth, we learn that a partial blight
certainly exists but not to any great extent. Excellent
potatoes wera sellieg at our =met to-day at from 2 d. to
ski per stun.—Drogeda Journal.
KINO.B COUNTY.—Reports of the state of the potato crop
..re conflicting. In sonic places it is confidently stated that
the crop is blighted, and that the disarms has re.appertred.
From other districts we have reports representing that the
crop in general never presented a more healthy and luxu-
riant appearance. From inquiries we have made from psr.
sons competent to form a correct opinion on such matt, rs,
and on whom we Cal rely, we regret to ray that the sli-ease
doer exist, lost not to a very considerable extent.—lung a
County Chronicle. . .

Kklutv.— From the general statements and from personal
observation, our decided opinion is, that the injury wh;ch
the potato crop has as yet sustained is very partial, cor.tiactl
to certain districts, but that the crop as a whole is sound, the
injury being the exception merely. We must at the 'cue
time admit that in some districts of this county wo tear the
potato crop i. lost. We have been informed by a clergyman
who travelled between C istlet two in the county of Cork and
Kenmore, that the smell from the rotting putat vs in the
fields at either side of the roc I was intolerable.—Kerry Ex.
ambler, August 11.
Limanicx.—Although the stalk. and leaves of the pota-
toesin many places are discoloured, yet the blight in most
instances is lotted not to have touched the tuber, which eon.
Itinues si.und. Till, little sign of disease marks the large
quantity of pitatoea brought to this market. The harem
will, unquestionably, be a late one, owing to the continuance
of rains, and want of sunshine to ripen the crops.—Limerick
Chronicle, Aug. 12.
SLIGO.—The potato in this quarter is generally sound and
most politic. In some few spots, here and there stalks have
been partially blighted from the effects of lightning; but the
ravaging disease, eo much apprehended, is unknown hers.—
Sligo Journal.

AFIREDZIN.—We have had several drenching showers,
accompanied by strong wind, but we have not beard that any
materal injury has resulted to the crops. Yesterday the
aspect of the weather altered fur the better. We have, as
yet, heard of nc. alarming symptoms of disease in the crop of
late potatoes, nor does it appear that we are to be deprived
of what may, in the eircumstaecew, be considered s good
crop of tulles. The grain crop looks beautiful, and, though
some douhts are expressed as to whether or not they will
prove es bulky as was at first anticipated, there is a sure
prospect, should the weather continue favourable, of abut, l-
ance for maa and beast.—Aberdeen Herald.
Gtssnow.—The North British Daily Mail of August 12,
uys, " Though the weather at the beginning of the wick
was rather broken, comparatively little rain has fallen during
the last four or five days. The sky was much overea-t the
great r part of yesterday, and threats ned a storm ; but the
clouds gradually dispersed before nightfall, and the ereuing
became quiet and serene. From twenty different towns and
districts of country, the weather, during yesterday, as an-
nounced per electric hlegraph, was exceedingly favourable
for harvest purpcsea, being, with but two exceptions, 'fine.'
s very fine,' with wester') winds prevailing." To this report
we may add that of the Glasgow Post, of the same date,
which says: "This week has been showery, but, on the
whole very favourable fur maturing the crops, and bringing
on the harvest. Wheat is now assuming the tint of ripe-
ness over this quarter of the country, and, with the continu-
ance of the dry warm weather we have been fasoured
with for the last two days
.by the end of next week some of
the morn early fields will be cut down. Barley harvest eon-
menoed yesterday, blue the first apple ation of the sickle
we have heard of in Renfrewshire this season. In the lower
ward of Lanarkshire, n the lunche of thesClyde, we also
hear of barley misting having begun, an that in ten or twelve
days hence harvest in this neighbourhood will be almost
gener.d. The outward appearance of the potato crop over
this district is still fresh and healthy; but, from all we can
Earn, the rot has now made its appearance in a partial
degr e, something like that of last season in most fields."
PEltTll.—With the exception of a thunder-shower we have
had a week of the finest harvest weather, only the nights
have been frosty on three occasions. All the crops continue
to look well. Wheat is assuming a yellow hue, and barley
is changing colour in patches, which crop will come soonest
to the sickle. Oats base improved touch by the late rains,
and wiil yield abundantly both in straw and grain. Potatoes
still look healthy, with a few exceptions, chiefly applicable
to where the seed was unchanged from last crop. Any
appeitanse of din ave is as yet confined to the shaw, for the
quality of the not is the floret known for yore AltorreOt r
present appesunces are highly favourable as to the result of
the forthcoming ha. vest Perth Courier.