The Express.
London, England, 1867-08-06 00:00:00

AGRICULTURAL PROSPECTS.

(From the Mark-lane Exprem)

The week opened with a breezy morning, with a
very slight shower about noon, and fine clouds flying
throughout the day ; but no more rain fell. Monday was
a favourable day, sunny at times, wind N.W., thermonae-
ter at mid-day 63 degiees, barometer 30.10 inches. Tues-
day was&dull overcast day, with little sun, but no rain.
Our advices on that day were as follows :—From West
Riding of Yorkshire : " We have had dry weather, on the
whole, for a week, though cloudy and often cold. The
crops have improved in appearance, but progress slowly,
and barley still looks twisted about: but wheat is better,
as well coats. Turnips sad potatoes look healthy and
flourishing, and would now stand dry weather for
a time. A good deal of the late grass is being cut
and making into bay, having been delayed by
the rainy weather." From the East Riding:—
" The weather still keeps unsettled— one day fine and
another day rain; and, on the whole, unfavourable for the
growing crops. Harvest is likely to be late in conse-
quence. The wheat crop is not so well spoken of, and
from all accounts will prove below the average, unless the
weather should take up, any even then the prospects of an
abundant harvest are not so clear as the accounts pub-
' lished by the press of late would lead the public in general
to infer ; from the statements that reach us, and personal
observation, we come to the conclusion that the wheat
crops will prove deceptive, and, on the whole, abort of an
average." From the northern part of Suffolk : " The sun-
less weather of the past day or two has not forwarded our
crops much for harvest. They are twisted and much laid
by the late rains." From Norfolk : "We have had more
settled weather since last week. The wheat crops have
improved, and barley is more favourably spoken of.
Mangolds and turnips are doing well" Wednesday morn-
ing was foggy, thick, and blighting, but with no rain
wind from the south•east. From the west coaa. of
Scotland : " The weather has been fine sines Friday last.'
From the east coast: " The weather has improved, but
the nights are cold, and our crops progress slowly."
From Surrey it was remarked : " Since my advioes of last
week the crops have progressed quite as fast as I expected,
notwithstanding the cold nights with north-east winds and
frosts in the early mornings. The sth of August will com-
mence the harvest month here ; some early pieces have
been cut, and a good manypess carried, and some samples
are likely to appear at Guildford market on Saturday, for
sale from several farmers near that town. The Hampshire
farmers are not so satisfied with their wheat crops as ours
are in this, the best part of Surrey. The Sussex farmers
speak more favourably of things ; and if the weather
should be favourable for them, they expect a good crop
of wheat ; but I am sure the yield will be very various
in all the districts that I have heard from." The-sday
was a gloomy and, for the season, a cold day, with crops
ripening slowly. Our advice. from Warwickthire were :
" Although the weather during the week has continued
fine, it has been dull with cold nights ; so that the corn
crops make very slow progress, and the btu emit will be
ten or fourteen days later than usual." From Suffolk :
" Although the fine rein we had here on Friday last has
in some places twisted our wheat and lodged a chance
heavy piece of barley, yet, on the whole, we are improved;
but we now greatly need a bright, sunny, warm atmos-
phere to ripen off and polish our grain. The weather con.
tinuts cool and sunless, and our harvest will be later
than expected—probably not general before the 19th
rof August." From another part of the same
county, inland : "As far as we can judge at pre-
L sent all our crops are improved, especially barley and
' roots. Harvest work has only begun in one or two
isolated cases, and wheat cutting will not be general for
two or three weeks." Friday proved a dull, cold day for
the season. Our advice, were as follows :—From Surrey :
" The weather continues very cold for the time of year,
the wind keeping to the N. and N.Y..; this will have the
effect of prolonging the harvest and help to produce a pro-
tracted one, and such I have thought for a long time must
be the case from the circumstance of the season commenta

ing from the early spring." From Essex, n7iiriOnr-
hood of Maldon : "Thu weather this week has been
finer, but dull, sunless, and cold. The growing crops
ripen slowly, and it will yet be ten days to • fortnight
before wheat cutting is general." From Devonshire,
neighbourhood of Exeter : " Harvest has commenced,
and if the weather continue dry it will soon
be general. Up to this time, I see nothing to alter my
opinion, that wheat, beans, and oats will be good crops.
Barley continues to promise the worst," From the Week
Hiding of Yorkshire:—" Since Tuesday the weather has
been cool and dry, but on the whole favourable to the fill-
ing of the ears of corn ; but the progress towards ripening
is slow, of course, and every day is of importance in that
respect. Turnips and potatoes continue to look well ; but
there are complaints about the latter being diseased in
places when got up." On Saturday the temperature was
somewhat higher; wind N.W., with more sun, and where
cutting had commenced in the earlier districts, on patches
of wheat, oats, and peas, the work would go on favour-
ably, and we only want a continuance of dryaunnyweather
to make a good beginning.