The Express.
London, England, 1866-06-28 00:00:00

,GRICULTURAL PROSPECTS.

The week opened with a breezy day, and some
smart showers at intervals. Wind W. Monday morning
was wet, and it rained t part of the day, proving very
unfavourable for he Wind S.W. Thermometer
57 degrees, barometer 29.60 inches, and still falling. Tues-
day was • tolerably fine day, slight rain only falling at
3 p.m. Our &deices from lancashire on that day stated :
" The weather has been changeable ; frequent hail showers,
with a low temperature for midsummer, yet all the grow-
ing corn and root crops throughout West Luicashire are
favourably reported of, though vegetation is more back-
ward than usual, and a late harvest seems probable.
The farmers speak less favourably to-dity of potatoes,
but of all other roots well." From the West Riding
of Yorkshire it was remarked :—" We have had almost
continuous rain since Sunday night, and it should now
supply the springs. The late-growing pass will thus
stand a chance of doing good, and all other craps
have plenty of moisture." Another amount says :—" We
have had two very wet cold days, and the growing crops
cannot make much progress this very cold weather."
From the Bast Riding it was observed :—" Weather for
the last few days has been cold and impala, and a great
quantity of rain has fallen already, more than is beneficial
to the wheat plant, and • continuance of such would soon
be detrimental, and endanger the coming crop." From
Suffolk the same day it was stated :—" Gloomy wet
weather, with low temperature, does not favour the grow-
ing crops, which look backward and not promising." Front
another part of the same county our advice. say :—" We
have bad nice growing showers, and our crops are evidently
improving in appearance, although our promise is not first
rate—room for improvement." From Northumberland
it was reported :—" The weather was fine on Thurs-
day and Friday, but with those exceptions it has
been damp and cold since our last, with showers of ball
on Sunday. The wind has veered from E. to S.W. and
N.W." Wednesday was a cloudy day, but with scarcely
any rain until 5 p.m., when there was a slight fall for two
hours. From the west coast of Scotland it was stated :
"The weather is warm and dry." Thursday was a warm,
sunny day, and most probably much hay would be got for-
ward, and perhaps on to cock, being thus safer. Wind was
8.8. W. to S.S.E. Thermometer 64 dep., barometer 29.95
inches and falling. There was a smart thunderstorm from
9to 10 p.m., with very heavy rain. This appears to have
extended from the south to the north comet of England at
about the gime time. On that day our advice, run from
Hertfordahire :—" Hay-cutting has now commenced gene-
rally, cern is improving, but wheat will not be &heavy crop."
From Warwickshire it was said :—" We have had another
week of showery and dull, but very growing weather, and
the crops, especially of grass, have improved wonder-
fully." From Suffolk it was remarked:-' During the
week we have had cold weather, with some rain, until
yesterday. To-day is again warm, but the appearance is
still unsettled. Al regards the crops, we do not hear much
actual complaint, but there is a general feeling that of
wheat we cannot expect a full quantity." Friday morning
was threatening and cloudy, but cleared up and turned
out a fine warm day, with tke wind from N.W. From the
West Riding of Yorkshire we hear, " We have had • very
fine sunshiny day, the first we have had for three weeks."
From Lincolnshire our advice' say:—" Rain has at last
fallen, and now there is too much of it, for the land is
too wet for working, and consequently turnip sowing
does not progress. The growing corn is wonderfully
improved, and there will be • good prospect for
harvest, unless the fall of rain should be enormously
great. There was never less oorn in the farmers' bands
than at the Rrapent moment ; so, if Germany prohibits the
export of gram,theremust be a very considerable advance in
pnce on this side. Turnips promise badly, the fly being
very destructive." From Devonshire :—" Weather is be-
come bright and hot, and haymaking goes on in earnest.
The growing crops look healthy, but during the last week
farmers say, barley promises better crop than wheat, the
latter not only being thin on the land, but ears small. A
fortnight of hot weather will enable us to speak more de-
cidedly about wheat." Saturday was fine and warm,
mostly runny, a prime hay day, and this work would go
on satisfactorily ; wind N.N.E. to E." last week we
closed our remarks by encouraging the agriculturists to
look for immediate improvement in prices. This has taken
place, and the prospects are more cheering than for a long
time past, or, that those who bold stocks may derive no
little benefit from so favourable • change.—Mark-lane
Express.

CHARGE OF NZOLWT AGAINST A PARISH MM-
vars.—The St. Pancras guardians, at their meeting on
Tuesday, had before them a charge brought by Mr. Wat-
son and Mr. W. Williams, two of their own body, againft
a perish midwife who was sent to attend a poor woman in
her confinement, but who only called upon her and gave
her threepennyworth of brandy and then left her to her
fate. The people of the neighbourhood, on becoming ac-
quainted with the conduct of the midwife, were very in-
dignant at the treatment of the woman, and, as described
by a guardian, " were all up in arms." The subject wu
brought under the notice of Mr. Williams, ut he being
just elected a member of the board, dr. Watson at-
tempted to state the circumstances with a view to moving
for en inquiry. For this be was checked, and severely lec-
tured by several guardians for bringing forward the sub-
ject thus publicly in the presence of the representatives of
the press. Mr. Watson said these things had been too
much hushed up, and he would be no party
to doing so, for by hushing them up dn.
credit had been brought upon the board. He was
determined to exercise his right in bringing such circum-
stances before the board, and stating his grounds for the
resolution he was about to move. A letter bad been
addressed to Mr. James, the relieving offuer, on the sub-
ject. but which had not been read, although it was in the
room. He had been requested to b • forward the cue,
as being the most expenanoed in such t • , but the facts
were equally well known to Mr. Williams. He moved
that the subject be referred to the house committee for
inquiry. Mr. Williams seconded the motion, and confirmed
what had been said by Mr. Watson. After Mr. Watson
had been again severely censured for his conduct in giving
publicity to the charge, the motion for referring the sub-
joct to the house committee was adopted. The letter of
complaint, written on the part of the women of the neigh-
bourhood, to Mr. James, the relieving officer, was handed
round,but notreed.
THs TRADE OF LIVZIIPOOL.—The increase in the

trade of thin port during the past twelve months, as
evidenced In the comparative statement for the years
end' June 24, 1866, and June 23, 1868, issued on the
23rd t by the Massey Docks and Harbour Board,
shows the rates and dues on merchandise and shipping
received by that board in the latter year to bare barn
134,832/. 3s. 4d. in excess of the amount of the previous
year. It may be remarked, as indicating the elasticity of the
commerce of the port, that while the year ending June,
1861, being that previous to the serious interruption of the
trade of the port occasioned by the American war, was the
most prosperous in the annals of the revenues of the Mar-
my Docks, it has been surpassed by the result of the alma-
oial year ended on the 23rd instant, as shown by the fol-
lowing comparative staSereent :-1861, 867,5671. 7a. 9d. ;
1866, 716,764/. 14a. 9d. ' • increase, 49,1871. 7s. But the
yam 1861 was an exceptional one, in consequence of the
increased importation. of cotton aimed by As clearing of
the American ports in anticipation of war ; and if we go
further back, and take the year 1860, the Menem will lbe
found Mill greater :-1860, 1104,98 W. 1.3 e. ; 1866, 718,7641.
14e. 9d. ; increase, 112,4861. Is. 9d.