The Express.
London, England, 1866-08-14 00:00:00

AGRICULTURAL PROSPECTS.

The week opened with showery weather, but was
mostly fine during the after part of the day, with occasional
bright gleam' of sun, and strong breezes from the west and
south-west. Oa Monday the morning was thick with an
uncertain promise ; at 10 a.m. slight rain fell, increasing
at noon, and this proved a settled steady fall during the
remainder of the day, while at night it was very heavy,
with a violent gale of wind from the south-west ; the ther-
mometer at noon down to 59 degrees, and the barometer as
low as 29.75 inches. Oa Tuesday heavy showers fell with
a continuance of high gales, and harvest-work was gene-
rally suspended. Our &deices from that day were mostly
of an unfavourable character. From the East Riding
of Yorkshire it was stated :—" Weather has not been at
all favourable for the crops: • good deal of rain has
fallen at intervals, with • low temperature for the season
of the year, and the grain conies slowly to maturity. The
cutting of oats has commenced in some forward patches in
this district, but harvest will not be general for a week or
ten days, even with hot forcing weather." From Norfolk:
" The weather since this day week has been unsettled,
and a good deal of rain has fallen. To-day is fine, with
a gale from the S.W. Harvesting has partially com-
menced in this neighbourhood : both barley and wheat are
reported to be falling light." From Lancashire it was
remarked : " The weather has been unfavourable through
the week, as we have had boisterous winds and some
heavy falls of rain, which have laid many of the
grain crops, now fully ripe. Cutting has com-
menced pretty generally through West Lancashire ;
the fanners speak well of barley and fair of oats; but
of wheat they report somewhat despondingly, with lighter
sheaves than usual, and they are anxious for • more genial
state of weather." From Suffolk our advice. run :—"The
weather continues cold, and with very little sun. Wheat-
cutting has just commenced, and, as each day advances,
will become more general. The opinion of the crop is not
encouraging." From Northumberland it was observed :
" The weather since our last report has been cold and un-
setled ; wind variable, since yesterday S.W. and rail."
Wednesday was a very showery day, continuing to be
quite unfavourable for harvest work. From the west
coast of Scotland it was remarked :—" We have had much
rain during the week." On Thursday some slight showers
fell, but being a very breezy day, harvest work was par-
tially proceeded with ; though our &deices were not very
encouraging. From Suffolk, near the most, it was written :
—"The weather continues dull and unsettled ; the amount
of rain however which has fallen is not heavy, but ex-
perience tells us that to produce quality in grain we need
a dry warm sun at the critical period for the ripening
of cereals." From the interior of the same county our ad-
vices stated :—" The continuance of unsettled weather
during the week has very much interfered with harvest
operations. Wheat cutting has become general, some fields
are already cleared, and a few samples of Talavera were
brought to market, but the condition is bad." From Buck-
inghamshire it was stated :—" A large breadth of wheat
has fallen before the sickle ; the same remark applies to
oats, but little of either has been carted. The weather con-
tinues showery, and unless we get settled weather shortly, I
fear the wheat will be hurried into stack' too quickly. As I
have told you before, the quantity as to yield varies much,
according to the natio, of the soil On the heavy clay districts
the crop is a light one." From Warwicluhire :—" We
have had another week of very unsettled weather, which is
now looked upon with much anxiety, interrupting as it
does harvest operations, which otherwise would now be
general." On Friday the morning was fine, and it held up
to one p.m., when showers again fell, and continued at
intervals for the remainder of the day. From Devonshire
it was stated:—" Harvest operations progress. We have
continual threatening* of rain without much falling, so
that large quantities of corn are cut, and a considerable
quantitystacked, in condition dry enough to cave it, but
not dry enough tocome immediately to market." From Lin-
colnshire our advice' stated: " Since last week a great change
has taken placefortheworse as regards the growing crops,
owing, no doubt, to the cold, wet, and ungenial weather.
All the best crops of wheat are much lodged and twisted,
which must prevent the ears from being filled as they
should be and, besides, mildew has fallen upon many
crops, and when this occurs a great deficiency is the re-
sult in both quality and quantity. The barley is much
laid by the rains, and I expect to find the grain small in
consequence." Saturday was the only day without rain
during the week, but it was dull and gloomy at times, and
although the barometer has risen sad got up to 30 degrees,
the weather does not seem settled. Still, the temperature
being higher, gives hope of improvement, and next week
will be yet more important than this has been, as harvest
work will be more general—Mark-lane Express.

The building trades of Manchester are threatened
with a strike. Should the threat be fulfilled same 18,000
poses will be throws out et employment