The Express.
London, England, 1867-08-20 00:00:00

AGRICULTURAL PROSPECTS.

(Yrom the Mark-lane Exprea.)

The week opened with a very fine day, sunny
and breezy. Monday also proved fine ; wind S.W. ; ther-
mometer in the marnmg fki degrees ; in the afternoon, 76 ;
barometer 30 inches. Tuesday was a very hot and scorch.
ing day, with the wind round to the east, and harvest
work progressing vigorously in all the early districts. Our
advices on that day werc—from Suffolk :—" Wheat-cutting
will be general in • few days. Hot and sunny weather."
Again (from the same county):—"The quality of the new
wheat is disappointing, and complaints of the yield are
general. About 400 qrs. appeared, all the samples being,
with one exception, of the early sorts of white, but the
colour, in most instances, wanting whiteness, and many
samples present • shrivelled appearance. The crop, thus
far, does not promise well, and we hear to-day several
complaints of mildew and shrivelling of the later
wheats now in the fields. Weather scorching and wind
east, but the barometer is very gradually falling."
From the West Biding of Yorkshire :—" The weather
since my last has been hot and forting, and, with a
few weeks such like we should see • rapid change
and the country under • far better state as regards the
food-prospect for next winter and spring. The root-crops
to-day droop, from the effects of the mid-day heat, which
is such as we seldom have for more than three days with-
out a break by thunderstorms, &a" From the East Bid-
ing :—" The weather is now hot and forcing, which, if it
continue, will bring harvest forward rather water than at
one time calculated upon ; still it will be late, and, conse-
quently, more us." Wednesday was the hottest
day experienced for a long time past, the thermometer in
the shade registering 85 degrees, barometer 29.90, and the
wind inclined to change. From the east coast of Scotland
it was. stated The weather has been everything that
could be desired since our last." Froai the west coast it was
remarked:—" We have had forcing weather since the begin-
ning of the week, which keeps the trade in suspense." The
tropical heat of the previous day brought on a heavy thun-
derstorm early on Thursday moramg, and the day proved a
very wet one, stopping harvest work wherever it reached,
and it had a tolerably extensive travel before it ceased.
From Warwickshire it was stated :—" We have had six
successive days of scorching-hot sun, such as was much to
be desired for ripening the corn. To-day it has been
showery. With the most favourable weather, it will be a
week or ten days before harvest is general in this district.
The potato disease has sgain appeared in many places,
which causes them to be forced upon the market at lower
prices." From Suffolk, near the coast:—" We have hula
week of glorious weather, but the temperature of the last
day or two has been almost too sharp for our barleys • a
change to rain is near at hand, for the glass has been
steadily falling since yesterday morning. Our reports of
the new wheat crop cutting up are not gay, and
we hear of mildew to some extent. Shall know
more accurately next week." From the interior of
Suffolk it was observed :—"Although late, we have now
the meet brilliant weather, with intense heat, and
under its influence our crops come rapidly forward.
Harvest has commenced generally, and it being vigorously
proceeded with. From reports generally, the yield of wheat
doesnotpromise to be large. Barley quickly, and in
most districts is ready for cutting." Friday morning was
showery, bat the afternoon was fine. From the West Hiding
of Yorkshire our advioes stated:—" We had a change yes-
terday from bright, hot weather to rain, which came
freely. To-day is fine thus far." From the East Riding
it was observed :—" The weather during the week has
been extremely hot ; in consequence the crops are rapidly
ripening, and cutting bids fair to be general next
week in this part of the country." From Lincolnshire
it watermarked :—" The corn is ripening List, after two or
three of the hottest days (Tuesday and Wednesday)
ever known, theraiometerin the shade marking 87 degrees,
and harvest is now generel. Should the weather hold
favourable, the quality of both wheat and barley premises
to be good, barring a few cases of mildew in wheat, which
always, mots or less, obtain hold every year. The rain of
Wednesday and Thursday, though impeding progress, has
done immense good to the barley, which was likely to be
white and flinty, and I am sending you a few grains as a
maple of who I, am now cutting." (This is the finest
sample the writer has yet seen in Mark-lane, kindly and
mellow, and far superior to the Kentish sold during the
past wo weeks.) From Devonshire neighbourhood
of Exeter our correspondent stater):—` We have
bad a brilliant week of harvest weather, and ere
in all the height of harvest. Many samples of new
wheat at market to-day, partly of fine quality.
but much of it very thin and poor, having been affected
with rust. Earley seems to have improved within the last
two or three week se
promises a better crop than at first.
Oats and beans are also good." Saturday proved • fine
day, with • strong breeze from the west to the S.S.W.,
and harvest work would again proceed vigorously. From
the thrashing of wheat in the fields previous to Thursday
it has been ascertained that there is a great deficiency in the
yield, and the present comparatively high prices will scarcely
compensate for the short quantity turning out, and if the
great vicissitudes of weather in the spring and up to June
are taken into account, with the severe frosts occasionally
experienced, we can account for • bad yield, and a better
return could not fairly be looked for. Thu weather during
the coming two weeks will be vitally important, and on it
a great deal will depend for the final result of harvest in
England, whilst In Scotland soothe...mouth of fine weather
is wanted to be safes. to the supply of food for the coming
cereal year.

BREACH or PROMISE .CAsz.—At the Sheriff'•
Court, Liverpool, on Monday, lir. Aston and a jury sat
to assess damages in an •etion for breach of promise. The
plaintiff was • hiss Jane Foley, of Birkenhead, and the
attendant • Mr. Higiflald. • commercial traveller for •
Warrington bone and alkali manufacturer. The defendant
did not appear. Plaintiff claimed 5001., but the jury
aw►rded 30/.

THE EXPLOSION AT THE FAVERSHAM GUN-
POWDER WOE/M.—The inquest on the bodies of the two
men, John Lyon and George Bramble, who were killed
by the explosion of a green charge at the gunpowder
works of Messrs. Hall on Thursday morning, was held
on Saturday evening at the Town-ball, Faversham, before
Mr. Tsasell, borough coroner. The first witness called
was John Bolan', who said he was foreman of that
part of the gunpowder works called the Marsh works.
The deceased were employed there as mill-men.
At half-past five on Wednesday evening she deceased
Bramble called his attention to the spindle of the runners
in the mill in which he and Lyon were employed, as it was
getting warm. He examined it, and finding that it was
warm told the deceased to try it a little longer, and U it
got any warmer to stop it. The mill was started again,
and at about eleven it was stopped a second time. It was
not worked again. At 20 minutes before seven on Thurs-
day morning be sent Benjamin Barber to examine the
spindle, which he did, taking with him a labourer named
Pepper. At five minutes to seven o'clock the mill
exploded. He ran to the spot, and saw Bramble, Lyon,
and Barber staggering to the waahhouse ; Pepper was
• little further off. They all said that the fire CAMS
from the spindle. He went and examined the spindle,
and found it quite cold ; at least as cold as the at-
mosphere would admit of. The spindle was kept in its
place by means of a key or wedge and three " washers."
The millwright to examine the spindle would have to re-
move the washers and key, which was sometimes done by
using • copper hammer. On examining the mill after the
explosion he found two of the washers removed and lying
in their proper places, and the third on the spindle. Ile
did not see any appearance of an explosion from the
spindles, nor did he think the explosion . proceeded from
the spindles. Be considered that friction would cause
spindles to become heated, but that they would recover
themselves after a few hours. After hearing other
evidence the jury were unanimously of opinion that it
would be impossible to ascertain the cause of the ex-
plosion, and thereupon returned a verdict of " Accidental
death."

IMMUNITY FROM THE ATTACKS OF BEES.—III
communication received by the Asiatic Society of Bengal,
and published in its "Proceedings," Mr. Horne puts the
question, "To what is due the exemption that some men
have from the attacks of bees and wasps ? One reads of it
in England, and here is another illustration. Yesterday
we arrived at our camp at Soj, and needing the elephant
to go on again very soon, I directed the mahout to feed
him well, and to have him ready in three hours. Instead
of this he chained the said elephant under • large peepul
tree, leaving him to pull down the boughs and browse on
them. He did this for some time, when presently he
seized a large branch, and swaying to and fro, applied
his vast strength to bring it down. He succeeded, but the
crash caused the whole tree to shake, when suddenly
there was a cry in the camp, ' The bees the bees and
everyone was seen running away beating off the said
bees, which descended frees the peepul tree, where
they bad been disturbed by the shaking, and attacked
every living thing within seventy or eighty yards. A dog
even, passing below the tree, did not escape, and was
sorely bullied by the insects ; he shook his head, st.uck
with his paws, and rolled in vain. One man defended
himself vigorously with the tablecloth, which he was
taking away, leaving however his pugree (turban) in the
field. Two men hid under some tent-covering, and it was
strange to see the pertinacious way in which, for more
than an hour, ten or twelve bees flew round at them, oc-
casionally getting under, so that one of the men was
much stun
_g. But it was stranger still to see one of the
Men, a gardener ; he lay sleeping, with only a waist-cloth
on and nearly all his body exposed, under the very tree,
yet no bee touched him ! This man takes a bee's or
wasp's nest, brushes off the bees or wasps with his band ;
none sting him. He could on this occasion have made no
preparation. Why is it? The bees after about two hours
retired to their tree, and the camp was reinhabited."
DUTCH DIIRNISH RAILWAY.—The receipts for
the fortnight ending July 31 amounted to 14,5321.85.
and for the corresponding period of last year to 10,181/.
is. 31d., showing an increase of 4,351/. Is. 41. in favour of
the present year. The receipts since the commencement
of the present book year, on the Ist May, including the
above, amounted to 79,6011. ss. 2d., showing an increase
as compared with the corresponding period of last year of
17,645/. 184. 30. The working expenses for the fortnight
I amounted to 5,9421. lla. Od., or 40.89 per cent. of the re-
ceipts, and for the corresponding period of last year to
4,4601. ltis. 51., or 43.81 per cent., showing an increase of
expenses amounting to 1,4751. 14s. 7d. against the present
year. The working expenses from the Ist May to the
31st July amounted to 33,9761. 19s. lit, or 42.68 per
11 cent of the receipts, and for the corresponding period of
' last year to 43.04 per cent.