The Express.
London, England, 1850-06-11 00:00:00

AGRICULTURAL PROSPECTS-THE CROPS.

The present season bids fair to afford, by its
abundance, a compensation to farmers for the
wretched crops they had in 1848. Last year was
not a bad one, and the wheat crops in particular
were in most districts remarkably good: some of the
clay soils, however, having proved exceptions. This
year has been very favourable to the strong soils,
and the crepe upon them in general look better than
we etc :llect to have seen them for some years past.
Of course there are partial complaints; for nothing
can be more various than the degrees of cultivation
bestowed on different farms : and, of course,
there are some fears expressed as to the ultimate
produce of the wheat crop ; for when did the British
farmer forego his inalienable right to doubt and to
grumble? Upon the whole, we do not remember
more cheerful accounts of the growing crops than
are given of those of the present season ; though
the markets for both grain and stock have rallied
somewhat from their lowest points of depression,
prices are the main objects of present complaint
amongst oar signcultansts. To the prospect of mode-
rate prices the farmers are becoming accustomed, if
not reconciled, and the idea of restored protection
has become such a dreamy notion as the hallucina-
tion that the country would be ruined by ash pay-
ments was to the agricultural mind of 1820-24. Talk
to a farmer about the prospects of husbandry, and be
will tell you that ruin is inevitable with large classes
of his brethren, but he usually makes some special
reservation in his own case, as the reason why he
may yet get "bread and cheese ;" and this ideal ruin is
only to be arrested by a re-enactment of the corn-
ier', which, however, he admits to be altogether im-
possible until after another general election, probably
three years distant. On such twaddling dreams do
full-grown men of business affect to rely. It is satis-
factory to see that though they talk thus loosely,
they are exerting themselves in various degrees
according to their several opportunities, to improve,
their cultivation, and to meet low prices by increased
production.
And in truth a good deal of the farming outcry, of
which protectionist landlords are trying to make po-
litical capital, has a double aspect. If by helping
these landlords to re-enact the law of monopoly, they
could get higher prices by means of an artificial
soareity,the great body of farmers would not be sorry ;
but if they can't recover protection, and few of them
really expect to do so, they imagine they may fairly
call upon their landlords to reduce rents, which on
their own showing cannot be paid without protection.
The attendance of farmers at protection meetings is
no index of the feeling of farmers on the subject. A
correspondent, speaking of a meeting of that sort,
which took place a few months since, and of which a
great deal was attempted to be made by the monopo-
list writers, mys "Two of my neighbours told me
they went solely because they were not sure how
free trade might ultimately affect them, and that they
might have it to say to their landlords, we did our
best to keep or get again protection, and that there-
fore they had a good claim for a reduction of rent."
Aod this is a key to a great deal of the clamour and
discontent manifested by farmers. Now we by no
means say that they are not fully justified in
demanding reductions of rent, both on the
premises laid down by the landowners and
from the terms on which they hold their farms; for
we believe it to be certain that if low prices prevail,
the tenants who occupy from year to year, or who
are overrun with game, er otherwise oppressed by
the prevalent system of English landlordism, will not
be able to farm with profit and pay much, if any, rent.
All this, however, landlords and tenants can et right
by arrangement between themselves, and when left
to themselves they will probably soon contrive to do
so. All this is somewhat digressional, our object
being to slow from various sources what m the pre-

Sr -
mat peoepest of the baser, so Iwo lewd. the
steam and his growing Grope. Eves the dolorous
Mark-lane Essirsee Guard eatirelyjinore the fine
weather and healthyappaa of ti growing crops,
though it draws tl gloomy peedietions of
lower prices. In last Monday's review of theyorn
trade we are told that "the wattleer having been
highly auspicious for the growing seeps, and the re-
ports from all pens of the idealises agreeing in
describing the appearance et die cora fields es
meek improved, the unessiasse caused by
the nopropitioes character of the weather in
the earlier part of May bee bees is a great measure
diripatea." To this is added that the wheat plant
does not wear so promising an septet as it did at the
corresponding period of last year. That the pre-
sent anion is more backward than last is certain, but
with each weather as we have enjoyed lately it may
not eventually prove a late harvest. It has been a
general remark that fir the last fortnight or three
weeks vegetation has made wrists; progress; in
fact, it is more like what we hear of when the spring
opens in milder climates than aaithing we comm only
me in this country. Barley sad oats, beans sad peat,
are aimed universally good] while the green
crops are also very goal. Potato's have been
planted very largdy i and the
_reparations for
roots are rester than usual. With a moderate
share of showery weather during the next six weeks
there will be a great produce of turnip., for the land
has been brought into fine order. The consumption
of wheat at this moment is admitted to be immense,
and there is certainly not a large stock in the hands
of our home growers. Of barley little home grown
remains. In the agricultural report for May of the
journal we have mentioned, it is stated that "from
most parts of the country, and especially from the
leading districts, we learn that the stocks of barley
are nearly exhausted; foreign qualities are therefore
supplying nearly the whole of the demand. As these
are turning out remarkably well, the want of English
is not much felt, but prices are likely to be well sup-
ported forsome months to oome."
The foreign barley imported has proved of signal
benefit to farmers, for at 17.., 18s., and 19s. per
quarter, vast quantities of foreign barley have been
bought and used for feeding purposes, with excellent
results. And the various local reports are hopeful
In Berkshire it is said " the wheat, on the whole, is
looking well, but in many place, it may be growing
too weakly, for although there has not been any
great quantity of rain this spring, we have had but
little sun, and on some strong lands the wheat and
other corn plants seem to require warmth
It has been an excellent season for bringing up the
barley and other spring corn, all of which have
started well ; but the wireworen has been busy with
it, and the cold winds have cut it up sadly;
we consider the plant is rather thin on the
ground, and where the land is not in good con-
dition, it looks patchy, and thus " tells tales." Where
farmers attempt to grow corn crops on land not in
good condition, they can scarcely expect decent crops,
yet from divers causes a great part of the land of this
country cannot be said to be in good condition." The
Berkshire reporter says, " There is a larger breadth
of corn this season than usual, for many farmers are
resolved to quit their occupation, being anxious to do
so with some small wreck of their property." This is
all stuff: farmers whom property has been wrecked
by anything which has hitherto taken place must
have held more land than their means enabled them
to manage properly, or must have laboured under some
other obstacles to good husbandry. That a large
breadth of corn has been sown this year in most
counties, we believe to be true, fur the season has
been favourable for getting in the seed, but we do
not believe that any great number of farmers are
likely to quit their occupations, exc:pt here and
there a few who cannot, or will not, exert themselves.
Sheep have rather advanced in price, and there is a
good demand for them; but cow stock is cheap, and
large store: pigs do not meet with very ready sale.
Cattle now grazing are not doing well, as the winds
have been cold and the grass is short and backward.
How any man who expects to make a profit from a
crazing beast could turn it out of doors to shift for
itself before the recent warm weather our
comprehension ; grazing in the fields will and
bye be generally given up exception the very rich
pastures and marshes. Everywhere else, at all
evenrs, it is the:most wasteful mode of ‘onsuming the
reduce of land.
From Somereetshire it ,is reported, the effect of
the late heavy rains and some local storms on the
crowing wheat has been " that it is weak and heavy
in the leaf; with a wet season the ensuing month it
is likely to be laid." The burden of straw will be
great, and if the weather be fine and last, the grain
will be good also. It is said to be " now evident that
the stock of wheat is in few hands, and less than for
some year,. The millers and bakers being short of
stock, and the consumption large, the present supplies
are not adequate to it. . . With a good crop
prices may come down; but if anything happens to
mar our prospect of a fall crop either of potatoes or
wheat, the advance may be 10s. a quarter ; as it is,
foreign will be needed to help over the harvest." Ail
this business-like information greatly belies the
glo.my predictions of would-be alarmists. Lean
sheep have advanced in price in Somersetshire, but
lean cattle are low, 61. and 71. being said to be the
highest prices obtainable for three-year-old steers that
have worked for one year.
The reports from Surrey are more cheerful. The
reporter says "all cereal crops are admirable • the rye
has long been in ear, wheat full in plant, and it was
very little affected, even during the keenest period of
the east winds. Barley and oats are healthy and
strong. All the fodder crop., tares, sainfoin, clover,
and mods, exceedingly deep and luxuriant." The
advance of the oak tree into leaf before the ash is
generally regarded as the prognostic of a fine summer,
and at this time the oak leaf is more than corn-
menly developed in comparison with the ash leaf,
The Northamptonshire reporter says of the wheat
that it is " generally looking well, bat wants more
sunshine; it has got very (leggy of late, and does not
grow very straight and strong ; and some of the red
land wheats are looking thin and uneven." Here too
it is said " there is but little wheat in the farmers
hands, excepting the more opulent ones, who have
been holding back for better prices." There have
been several incendiary fires in Northampton-
shire ; though, " the labourers generally are
well employed, excepting some old men, who
used formerly to get employment at weeding at
this season of the year, but who must now give way
to more youthful and vigorous hands."

In Cambridgeshire there is the same complaint,
that the wheat, from its recently rapid growth, has
too much flag, and the stem is not sufficiently strong.
With warm, dry weather it is admitted that it will
do well. " Barley has also grown mat rapidly
daring the last fortnight, and on all but the badly
drained and badly farmed lands the crop must be very
bulky." In this county it is said that " any ma-
terial abatement of rent is the exception, not the rule."
In Cumberland there has been a great quantity of
land planted with potatoes, that crop having proved
hat year very profitable to the farmers in that district,
from "the extensive demand which exists in the
Lancashire markets." Hese, it appears, "the low
price of farm produce has not yet checked much the
demand for draining tiles, which have got pretty well
cleared off during the season • this has been in favour
of the labourers who have been better employed than
could have been expected considering the price of
grain.* The low price of grain has much
to do with the use of draining tiles and
the consequent employment of labourers in drain-
ing, because it is mainly when prices are low
that such improvements are undertaken. In the
actual state of English husbandry, and the existing
relations of landlord and tenant, periods of low prices
and " agricultural distress " will be invariably found
to have been those from which the most widely ex-
tended improvements have originated. Whatever
they may say, Englishmen, albeit protectionists and
I alarmists, do not readily succumb ; and the difficul-
ties of husbandry from low prices may always be
surmounted by energetic exertion.