The Sun.
London, England, 1862-04-24 00:00:00

THE WEATHER AND Tij E CR OPS.

With regard to agricultural prospects in that
county, the Sussex Advertiser says :—" The peck
of March dust' has come in April. In our last, we
spoke hopefully of the change from rain to dry
weather, though recording the prevalence of keen
and cutting winds, and an unusually and unseason-
ably low temperature. Since then a change has
taken place; the wind, which had blown from north
and north-east, veered round to the west on Wed-
nesday night, and on Thursday the temperature
was comparatively mild and genial. Still, though
the wind has been westerly, it has not a genuine
April or spring character. On the contrary, it has
been boisterous and cold, and so drying as to bring
the dust so anxiously looked for in March.
The result, however, has been to produce the most
satisfactory effect on the soil, Farmers have been
enabled to get to work upon the land in good earnest
and everywhere the greatest activity has been dis-
played in getting in seed. It is to be hoped that
the delay which has taken place in this respect will
not be so disadvantageous as was at one time feared.
The weather has been most propitious in drying
the surface of the soil during the past nine or ten
days, and the previous rains will doubtless prove
beneficial, should a warm temperature shortly be
experienced. Indeed reports state that a capital
seed bed has been the result of the recent weather,
and it is easy to believe that, should we shortly
enjoy the blessing of a genial spring tempera-
ture, a very brief time will serve to compensate
for past backwardness. With regard to vegeta-
tion generally, no doubt some evil was experienced
from the frost and extremely cold winds which
lately prevailed, but we do not hear of any serious
damage. As a whole, vegetation is decidedly back-
ward for the time of year, but nature is doing her
work nevertheless. Of the wheat crops, accounts
speak favourably. Apprehensions were beginning
to be felt at the end of March, owing to the con-
tinued wet, and the plant was in places looking
spindly and getting a yellow hue. The change iu
the weather has already, however, done much to
vanish anxiety on that score, and an improvement
is already visible, Altogether the general prospect
is cheering, and a very little warm weather would
produce a marvellous effect. The month of May is
now so nearly at hand, that we may reasonably
look for the desired change ere long, and when it
comes we shall rapidly forget the anxieties and de-
lays of the past, and look with hopeful anticipation
to the future. The weather prophets are resolute
in their predictions of a hot summer, and if regard
be had to the general agricultural aspect of the
country, there is every ground to believe that there
will be ample crops for the summer's sun to ripen.'
In the county of Kent (says the South-Eastern
Gazette), up to the sth of March, the weather was
generally favourable for agricultural pursuits. A
large quantity of spring corn has been sown, and
farming operations were in a forward state. The
remainder of March and the beginning of April was
unusually wet, and put a total stop to sowing,.
so that now, instead of being forward, we are match
behind. The wheat crops, upon the whole, is look-
ing well, although the plant upon the clover lays
has been much thinned by slug and wire-worm, and,
a great breadth has been greatly injured in the low'
districts by being flooded. The spring corn sown
previously to the wet came up quickly, and looked
well ; but since the rain ceased, we have had sharp
frosts, and a great deal of the barley and oats is
upon a stand, looking very yellow, and fast losing
plant. The backward sown, therefore, should the
weather prove genial, may be the best when harvest
arrives. Beans and peas are up well on the dry
soils ; but complaint is made of the beans having
rotted in the ground on the wet undrained lands.
The clover plant, which generally, during the
winter, did not look healthy, has suffered from the
late frosts ; and the grass, which was getting very
forward, has received a great check. Swedes and.
wurzel hold out better this spring than has been
usually the case, and cattle food is now very plenti-
ful, though sheep have done but badly through the
wet, and a great many lambs have been lost. The
sharp frosts, it is feared, have injured the forward
cherries ; but should the weather henceforward
prove favourable, we may yet have a fair sprinkle
of fruit. The planting of potatoes has been much
delayed, but is now fast progressing.

Four statues, representing Music, Comedy, the
that Palais-Royal, is Roule. Around
Drama, and History, are being placed on the fagade of the
new Theatre Historique, in the Place du Chatelet.
A handsome basin has just been cons4ucted on
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a border 9 feet wide, planted with flowers, and a foot pave-
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