The Sun.
London, England, 1865-08-15 00:00:00

Agricultural Prospects,

The week opened with a breezy day, but the
weather became threatening at night, and on Monday
morning a good deal of rain was registered as hav-
ing fallen. This day opened with a doubtful ap-
pearance, and heavy rain fell at 11 a.m. ; though it
afterwards cleared, and was fine the remainder of
the day. Tuesday was more favourable, and harvest
work was resumed generally. Our advices from the
West Riding of Yorkshire stated :—" Since this day
se'nnight the weather has been variable, though on
the whole favourable for the crops, which are now
being cut in all directions. The fields already cut
seem to set up fuller than might have been ex-
pected, especially oats, which have much improved
since the rain which came when they began
to shoot. Some of the wheat and barley
fields are not so bright as could be wished, but will
be a good sample in this locality. Beans are not
so well spoken of, the top flowers not having set ;
but peas are well reported on hereabouts. Turnips
have improved, as well as potatoes, but gardeners
complain much of the green fly among their crops."
From the East Riding of Yorkshire our advices
stated :—" Weather is changeable, a good deal of
rain has fallen, which has interfered with harvest
operations, but no harm is done as yet ; in fact,
should the weather clear up, the rain that has fallen
will prove more beneficial than otherwise." From
Norfolk :—" Since Wednesday last the weather has
been very unsettled, and a good deal of rain has
fallen, consequently but little progress made with
harvest work." From Suffolk :—" It is impossible
fully to estimate the injury done to the grain in the
fields by the rains of the past few days ; but if the
complaints of sprout and damage which reach us
to-day be true, it is very great." From Northum-
berland, on the same day The weather was
very wet and cold on Wednesday and Thursday ;
since then it has been milder, with occasional
heavy showers ; wind varying from N.E. to S.W."
From Lincolnshire, same day :—" Since my last
report the weather has been very unsettled, and
heavy rains have fallen, which have impeded har-
vest operations in these districts." On Wednesday
the morning was quite autumnal, with a thick at-
mosphere, but it held up without rain, being the
second good harvest day, and field work progressed
favourably and extensively. Wind varied from
N.W. to S.W. ; thermometer 66 degrees, barome-
ter as low as 29.35 inches. Thursday was a similar
day, the sun broke through, and it was fine up to
4.30 p.m., when rain set in, and was very heavy for
many hours, with thunder. Our advices on that day
from Suffolk state :—" Since our report of last week
the weather has been generally of an unsettled cha-
racter, and harvest operations have been interrupted.
In most districts a commencement has been made
with wheat, and in some a considerable portion has
been cut ; but at present a small amount only has
been carried. Appearances indicate that on our
heavy and good mixed soil lands there will be a fair
yield ; the light lands are undoubtedly a short crop.
Barley has been improved in its malting qualities by
the rain ; but as the crop is generally bulky, and
the straw is wanting in strength, a good deal is laid,
and if we have a continuance of wet weather the
quality must suffer." From the same county near
the coast our advices state—" Since Monday last we
have had fine bright harvest weather, and wheat
cutting is progressing rapidly round about us. The
little carted at present is in poor condition, and must
wait for spring thrashing. The reports of the wheat
crop continue unfavourable ; quality and yield, espe-
cially of white, will be very different to last year ;
and as the crop is cut- into the dark opinion in-
creases." Friday morning was very unpromising,
and it became quite showery at 1 p.m. From De-
vonshire our advices under that date state, "A good
deal of wheat has been carried during the past few
days in prime order, but to-day we have had heavy
rains, and harvest work is completely stopped."
From the West Riding of Yorkshire it was observed,
" Our farmers are using the reaping machines freely,
and will soon have some wheat put. Some of them
talk of cutting 15 acres per day where the crop is
all upright, and 41 qrs. per acre." Another ac-
count from the same neighbourhood says, " Since I
wrote you on Tuesday the weather has been rather
cloudy, and a few slight showers have fallen, but
not entirely to stop harvest operations." From
Lincolnshire, on the same day, our advices state,
"It is now beyond any doubt that the mildew is
making serious injury to the wheat in this county
generally—less on the high districts and more on
the low, and, in fact, you cannot see anywhere
that golden line which indicates quality and
weight ; and altogether I believe a very bad crop
of wheat will be harvested. Carting wheat
has commenced partially. More rain is threatening."
Saturday was a showery day, and no harvest work
could be proceeded with. On the whole, hurried
carting was gone on with during about three days,
and much wheat must now be in poor condition.
The unsettled weather has come at a most important
period. The atmosphere having been close, and
temperature somewhat high, both sprouted Wheat
and black barley will be the result. From the pre-
sent aspect of the weather, it may be considered as
very unsettled ; and the fear is that no immediate
improvement will take place ; so that, sooner or
later, fine old wheat must be further enhanced.—
Mark Lane Express.

DEATH OF SIR BENJAMIN HETWOOD.—Sir Ben-
jamin Heywood, Bait., one of the oldest and most respected
citizens of Manchester, and a well-known banker, died on
Friday evening at his residence, Claremont, Manchester,
in his seventy-third year.
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NS.--ottTinhgheaVm,ona.nd Georgepre dbe prebend lo
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the Collegiate Church of Southwell, died on Saturday night
last at the Residence-house, Southwell. He. was in his 81st
year. Dr. Wilkins was educated at Cambridge.
A NEW CONVENT AT YORK.—During the present
week a second convent of nuns has been established
in the suburbs of York. Some few months ago premises
were taken on lease without Walmgate-bar, and have re-
cently been adapted to their new purposes. The nuns who
form the convent are of an order which is one of the most
strict in the Catholic communion—namely, Franciscans,
or Poor Clares, or, ag' they are sometimes designated,
" Collettines" or "Observatines," from St. Colette, who was
born in 1380, and who became Superioress General of the
whole order of St. Clare, and caused the members of that
order to " observe" the originalrules of St. Francis, who had
become relaxed. The ladies who are come to York are from
a house of the order at Bruges, and ono of them is an Eng-
lish lady. They are nine in numberi—namely, six choir
nuns and three lay sisters. Their habit is of course brown
woollen serge, which is kept round the body by a
hempen cord, to which is attached a rosary. The head-
dress is of white linen, and is continuA so as to cover the
forehead and chin, leaving only a small portion of the face
visible, and a black linen hood covers all. In the house
they wear no shoes or stockings, but outside they wear
strong wooden sandals. Their beds—which are hardly
long enough to allow of reclining at length—are of the
hardest description, and to this hard couch each retires at
8 o'clock, but rises again at 11, when they repair to the
chapel, where they spend two hours in prayer, after which
they return to rest until 4 o'clock. They then rise for the
day, which in this order is spent in prayer and devotion.
The nuns arrived in York on Monday last, and, after visit-
ing St. Wilfred's Roman Catholic Church, the Cathedral,
and St. George's Roman Catholic Church, where a service of
welcome was sung, they were conducted to their new abode
Hero on that and the two following days they received and
welcomed all who chose to visit them.—Sheffield Daily
Telegraph.