The Sun.
London, England, 1865-08-28 00:00:00

CUMBERLAND.

The long-continued rains and the warm temperature of
the air had such a serious effect upon the grain crops that
the farmers of Cumberland were beginning in the early part
of this week to entertain gloomy apprehensions with regard
to their cereal crops. Some of the barley and oats had begun
to show signs of sprouting, and it was feared that much
damage would thus be done. On Wednesday, however, the
weather took a'favourable change ; the rain ceased, bright
sunshine prevailed, and a dry wind blew with most bene-
ficial effect upon the stocks standing in the fields. Since
then the fine weather has continued, and much progress
has been made with the harvest. There is, however, a
general complaint that shearers are scarce, and this dearth
of labourers retards the operationi of the farmer conside-
rably. With regard to the yield of corn, reports from va-
rious parts of East Cumberland concur that wheat will fall
_ _

little, if anything, below an average. Barley is also ad-
mitted to be a fair crop. Oats are said to be inferior in both
quantity and quality, the long drought having not only
made the straw short, but the grain thin and far from so
good a sample as last year. The reports concerning potatoes
and turnips are more favourable. The rains have proved
very beneficial to the turnips, still the crop, though much
better than had been anticipated a few weeks ago, will
be under an average. Potatoes promise to be a full crop,
and the pastures and aftermaths look very well.

NORTH NOTTINGHAMSHIRE AND SOUTH
YORKSHIRE.

All the white corn has been garnered on the light soils
in North Nottinghamshire, and all the large farmers to
the west of Retford have all but finished their harvest.
The yield varies considerably, and although beneath the
average of the last two years, it is proving better than
had at one time been anticipated. On the clay soils
the wheat, most of which is cut, is remarkably good, and
also on the manly and black soils. On the alluvial soils the
wheat is spoken of hopefully, and all that is required is dry
t condition,The
early
potatoes
weather. Barleys have generally been secured in
andtatowe is are being
g
will prove veof goodotoff
q
malting.exeellen
utlailiety for
land,
and are in much greater yield than many of the growers
had expected, and they are at present entirely free from
disease. Turnips have made considerable improvement,
owing to the late rains, but these cannot be a heavy
crop this year. The bean crop is not a heavy one. The
pastures and aftermaths are completely resuscitated, and
they have not looked better for many years than they
do at present. In South Yorkshire the probable yield of
wheat varies in many localities. On the south side of Don-
caster wheat and barley is indifferent on the sand lands,
while on the wide district west of the town the straw is
short, but the straw is crowned with a good ear, and the
yield may be pronounced an average one. Barley is indiffe-
rent in many places. Oats are below an average. The late
rains have greatly retarded, but have been of vast benefit
to root crops and to eddish and pasture lands.

THE NORTH OF IRELAND.
(From the Belfast Whig.)
The past week has been showery and sometimes cold,
but not without frequent gleams of sunshine, and for
the most part conducive to the growth and ripening of
both cereals and green crops in places where they
have not yet arrived at maturity. But dry weather
would now be more advantageous, so as to admit of
harvesting operations being pursued with due vigour. The
cutting of grain is proceeding as well as the weather will
allow, and a great deal of oats and wheat have come under
the sickle and reaping machine. The reports as to the
quantity and quality of cereals are very similar to those of
last week. Oats will be short in the straw, but of an ave-
rage yield ; while the crop of wheat, though little has been
sown, will be larger than usual. Turnips and other green
crops are exhibiting a remarkable degree of vigour under
the influence of the present rainy weather, and are shoot-
ing up wonderfully. The quality will also be good, but,
in the most favourable view, they cannot be expected to
.
produce a really good crop. The seed was generally late in
being sown, and all that was not put into the ground early
will be a short yield. The flax is undergoing the steeping
and grassing, although in some favoured localities it has
passed through all its stages, and been sent to market. The
yield is still reported light ; but the quality is said to be
better than for many years, so that it is not unreasonably
assumed that the remunerator of the grower will be about
the same as last year, when the yield was greater, but the
quality not so good. The rains are benefiting the meadows,
but there are complaints that they will still be light. Front
one place in the county of Down we hear of the potato dis-
ease having made its appearance, and affected three-fourths
of the crop on one farm. In alll other directions the crop
is stated to be of the most excellent description, both as to
quantity and quality. A large breadth of land was sown
with potatoes this season, so that any extensive blight
would be most disastrous to the agricultural community
who have risked so largely on the fortunes of their old but
fickle Mend.

A FOREMAN BILLED ON A RAILWAY.—On Friday
morning, as the train from Holyhead due at Chester
the
buffer,e
neglecteduponwhichhim,and
the side, hurling him against the embankment, and killing
him instantaneously.
PEE-HISTORIC IMPLEMENTS FOUND AT ELBA.
An interesting archaeological discovery has just been,
made in the island of Elba, the particulars of which have
been communicated by M. Simonin to the Paris Academy
of Sciences. A number of bronze and stone implements
have been found, nine-tenths of the latter being made of a
flint entirely unknown in Elba, and which must have been
brought from Naples, if not further. The principal articles
found, beginning with the most perfect, are arrow heads of
a long triangular shape, recallingthose which have already
been found in Greece and Italy; knives, similar to those
found by MM. Lartet and Christy, in the caves of Aurignac,
&c. ; scrapers, also similar to those found by MM. Lartet
and Christy, and resembling those now used by the Esqui-
maux ; adzes, of the same shape as those found by M.
Boucher de Perthes, but smaller ; nuclei, reminding one of
the pains de beurre of Pressigny, and also other objects of
indeterminate form. The discovery of remnants of the
Bronze Age in this island explains a piosage of Aristotle
hitherto obscure, in which he remarks that in Elba bronze
was worked before iron.--Thre Reader.