The Sun.
London, England, 1862-11-07 00:00:00

AGRICULTURAL PROSPECTS.

Although deluges of rain have fallen during the
month, causing damaging floods, and much retard-
ing the wheat sowing on the heavy soils, the tem-

peratnre generally has been high for the season

and vegetables has made rapid progress. The
pastures never presented a more verdant appearance
in autumn, and the growth of the root crop has been
truly surprising. Up to the middle of September it
was considered that the turnip crop could never at-
tain more than two-thirds of an average, but so
rapid has been the growth of the backward sown,
that a full crop is now calculated upon,which with a
luxuriant after-growth of grasses, together with a
a full crop of hay, has filled the country with keep
for every kind of cattle. This operating in con-
junction with a short supply, has raised the price
of sheep very materially at all the later fairs, to the
great satisfaction of those dealers who purchased at
the comparatively cheap fairs held early in the sea-
son. The farther the thrashing season advances,
the more is the deficiency of the wheat crop con-
firmed. Although of superior quality,the quantity
in many localities is yet declared not to exceed the
yield of the memorably bad year of 1860 ; and the
great fall in price leaves the farmer, who depends
chiefly on the returns of his own crop,in a very un-
satisfactory position ; and it is quite clear that the
surplus left for himself after discharging his rent
and tithe, and paying his labour, is but ver3 small.
The improved system of cultivation now become
general involves a much greater outlay than for-
merly, and the rent of the country within the last
few years has advanced from 15 to 25 per cent.
arising first from the temporary high prices prevail-
ing during the Crimean war, aided by competition
for farms consequent thereon, and the amateur pro-
pensity of indulging in farming pursuits which has
sprung up amongst the trading and commercial
classes, who have a little spare cash, and who are
content with a much smaller percent9ge of profits
than is sufficient to maintain the farmer, whose sole
dependence is on the land he cultivates. The same
elbowing and jostling for a living is now quite evi-
dent in the agricultural world, as in the different
departments of trade, to the certain advantage of
the non-producing classes at the expense of the
struggling producer. The shortness of cash is fully
shown in the unsatisfactory results of the agricul-
tural sales which have taken place duringeow.
autumn. Agricultural implements arereduetion
plete drug, and horses go a-begging
of full 20 per cent. ; the only unable
sheep and cattle, with which foreignersndfortunate it is
successfully to compete with us, a
_,,innina
this one source of remuneration yet rl-
- rather
thing bulb?.
m►►ch
the British farmer. The weather
very n
autumnal till4;c, now ntt:ll being
roughly fine
unfavourable for autum thoroughly
but it in-
early season it is of great either being
in vogue, and without doubt in a
or to neglect
to keep an extra number
work on the farm, at this
wolves the serious resay:of
horses,
folding attention. In a late
time imperatively
the
influence of a wet, showery
other most i
harvest, or under
is frequently lost, for if the
season, the labour
half cleaned, which under the
mpordtaenul
stubbles are onlyt
named would be the case, the
circumstances last
land requires as much labour in the following