The Sun.
London, England, 1854-08-28 00:00:00

THE WEATHER AND THE CROPS.

DIIRHAM.—The hay harvest in this district is nearly'-
brought to a close, and the crops have been far from:e-
au average one. The farmers have generally com-
menced 'cutting their wheat and barley, with gOod
crops and tolerably fine weather. Oats seem to be a
little behind, but, with a continuance of this favourable
and prolific season, will soon be ready for the sickle
or scythe. The reaping machine not being generally
in use, a great importation of Irish reapers has arrived,
and will find full employment, and we trust a good
and speedy harvest home. The growers of potatoes
have been grumbling about the blight, and it is feared
not without some reason, but, as it appears to be later
this year, we hope eventually that it will be removed.
—Newcastle Journal.
NORTHUMBERLAND.—The harvest reports from the
various districts of the country continue to be highly
favourable. Reaping has begun in all the southern and
midland counties, and nearly finished in the more ad-
vanced localities. Everywhere the crops are spoken of
as most luxuriant, while the damage from storms has
b been partial
fora
few
more andnotweeks
exte ntshiveere is
e
. If fine weather
reasont
con-
tinuesobelieve that the product of the present harvest will be
almost unprecedented both for quantity and quality.
As regards the northern district, a good deal of wheat
and barley has been cut down this week. The harvest
has been piogressing very favourably, and notwith-
standing occasional interruptions by the weather the
yield is likely to turn out very satisfactory. The effect
has been apparent in the general depression of prices in
the corn market, ; and it is the opinion of many expe-
rienced, well-informed persons in agricultural pursuits
that in less than two months the average price of wheat
will range from 6s. to 7s. per bushel.—Newcastle
Journal.
arenow atthtehoeffemoateffect
o fcrtiht critical period
weather
ld
on
the entire y. --We
ear as regards
ttihoen c
or of ptsh,
ea nd
wh
ea few
ntin finethi daysthis
didistrict
rwi
cotu would
adm.yaktoe
for the
large pcirsickle.-
The last two, days have been showery, but at intervals
the sun shone brightly. Several of wheat and
barley have already been cut.
Mr. Jogn g, of Low
Burn-hall, and Mr. Brown, of Hird's-house, have both
commenced cutting. Harvest operations have likewise
commenced, on a small scale, in the 'neighbourhood of
Hartlepool, and around Sedgefield there are several
fields ready.—Durham Advertiser.
WORCESTERSHIRE.--T E HARVEST.-- The weather,
which at the commencement of the week was rather
showery, has now cleared up, and the last two days have
been all that could be desired by the "harvest-hoping
swain." We are gratified to find that the iztelligenoe
received from all parts of this and adjoining counties,
and indeed the kingdom generally, concurs in represent-
ing that the wheat crop will prove a full average one,
and with favouring weather will be secured in excellent
condition. The prospect of a good harvest is not limited
to this country, as both on the Continent and in Ame-
rica the yield is represented as being likely to prove
most abundant. This is very cheering, amid the pres-
sure of war expenses and the apprehensions of pestilence
and its ravages. The crops of barley and oats are well
spoken of everywhere. We regret, however, to hear a
continuance of complaints respecting the potato disease.
—Berrow's Journal.
THE RYELAIVDS.—On the rich alluvial flats, upon the
sandy slopes and sunny hills of this important corn-
growing district the golden hues of harvest now gladden
the interesting scene of rural beauty. The sickle, of
pristine simplicity, is now busy in the field, and stout
stooks stand thickly to reward the husbandman who
has watched their growth with anxious care and pride.
We have seen some splendid specimens of Brewick s red,
grown upon the New-house farm, near Stockton. Some
of Spalding's, and a sort called Donna Maria, grown
upon the Sutton farm, are magnificent specimens, both
as to ear and straw. These, together with specimens of
barley, grown by Mr. Nock, of Sutton, and J. Anstice,
Esq., have been selected as specimens of the crops for a
celerated house in the corn trade in London. At coal-
port, on a six-acre field, very much impoverished by
previous crops, he informed us that it was one of five
stems, averaging 28 pods each, and that the total num-
ber of beans exceeded 500 each. The field altogether
has returned a first-rate crop.—Shropshire Conservative.
MONMOUTHSHIRE. —Never in onr recollection have the
prospects of an abundant harvest been more encourag-
ing than at present, so far as this district is concerned.
The wheat crops are particularly fine and well beaded,
the barley is thick and strong, oats good, and beans
kindly podded; and roots of all kinds are healthy and
growing. In the neighbourhood of Staunton, upon a
dry hill, the crops are heavier than ever we saw them;
and the same may be said of wheat and barley in the
neighbourhood of Newland and Coleford. But upon
He welsfield Court, where we have so frequently spoken
of the extraordinary improvements which have taken
place in the agricultural development of the country,
some of the crops surpiss everything that has ever come
under our observation. In one piece of ground there
are 60 acres of Swede; without a single faulty spot, and
finer and stronger than any, we believe, in the fertile
counties of Gloucester and Hereford. Indeed, an ex-
perienced agricultural friend, who has latterly seen some
well-cultivated districts, tells us that he has seen nothing
to approach them, except a piece upon the farm of Earl
Bathurst, near Cirencester, and even these are far infe-
rior to them. Upon the same estate the corn crops are
magnificent.—Monmouth Beacon.