The Sun.
London, England, 1840-02-06 00:00:00

_E:v ENIN G EDITION.

AGRICULTURAL REPORT FOR
JANUARY.

The season is so extraordinary, so anomalous, that
we con arrive at no precise conclusions from analogy
We have frequently noticed a prevalence of rain and
flood in January as usual phenomena of mild winters,
but, of late, it has been our painful duty to report,
month after month, a continuance of the wettest and
most gloomy weather imaginable. Still, as a whole,
January has improved, for, in the first place, the month
entered with a temperature mild as Spring, the mercury
of the barometer progressively rising till the 4th (the
new moon), when it receded a few cents., the wind
veering by the south from west, to east and north-east,
with continued rain throughout the day. Subsequently
the mercury rose gradually to 30 in. 38 cents., the air
became frosty, and the atmosphere serene. This state
of the weather, which continued till the 13th, was very
beneficial to the land ; the floods receded, and the fal.
lows were thoroughly searched by the keen frost of the
6th, 7th, Bth, and lth, which penetrated to the depth
of eight inches. Change of wind to west brought a
return of mild temperature, gloom, and rain. The sin-
gularly silent state of the air (which we might almost
style one of dead calm) from the autumnal equinox to
' the middle of January, then gave way for the first time
to—first, a brisk south-western current, and then to
strong and fitful gales which still recur. These, and
some of their consequences, have been noticed in all the
capers ; it, therefore, only remains to say that heavy
showers, sometimes mixed with hail, have been frequent,
And each cloud has been preceded by a powerful gust of
.vind. These partial currents have, generally, been
!tilled during the intervals of rain, and then the sun has
broken forth with brilliancy and power. The character
of the weather, after the 15th, was fickle and changea-
ble, but sufficiently rainy to reproduce many floods.
We have made it our business to seek for in-
formation on the condition of agriculture, after so
many unpropitious trials, and we are happy to
state that no one has expressed alarm. Our own
observations lead us to view things pretty well
as they were ; the ground remains saturated with
water, and is cold. Wheat is looking green and
healthy, but thin in some places—not, however, patchy
as in 1838. It is said that slugs or other vermin have
destroyed some of the roots ; but the plant is expected
to tiller fully, and thus supply every deficiency. Clover
does not stir, but turnips are fine and abundant ; the
young stubble Dutch continue even to grow. We find
no general report for England in the British Farmer's
Magazine. From private sources we collect what fol-
lows ;—" From Derbyshire we hear that the wet wea-
ther prevented the sowing of fallows with autumnal
wheat, and, therefore, the as erage quantity of seed was
not then got in. The early sown is looking well, but
the latter is scarcely out of the ground. In the wet and
ungenial parts of the county, field beet and turnips have
proved nearly failures. The (=razing land was never,
for the time of the year, lookingl better, and hay is
abundant, thus there is plenty of food for sheep and live
stock. They are scarce, however, and fear is enter-
tained that a considerable portion of the sheep is af-
fected with the rot, more particularly in the flats of this
country."
Our respected correspondent is, we are aware, alive
to apprehension, and for this we make allowance. He
mentions, however, two important facts, which claim
local and general attention. First, the farmers, not-
withstanding the high price of all the produce of the
land " do not appear to improve in any way whatever ;
and this has always a tendency to impoverish them."
It is truly lamentable that the cultivator of the land
is ever in the rear of the march, but this truth calls
aloud upon the renowned English Agricultural Society
to strain every nerve to rouse, by example, the ener-
fries of those who stand in so much need of a stimulus.
When will it, in earnest, think to establish arrricultural
schools, wherein experiments upon a wide scale may be
carried through, not in one but in a dozen different
sittutions ? Nothing will be done effectually till facts
and inductions be clearly revealed. Hereby the society
would decidedly nationalize itself ; increased produc-
tiveness would be a far more efficient Corn-law coun-
ter-agent than recrimination and party abuse.
The second point alluded to by our correspondent
is spring-sown wheat, which, he siys, is much practised
in Nottingham and Yorkshire. Should this answer, as
I hope it may, there will open a new field for the pro-
ell .tion of this staff of lite. The season of the sowing
app7oaclies, and therefore the period between the pre-
sent date and :he Ist of March will be critical. The
Spectator, remarking upon a former observation of ours
on Spring-wheat, rnis-stated our views. We alluded to

the plain fact of the farmer having been unable to get
ei all his autumnal seed, and welcomed the good result

a widely extended spring sowing. We exp7essed
o aarrn whatever, and meant to communicate none.

From Hertford we learn, from our correspondent,
" That the grain which has been generally sown as
usual, is looking as well as can be desired, though,
course, on very wet land, the seed has not yet been
.!own." He adds, "I am not aware that this is the
case in the immediate vicinity ; and in n.ost instances
in which the sowing is not. completed, it has been pur-
pos -ly loft for the Talavera and other fine kinds of
..
;rain. On the whole, the reports are favourable. Stock
remains about the same as for some months past, and
the lambing season has progressed tolerably well, though

- -
the wet weather has not been propitious to sheep.
\ Butchers' meat fetches about the same price as it did
at this time last year, and bread is cheaper—we are now
paying 9d. the quarters loaf." Floods have not been
high, considering the protraction of wet weather. The
frost of the Bth January was 19 degrees, i. e., 13 de-
grees of Fahrenheit. The gales commenced about the
period before alluded to, and had then continued a week.
From all that we have said and quoted, it is mani-
fest that the prospects are not discouraging, but may
be rendered so, unless the rains speedily decrease.
Itnprovernent is indicated by facts not to be misunder-
stood or neglected. Drainage will effect much, because
it includes, first, the detection of imperfections in the
subsoil ; second, the regular removal of all superfluous
water ; and, finally, the deep comminution and im-
provement of the staple soil, whereby permanent ferti-
lity is greatly secured, and equability of moisture and
temperature promoted. We hope, ere long (on the
authority of Mr. Pusey's excellent essay), to lay before
our readers the Flemish method of tillage. It is very
instructive, and will convey much matter for reflection.

LAW INTELLIGENCE.

SHERIFFS COURT, Fin. 4.
(Before Mr. Under-Sheriff BURCHELL and a Common

Jury.)
A NOBLE SMOKER.—This was an action brought by
Mr. Joseph Hudson, of Oxford-street, to recover the
sum of 1471. 3s. against the Right Hon. Richard Wal-
ter Viscount Chetwynd, being the balance of an ac-
cout for cigars.
The plaintiff's attorney stated that from the 25th of
April, 183.5, to the 6th of September, 1886, the noble
defendant was supplied with cigars to the amount of
1361. 16s. Subsequently to the latter date Lord Chet-
wynd had cigars of the value of 261. Ils. forwarded to
his mansion at Bicester, in Oxfordshire, making
in all 1631. 7s. From this amount a sum of 161. 4s.
was deducted for cigars, which his Lordship re-
turned, leaving a balance of 1471. 3s. A copy of
the account had been sent to the defendant, and his
solicitors had been served with notice to produce it in
Court. Several applications were also made to Lord
Chetwynd for payment, and on the 6th of November,
1837, he wrote the plaintiff a letter, wherein he stated
that he had made arrangements to settle his account,
and he expected to be in town in a week for that
purpose.
The Jury found a verdict for the plaintiff for the
amount claimed.