The Sun.
London, England, 1833-07-03 00:00:00

AGRICULTURAL REPORT FOR JUNK

The month of June has been as varied as the cli-
mate of England is proverbially said to be. There
has been much bright, hot, sunshine, storms of wind,
one amounting almost to a tropical hurricane,
rain, hail, thunder and lightning. The general cha-
racter of the weather in the former part of the month
was a continuation of the drought of the preceding
May, in the latter portion the phenomena above-
mentioned have occurred. But even during the
prevalence of the general drought showers were
flying about partially and capriciously, pouring down
moisture and fertility on favoured spots, while all
around was dry and parched. From this irregula-
rity in the distribution of moisture, combined with
variations in the nature of the soil, has arisen a
marked and immense difference in the state of the
crops in various situations. With respect to the
hay, the greater portion of which is now secured, in
the Southern districts at least, nothing can be more
different than the produce in different situations,
and under different circumstances. With res-
pect to ray-grass and trefoil, and what is
called field hay in general, there is every gra-
dation, from a few straggling bents, hardly
worth skimming with the scithe, to a good full
swarth, sufficient to call forth the exertions of the
mower and to content the grower; the scanty crop,
however, is the general rule, and the abundant only the
occasional exception, called forth by moisture and
fertility of sod, or an extra proportion of feeding
showers. The same, with little variation, may be
said of upland meadows, which, though in some
situations yielding a cut thick at bottom, have eel.
dom pushed up their herbage to any height. Sain-
foin, when in the prime of its age, yields a fair
though not full crop; and clover, on good strong
land, is generally bulky; but on thin hot uplands
the drought has been too powerful for it, and it has
frequently dwindled into insignificance. The early
cut hay, which this year forms no inconsiderable
portion of the whole, was secured in excellent order,
where not hurried to the stack in too succulent a
state, so as to produce over-heating ; but where the
old proverb of" making hay while the sun shines"
was neglected, various and too often adverse fortune
has befallen the later mown grass, the showers hav-
ing fallen heavy and frequent. There has been a
large breadth of ray and trefoil saved this year for
seed, which is full and well set, and, if not injured
by the rain which is falling, promises to afford a
good as well as ample produce. There is also a
great inequality in the condition of the corn crops;
less, perhaps, apparently, in wheat than in other
grain, owing to the great depth to which its
fibrous roots are known to penetrate, almost
beyond the reach of atmospheric influences.
But if wheat has been less injured by
the drought than grain of other descriptions, yet
there are circumstances which may induce an appre-
hension of its having received some damage from
other causes. June is the season when wheat puts
forth its bloom, on the due development of which,
and its duration for an appointed time, depends the
regular formation of the grain. The frail, fluttering
blossom, attached to the germen by a slender thread,
is best enabled to maintain its situation, and perform
its office, in a dry, calm, and unruffled atmosphere;
but it will be recollected that just at the critical mo-
ment of the appearance of the blossom, came that
violent wind and hurricane which did so much da-
mage in various ways, and among others, by tearing
off the bloom from the wheat. It is true that in the
earliest sown, or earliest sorts of wheat, the blossom
might have already done its duty, and the kerning
of the grain commenced at the period alluded to, in
which case the danger would be avoided; and in
other instances the blossom may have been partially
re-produced, nature having furnished this important
plant with the wonderful faculty of performing this
operation; but, nevertheless, it may be feared that
at harvest many abortive capsules may be found in
the ears of the wheat, from the injury sustained
at the blooming period. But another and very
serious mischief to the wheat crop may be traced
to the effects of that tremendous gale. Much of
the plant in exposed situations is bent and broken
in the straw; some in weak soils, just above the
root, where, in such situations, it had begun to give
out; in some the straw is broken in more than one
place; and in others the whole is driven onward,
the greater portion and the stalk lying prostrate,with
just the upper part and the ears turning upwards.
Where such circumstances occur, and they do but
too often, it seems hardly probable that the forma-
tion of the grain can proceed favourably, either as
it, regards quantity or quality. Nevertheless there
is a large portion of the wheats which look well,
and, unless a glut of wet should succeed to the dry
weather we have had, promise to afford an early
and abundant harvest. It is in barley that the
greatest variety of appearance occurs. There is
much in mellow, kind, fertile soils, which even
through the whole of the dry weather, maintained
a healthy and prosperous, if not luxuriant appear.
ance; there is much which these rains will Coster
and cherish into a fair and decent crop; but there
is also much which nothing can ever reanimate or re-
cover. Of the early sown, much on thin light soils
at length gave way before the drought : the weak-
est plants withered, and the whole became
thin and spindly. Of the late sown some
never vegetated, and some was irrecoverably
stinted in growth and strength; while luckily
the middle and main sowing maintained
itself in decent mediocrity better than either of

the two extremes. The hot sands, where, in moist
summers, much good barley is grown, present a
miserable appearance, withered up beyond the power
of rain or moisture to restore. Oats, especially on
cool soils, have kept up a decent appearance; but,
though, assisted by these rains, the straw must ge-
nerally be short. The partial showers which fell
before the middle of the month enabled farmers in
those favoured spots to sow their turnips, and there
the hoe has been already at work; but generally
even the Swedes and forward sorts are still in an
infant state, but luckily not much attacked by the
fly ; the main crop of turnips is yet to be sown.
Sheep have turned pretty well out of their wool,
and the clip may be considered as an average one.
Wool has improved in price, and seemsstill inclined
to advance, while trade in the clothing districts is
brisk, with a good demand for the articles manufac-
tured. The corn market, after a temporary advance,
has again receded ; but from the uncertainty of the
turn which things may take, holders of wheat are

not inclined to part with it on lower terms.

The

meat market is brisk, and rather higher prices are
obtained for goodarticles. Sheep stock of all de-
scriptions is dear, and lambs have been selling at
quite extravagant prices. Favourable accounts have
hitherto been received from the hop districts.