The Sun.
London, England, 1867-05-29 00:00:00

AGRICULTURAL PROSPECTS.

Last week opened with; fair and favourable day,
although there was not much sun. On Monday
morning some slight rain fell, but the weather was
afterwards fair up to 1 p.m., when rain again set in,
and continued up to 11 p.m., but being gentle, with
a :rather higher temperature, this was considered
favourable for the crops. Wind N.W. to S.W. ;
thermometer averaging 60 deg., with the barometer
down to 29.55 in. Tuesday was a very wet and cold
day throughout, and no field work could be pro-
ceeded with. Wind N. ; thermometer down to 50
deg. Our advices were as under :—From Lanca-
shire—" The weather of the past week was very
cold and checking to vegetation, and in some
parts of the country storms and heavy rain were
experienced ; but on the whole considerable advance
towards the completion of spring-corn sowing is
reported, though without forcing weather hencefor-
ward the maturity of the crops will necessarily be
somewhat late." From the West Riding of York-
shire—" Since Friday we had a change of wind and
two fine days ; but on Sunday evening it went
round, and has since been very cold indeed for the
time. This will check the growing crops, especially
spring corn, and tend to retard the progress of all
cereals ; and the state of the stocks here would be
rather alarming if we had not been in a similar
position before—that is, to do almost without
English wheat for several months of the year,
and the local millers in the agricultural districts
w ill now want all the good they have about
them." From. Suffolk —" Since our last the
weather has been very variable. The week began
with a brilliant sun by day and a chilling frost
by night, which, following the tropicAl heat of the
past ten days, has turned the flag of the wheat and
barley crops to a yellow hue, and destroyed the
potatoes where exposed ; since which we have had
another change to rain and a cold wind, with a low
temperature." Wednesday morning was cold, after
a slight frost; snow and hail showers fell during
the day. Our advices were as under. From the
east of Scotland : " The weather since our last has
been cold and ungenial, far from favourable for
any growing crops." From the west coast : " The
weather continues unusually cold for the season,
with a north-east wind." From Devonshire, in the
neighbourhood of Exmouth " Winter whoht looks

very well here, but it is very thin and patchy when
you examine the fields. Spring wheat is not looking
at all well, and has quite a yellow appearance in
many places. Barley looks best of all. Oats also
look well, but will not be a heavy crop from
appearances at present ; but there is one of the
finest crops of grass I ever saw, and with warm
weather there will be a very heavy crop of hay."
From Norfolk, near the coast : "The weather is so
cold and ungenial that vegetation is quite in the
check. The barley has suffered in this district, and
does not promise so well as a month since ; genial
rains would help it, but the plant is lost in places.
Wheat is well spoken of, and, the weather being
dry, the plant has not suffered, but it progresses
slowly." Thursday morning was cold, after a
sharp frost reported at Birmingham to have
registered seven degrees, the only instance
of such severity in this century recorded in the
fourth week in M ty. Oar advices came as under
—From Suffolk, near the coast :—We are getting
unusually sharp, cold, backward weather again,
with continued storms of hail and rain, which will
not help on nor improve vegetation. We greatly
need a nice genial atmosphere, or our harvest pro-
spects, which on the whole were not unpromising,
will quickly and permanently recede." From an-
other part of the county it was stated : " The
weather during the week has been unsettled ; yes-
terday we had frequent snow and hail storms, and
the temperature has been very low, with frosts at
night. The effect has been to check vegetation,
and instances to injure the potato plant." From
Warwickshire :—Weather ha 3 been very change-
able during the week, chiefly cold, with
N.E. winds ; and yesterday we had alter-
nately rain, sunshine, and snow—most unusual
for the end of May, and very trying to vegetation
generally." From Buckinghamshire : " Cold nights
have prevailed of late. Warmer weather, we
fancy, is wanted. Lent corn in the ground is look-
ing tolerably well." Friday morning was cold, and
slight frost registered injuring the early potatoes.
From the West Riding of Yorkshire : " Since Tues-
day the weather has continued cold—even winterly,
with rain, hail, and snow at times—especially on
Wednesday, when we had succession of ' lamb
storms.'" Saturday was cold, dry, and breezy, and
spring-tillage must be about finished, except in the
very latest districts. Warm genial weather is now
greatly needed. If wheat-ears are formed before
the mouth closes, such information would be useful,
as by these some opinion may be formed as to the
probable time of harvest commencing, that is with
favourable weather.—Mark Lane Express.