The Sun.
London, England, 1866-08-07 00:00:00

Agricultural Prospects.

Last week opened with some heavy showers at
intervals, with the wind from the south-west; but
with the night fine, and strong breeze. Monday was
a fine breezy day, wind north-west, thermometer in
the morning 62 deg., and 68 at noon ; barometer
29-80 in. Tuesday was a wet day, with a much
lower temperature, and most unfavourable for har-
vest work, which had commenced more generally
the previous day in all the early districts. Our
advices were as follows :—From the east coast of
Scotland :—" The wheat crop on the ground at
present seems to be almost universally acknow-
ledged as nothing more than an average at best ;
still supplies from the Baltic seem pouring in, and
reports of the crops on the Continent sound less
unfavourable than formerly. After a heavy fall of
rain we have sunshine and a return to a warmer
temperature." From the West Riding of York-
shire :—" Since I wrote to you on Friday the wea-
ther has continued showery and unsettled, with
heavy rain and wind last night, and it is still squally
and rough. The crops are much laid and twisted
about in this neighbourhood ; but I trust this wea-
ther has not extended far, at least not the wind,
though the rain will do much good, and was greatly
needed." From Suffolk :—" The weather has be-
come very dull and unsettled ; our corn comes to
maturity gradually, but well. The absence of sun
keeps harvest back, and it will be quite three weeks
before new wheat is sold on our market. The ap-
pearance of the crops is generally improving."
Wednesday was a doubtful morning; but the day
held up, and was much warmer than the previous
one, so that cutting would go on steadily. From
the west coast of Scotland our advices stated :
" The weather was fine yesterday and to-day,
though not settled, after heavy rains on the three
previous days." Thursday was a wet, warm, and a
muggy day, with a very close and thick atmosphere,
which preyed a most unfavourable one for the pro-
gress of harvest. Our advices were as follow from
Suffolk, near the coast :—" Since Friday last, with
the exception of yesterday, the weather has been
unsettled, cold, gloomy, and wet ; luckily the crops
at present are not dead-ripe ; this temperature
will effectually check premature ripeness, and
quite prevent any early lots of wheat coming to
market. Wheat-cutting has partially commenced
in this district, but will not be general for another
ten days ; so that, with the most favourable
weather, we shall have but little at market dur-
ing this mouth." From the interior of f Suffolk :
" Since last Friday there has been a great change of
temperature, and some quantity of rain has fallen,
which has much hindered the commencement of
harvest operations. Several fields of wheat are,
however, cut, and, with a return of fine weather the
harvest will be general. From Surrey : "The
harvest here is progressing most favourably ; all the
early fields of Talavera wheat are being cut, and the
rye, also early pieces of barley. Next week I expect
most of the wheat will be cut around here, and in
Sussex a good deal will be done ; as also some parts
of Hampshire, near the sea coast. Altogether, I
think favourably of the crops in these three counties,
particularly as compared with appearance some six
or eight years ago ; and in Wiltshire, Dorset, and
further west a great improvement had taken place.
The weather has been showery for the last day or
two, but the fall has done more good than harm
altogether." From Buckinghamshire : " Wheat
reaping is now general in our neighbourhood ; the
quantity and quality very much. My own crop is
much laid, and will be full two sacks per acre below
that of last year. Beans, peas, oats, and barley aro
poor. Fine weather is noNN much wanted to enable
the reapers to get on with their work." Friday was
slightly showery, and a somewhat unfavourable har-
vest day. Our advices were, from the east coast of
Yorkshire : "The weather since our last has been
very unfavourable, a great quantity of rain has
fallen, with a low temperature and little sun. The
crops are much laid in the district, and a continu-
ance of the present untoward weather for even a few
days longer would be very detrimental to the coming
harvest." From Lincolnshire : " The weather is ex-
ceedingly wet ; though as harvest has not yet com-
menced here, it is not of so much consequence. The
grain does not ripen much, and harvest seems no
nearer this week than last. At present no damage is
the crops, and making them
done beyond lodging
worse for harvesting; but if rain should continue, the
prostrate crops would soon sprout, and, any way, the
quality of the large crops must be affected." From
Devonshire, in the neighbourhood of Exeter: "A
large extent of corn cut, and a considerable amount
stacked ; but as the weather has been unsettled and
threatening, without, however, coining to much rain,
wheat has been stacked, instead of standing out
long enough to be thrashed in the field. This will
defer the appearance of new wheat in our market.
Some slight showers fell on Saturday ; but a brisk
wind all the day would do good in every respect,
and a large breadth of corn would be cut down and
soon ready for the stack, or if fine weather should
prevail, some of it may be thrashed in the fields,
and brought to market in fair grindable condition."
Our advices are, and will no doubt continue to be,
of great interest at this most important period, on
the turn of which so much depends even in a na-
tional point of view.—Mark-lane Express (of yes-
terday).

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