The Sun.
London, England, 1866-06-26 00:00:00

Agricultural Prospects.

The week opened with a breezy day, and some
smart showers at intervals. Wind W. Monday
morning was wet, and it rained great part of the
day, proving very unfavourable for haymaking.
Wind S.W. Thermometer 57 degs., barometer
29.60 in., and still falling. Tuesday was a tolerably
fine day, slight rain only falling at 3 p.m. Our
advices from Lancashire on that day stated :
" The weather has been changeable ; frequent hail
showers, with a low temperature for midsummer,
yet all the growing corn and root crops throughout
West Lancashire are favourably reported of, though
vegetation is more backward than usual, and a late
harvest seems probable. The farmers speak less
favourably to-day of potatoes, but of all other
well." From the West Riding of Yorkshire it was
remarked—" We have had almost :continuous rain
since Sunday night, and it should now supply the
springs. The late-growing grass will thus stand a
chance of doing good, and all other crops have plenty
of moisture." Another account says—" We have had
two very wetcold day, and the growing crops cannot
make much progress this very cold weather." From
the East Riding it was observed : " Weather for the
last few days has been cold and uncongenial, and a
great quantity of rain has fallen already, more than
is beneficial to the wheat plant, and a continuance
of such would soon be detrimental, and endanger
the coming crop." Fro.n Suffolk the same day it
was stated—" Gloomy wet weather, with low tem-
pera,ure, does not favour the growing crops, which
look backward and not promising." From another
part of the same county our advicrs say—" We have
had nice growing showers, and our crops are evi-
dently improving in appearance, although our pro-
mise is not first rate ; room for improvement."
From Northumberland it was reported—" The
weather was fine on. Thursday and Friday, but with
those exceptions it has been damp and cold since
our last, with showers of hail on Sunday. The wind
has veered from E. to S.W. and N.W." Wednes-
day was a cloudy day, but with scarcely any rain
until 5 p.m., when there was a slight fall for two
hours. From the west coast of Scotland it was
stated : " The weather is warm and dry." Thurs-
day was a warm sunny day, and most probably
much hay would be put forward. and perhaps on to
cock, being thus safer. Wind was L.S.W., to
S.S.E. Thermometer 64 deg., barometer 29.95
inches, and falling. There was a smart thunder-
storm from 9 to 10 p.m., with very heavy rain.
This appears to have extended from the south to
the north coast of England at about the same time.
On that day our advices run frem Hertfordshire,:
—" Hay-cutting has now commenced generally :
corn. is improving ; but wheat will not be a heavy
crop." From Warwickshire it was said :—" We
have had another week of showery and dull, but very
growing weather, and the crops, especially of grass,
have improved wonderfully." From Suffolk it
was remarked :—" During the week we have had
cold weather, with some rain, until yesterday
To-day is again warm, but the appearance is
still unsettled. As regards the crops, we do not hear
much actual complaint, but there is a general feeling
that of wheat we cannot expected a full quantity."
Friday morning was threatening and cloudy, but
cleared up, and turned out a very warm day, with
the wind from N.W. From the West Riding of
Yorkshire we hear, " We have had a very fine sun-
shiny day, the first we have had for three weeks."
From Lincolnshire our advices say, " Rain has at
last fallen, and now there is too much of it, for the
land is too wet for working, and consequently tur-
nip sowing does not progress. The growing corn is
wonderfully improved, and there will be a good
prospect for harvest unless the fall of rain should be
enormously great. There was never less in the
farmers' hands than at the present moment ; so, if
Germany prohibits the export of grain, there must
be a very considerable advance in price on this side.
Turnips promise badly, the fly being very destruc-
tive." From Devonshire : " Weather become bright
and hot, and hay-making going on in earnest. The
gtowing crops look healthy, but during the last week
farmers say barley promises better crop than wheat,
the latter not only being thin on the land, but ears
small. A. fortnight of hot weather will enable us to
speak more decidedly about weat." Saturday was
fine and warm, mostly sunny, a prime hay day, and
this work will go on satisfactorily wind N.N.E. to
E. Last week we closed our markets by encourag-
ing the agriculturalist to look for immediate im-
provement in prices. This has taken place, and the
prospects are more cheering than for a long time
past, so that those who hold stocks may derive no
little benefit from so favourable a change.—Mark-
lane Express.