The Sun.
London, England, 1868-12-23 00:00:00

AGRICULTURAL PROSPECT' S.

Last week opened with a damp, dull day,
there was no rain. Monday morning was fine,
although of a doubtful appearance ; still not
much rain fell until five p.m. when this was very
heavy. Wind S.S. W. ; thermometer 52 deg.
barometer 29 .80in. In Ireland the weather bas
been very wet and stormy, with rain and gales
alternately. In parts of the south the mills have
been stopped by floods—a somewhat unusual cir-
cumstance ; and in that country wheat sowing
has been procrastinated, and is now in a back'
ward state. In Scotland the weather has been yell
boisterous, and so much rain has fallen that all the
streams have been in heavy flood. Agricultural.,
operations have been interrupted, and autumnal
wheat sowing has not yet been concluded. °II
Tuesday the weather held fine throughout the
day ; but very heavy rain was experienced at eight
p.m. The temperature was high, and barometer
down to 29 50in. Land is too wet for any word
to be done on it for the present. Our adviees
from the West Riding of Yorkshire stated
" The week opened with dull but rather drier
weather on the whole ; slight frost at times." Fre°
the East Riding, it was remarked : " Weather i 5
still mild and open. A great deal of rain has fallen
il
and the low lands are in many places flooded ;still
the growing wheat plant looks well, but frost would
.
now be beneficial, to prevent its top exuberant
growth." From Lancashire it is observed : "Frost
still keeps off, and we have had unusually Irn'ti
weather. Agricultural operations pregress favner,;
ably, there being no interruption to field labour.
Other advices from the same county state :—"rrbe,
weather continues mild, with a good deal of rail)
Wednesday proved a showery day ; wind still
blowing strongly from the S.W. ; thermometer 511
deg., barometer 29.30 in., with the land too much
saturated to be worked upon for any purges e,
Thursday morning was fine, but rain fell tte
t
afternoon, and the gales continued to be vinledri„
in many places. From Warwickshire our //
vices stated—" Reports of the potato continueto
very unsatisfactory, and it behoves holders
keep constant watch against the ravages Of t"lo
disease." Friday was tolerably fine, but heavy rain
fell at night, the temperature remaining very bibll,
Our advices from the West Riding of Yorlolllre
~
stated :—" The weather continues mild, with stre.oo
breezes at times, and heavy rains in the Digo,
chiefly, so that the grass is greener than at 133 a
summer, and young cattle seem to do well ere
it, where they get warm lodgings at night." 1:11.1.0
was not much rain on Saturday ; the ternper37e,f,
rather lower. Wind W.S.W. ; thermometer 48'. 1:t
baromoter, 29.80 in. The drenching rains atl3l.tig
throughout this week must have done 500131
I a'
towards replenishing the water in the webs/
to
tend to give the millers who work on var
o°g
streams additional power, which they have
wanted. The upward movement in the trawl,
one week before Christmas is somewhat nunsuroi,
but not the less acceptable to our agriellit
for
friends, who cannot complain of the prices pa' o 0
barley, which averaged this week 465. 9cl'
ly
73,677 quarters, whilst that for wheat was onsg
495. Bd. on 53,771 quarters, so that barley 2
brought, in the 150 towns making return able
week, £26,272 more than wheat. —Mark
Express.