The Sun.
London, England, 1826-08-01 00:00:00

MONTHLY AGRICULTURAL REPORT.

The long continuance of drought, and absence of those
seasonable and genial showers, so indispensable to the
health and improvement of most of the earth's produc-
tions, must necessarily render the present inferior in good
promise to 'our last report. Wheat, as its nature, has re-
ceived less damage than any other crop; and, in fact,
granting a favourable harvest, will nearly answer our most
sanguine expectations. On lands of the best quality and
the best farmed, the bulk of wheat appeared great, both
in straw and corn, and both the aereitble quantity and the
quality will equal the best years. On middling and thin
sous the ears appear*. small, the calks short and weak,suld
the whole not bulky. We have nevertheless seen, on
poor stony soils in this county, wheat under the sickle
which promises between three and four quarters per acre
of white wheat, the sample tine and pure, the blight upon
an ear here and there
,not reaching beyond the chaff; Of
a selected plant among the heads, the stalk was stout,
more than a yard and a half in length, and the number of
kernels in the ear 68; the average number of kernelsper.
haps 40. It is, in the common phrase, a wheat year; the
anaverethe quality fine,
withq and the straw clean
to
discolouredb e above
or
smutted,and pure. • The wheat crops on the Continent: and Ire,
quantity
ntivteyryprom little promises
land bear much the same report.
It is on the spring crops that the drought has had such
an 'unfavourable, and,' too generally, rtunous effect. • In-
deed, it is a god-send where any of these have escaped,
and may possibly turn out productive. Of barley and
oats, in some parts the former, in others the latter, have
suffered the least injury; but in none can there possibly be
a productive crop. The beans and pease have Suffered
still more, short in the haulm, thinly podded, and eaten
up by the blight insect. Both those and oats. we have
seen cut green in Kent and Essex, as fodder for live
stock, the grass being entirely consumed or burnt up.--
The artificial Fusses and seeds have suffered in the same
degree, sainfoin excepted, which is generally said to suc-
ceed with wheat. Potatoes are complained, of from yeti-,
ous parts; but they appear in this county with a deep and
healthy green, which is really, promising; and, in fact, the
culture. is, so extensive, that there need be no apprehen-
sion of an adequate supply. Of hops we hear few
or no
complaints. The hay harvest, a very light one, was
quickly and successfully finished; but much of it was
really made before it was cut; and that which 'had much
making afterwards, must have been so exhausted of its
juices, that it could retain little substance or condition.--
Of turnips the tale is disheartening; sown and renown I
they were still blighted and dpiotired by the blight insect
and should no further sowing take place, there cannot be
half a turnip crop in the country;--a misfortune to our
winter-stock feeding system, as would seem scarcely to
admit of any remedy. But the twenty-four hours of
rain, commencing on the 22d instant, p. as. with all
the appearance of its being general, has, it may be
hoped, afforded us an adequate
remedy. It is not
yet too late to sow turnips with the prospect
of a useful crop, This soaking rain will also have
the best effect on the stubborn clods of the clay-land
wheat-fallows hitherto al ether practicable with the
tege er impracticable
strongest teams. The early sheep--shearing proved fort"-
nate, considering the heat and drought which ensued.
The cattle have suffered excessively, from the flies, and
in many parts from want of water, most of the resources
of that kind being dried up. The hives, it is said, will
not be productive this year, from the bee-flowers being
exhausted of their fragrant juices by the excessive heat.
In wool, no improvement in demand or price—itock piled
upon
,stock, both here and upon the Continent. No
demand fOr bark. From the scarcity, it is remarked,
that the price of beam, will exceed that of wheat. Most
kinds of fruit are in great plenty, nod ii productive crap
of the cyder apple is expected. Live stock, both fat
and lean, meet but a dull sale in the country; indeed,
considering the prospect for winter keeping, the demand
for stores cannot be very brisk. Prices of horses, of all
descriptions, still receding. The present harvest hie
been among the earlieit. Wheat was cut in Essex in
the 'first week of thiS month. The Lent corn, much of
it, became too suddenly and early ripe,
before it had at-
tained fullness and maturity. The spring crops in scot-
land are of better report than'ours in the South, and
C
wheat harvest in the arse Qf 00wrie will probably cern-
utence next week.

A rat was caught in a trap, at Dover, A few days
ago, having two heads entirely formed, but closely
united ; when found, it was considerably mangled, but
it his been preserved in spirits,--Wartack Aclvertiser.

ROYAL MANCHESTER INSTITUTION.

On Wednesday last, a public meeting ofthergovernona.
of the Royal Manchester Institution, was held. in the
Exchange dining-room ;B. A. Heywood, Esq, in the
Chair.

- In opening the buSiness of the meeting, the Chairman
expressed his hope that the proceedings of the ,day .would
be conducted with moderation. He was aware that sone
dissatisfaction had existed amongst the governors: he ut,i
derstood that the committee had been blamed for the el'
pence to which they had already gone; but he would ob-
serve, that the determining on the erection of a splendid
was the work of the governors at large, and, in
his opini
on, that determination was right. This nada
had now arrived at such a pitch of refinement, that it
would not tolerate what was moderate and middlingeitber
in literature or the arts. In matters of literature, for in-
stance, it would. not tolerate modern poetry; nobody'
would read it, and, in matters of taste, it would not, 40.1 a;
rate modern architecture. -He (the Chairman) had, in tbs
first instance, been the advocate, of moderate building;
he had made a`motion: in the committee in favour
of a
moderate building, . but nobody had seconded what he
said, and he Was now of opinion that they were right. '
There were other subjects which would most likely
come before the governors; for instance, it had been pr•
posed to join this institution with other institutions. 'lin!
had led to some difference of opinion, but, he hoped it
would be kept in mind that their objects were the same,
and that, on some satisfactory principle, they might be
joined hereafter. He begged pardon for having so long
occupied their time he intended merely to speak his
sense of the importance of the meeting, and to express his
hope that it would lead to some satisfactory conclusion.
Mr. G. F. Bury, the Secretary, then read the report°
the last general meeting.—Manchester Guaidian.