The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1841-08-03 00:00:00

HARVEST PROSPECTS

The present crtical period of the crops and the unsettled
state of the weather for some time past have naturally caused
considerable anxiety in reference to the prospect of the har-
vest ; but we are enabled to state, from extensive inquiry,
that in this part of the country the grain crops have as yet
received no injury, and that the rains which succeeded the
dry weather of June, alternating with sunshine, have had a
very favourable effect in filling the ears. The spring-sown
wheat is everywhere thick on the ground, the occasional fail-
ures having been in the fall sown, and the season has been
comparatively free from blight. The crops are now ripening
for the sickle, and, should the weather prove favourable for
ingathering, there is every prospect of more than an average
crop. The harvest has already commenced in this neigh-
bourhood. Some fine samples of new barley were offered in
our market on Saturday last, by Mr. Henning, of Frome,
Wakefield ; and the same gentleman has now 20 acres of
oats fit to be carried.—Dorset Chronicle.

The weather has undergone a most favourable change, the
bleak and stormy showers of the previous 10 or 12 days hav-
ing been succeeded since yesterday by a mild and genial at-
mosphere. Thereis no doubt that the corn crops have suf-
fered more or less, particularly in the low grounds ; but we
gather that, should the present warmth continue, the harvest
will be somewhat of an average crop. Flay is reported as
having been totally destroyed in many of the districts; the
potatoes are good, and the vegetable world is in prime heart
and abundance.—Cork Southern Reporter.
The dry weather of the early part of the last and end of
the preceding week was threatened on Tuesday morning by
that all but certain precursor of rain—the rapid shifting of
the wind from one point of the compass to another. Heavy
rains did accordingly fall in the afternoon and evening, suf-
ficient to put a stop to all field labour, with the exception of
a few patient weeders of potatoes and singlers of turnips. On
Wednesday thunder storms fell at intervals, which must
have been both frequent and heavy higher up the country,
if we may judge from the dark and muddy waters which the
Nith rolled down on the day following. Since then the wea-
ther has been dry and wonderfully warm, seeing that the
wind has blown all the time pretty readily from the east or
some points nearer the north. This favourable tide has been
made the most of, and in all dry and kindly fields a fair
average crop of rye-grass hay has now been secured ; in some
instances, however, not without considerable damage, from
the long-continued rains of the earlier part of the month.
Turnips and potatoes are now coming beautifully away,
many of the fields of the latter plant presenting an unbroken
mass of green, telling the plough pretty plainly, " thou shalt
not come again amongst us."—Dumfries Courier.
On Tuesday the cutting of some very fine, strong, and
full-eared wheat commenced in the West of England, on the
coast of the British Channel, near Clevedon, which is about
12 miles beyond Bristol. It is true the fiels are favourably
situated, on high and dry grounds, surrounded with thick
lofty hedges, and clear from the force of any other winds
than westerly ; but there is all round that country a vast
deal of corn, chiefly wheat, that will soon be ready for the
reaper ; so that, however it may suit the interests of " Mark-
lane" to raise an alarm, if the weather only holds up tolerably
well, there may yet be a well got-in harvest. In the West
of England, especially in the district above alluded to, there
has been by no means such successive and heavy rains as
characterised the experience of places between Somersetshire
and London, and beyond the metropolis—only slight showers.
If the weather only prove favourable now, there must be a
very abundant harvest. The wheat generally is most pro-
mising, strong in the straw, ears full, large, and firm, and in
many places it is rapidly ripening. Oats and barley also
losk uncommonly well. As to beans, judging from their
universal appearance in Berkshire, Oxfordshire, Somerset-
shire, Wiltshire, &c., there were never better fields of them
—clean, fresh, strong, and high, beyond what are usually
seen, In truth, fine weather now only is wanted to bless
England with as abundant a harvest as man could wish.
In this city, during the present week, the 41b. loaf has
been raised from 7d. to 7id, and some' are asking Bd. ; but
under what pretenceit is difficult to divine, except that cer-
tain wealthy dabblers in the corn trade may be anxious still
further to enrich themselves by an inundation of bonded
wheat, when that of home growth shall have reached a cer-
tain price, commanding but a nominal point of duty on the
foreign article. The farmer, therefore, who now keeps his
grain out of the market may assist in raising prices, but
without any good effect to himself, and with positive injury
to his own countrymen. We aver that high prices cannot be
permanent, judging from the present state of the wheat crop,
which, in the neighbourhood of this city, and most other
places from which we have received authenticated reports, is
exceedingly sound and healthy ; the plant is also free from
blight, and the ear is full and plump. We only awaiting
the genial effects of a few days of hot weather, and the har-
vest will commence with vigour. A Hereford correspond-
ent, under date July 26, says—" The present sunshine will
have a most beneficial effect upon the grain crops, which, it
would be wrong to deny, have sustained some injury from
the long-continued rains. The wheat crop, in particular,
does not present that light, rich, and golden appearance
which it is desirable it should do at the present period. and
on light lands it is very thin ; there is no reason, however, to
despair of an average crop. With respect to the hops, the
yards never wore a more favourable appearance. The plant
is topping the polls most beautifully, and will soon be fully
in burr ; it looks mast luxuriant. The badly also looks
well, and peas and beans will be abundant. he price of
flour has considerably advanced.—Worcester Paper.