The Statesman.
London, England, 1821-09-14 00:00:00

HARVEST.

In consequence of the present unseasonable weather,
speculation is at work to raise the price of corn to in
unwarrantable height, and to circulate reports of the
most gloomy kind to promote their purpose. It is
stated, on what authority we know not, that the late
heavy mine have been more severely felt on the Conti-
nent than in England, and that ail the country on the
banks of the Rhine has become a scene of inundation
awl distress. If the speculators should succeed to
raise the price of grain to such an average as to cause
our ports to be opened, we have little doubt, notwith-
standing the present reports respecting foreign crops,
t'.at our farmers would soon complain of an inunda-
tion of foreign corn. The supplies of wheat have been
CO immense since the commencement of the differences
between Turkey and Russia, that the overflow into the

putts of the 31editerranean will, it is said, have the ef-
fect of considerably reducing the prices in all the

places I'D that coast. his therefore not the interest of
the British farmer to co-operate with the speculation of
t'be.ro;rvcs i,i grain.
EDINBURGH, SEP:S. 11.—During the last fortnight
ire haic experienced fine and warm weather, which
'has most beneficial etTects on the harvest. blany
farmers will finish cutting this week. A great num-
ber of shearers were hired yesterday morning at the
West Port, from 161 to 2s. per day:
FROM THE EDINBCRGII STAR. 3
BERIVICKSHIHE.—In the course of the month of
lingnst there were fourteen days on which we had
showers, hut no con inued heavy fall of rain. These
•phewers were most copious on the Ist, Gth, and fore-
noon of the Sill, and a very gentle rain fell during the
greater part of the 31st ; but these rains, however ge-
nial an .I refreshing Wilke crops, were in no instance
iu such quantity as sensibly to affect the rivers or
stren streatcs. There is a great deficiency of water
fur the wills, awl also for cattle on many farms where
Ocre are no springs. The effect of the rain was less
upon tl.e pastures than upon the crops, ail of which
have greatly increased in bulk since the favourable
change in the preceding month, and •owing to the
warmth have come to a much earlier harvest than was
cnre expected. Turnips base improved in the
same proportion, and on proper soils promise to
turn out a fair average. Putatees ;Ire considerably
'short of their bulk at the same period last year.
We heard of some fields of corn • that were cat
down ale:ut the I Ith ; in several places contiguous
-harvest began from the 17th to the 2lst, and was ge-
nera; in the lower parts of the country by the end of
Haoi.th. Wheat is evidently above a fair average
crop. In a few instances smut is observed, but it Is
,14 no means general. Barley also, and oats on good
soils, will give a fair return on the barn floor, although
they may not fully reach' the hulk of ordinary years.
&Pi intliffereut and gravelly toils they are very light.
Peas in many instances turn out beyond expectation.
All grain is ;aid to be good in quality. New oats
have given S stones and nearly a quarter per boll be-
side dues.

The prices of stock were still on the decline during
tie mon:h. At Melrose fair there was the largest show
of sheep anal lambs ever remembered iir Oat market;
1 :cal 1:03111( sold from its, to I as. a-brad, and, one
rarrel a little higher. The average of good stoclewas
Onaut 125.; prime Cheviot ditto from ss. to Gs. 61 add
Pat:heal faced ditto, 3s. to ss. 6d. Cheviot wedders at
Ss to 15s. Gd. and bred ditto Dunmonts, 21s. to 23a.
There was a good deal of business done, bat on about
lower terms than last year. At Mune on
the 2.S la there was a pretty full market of gnotl cattle,
but almost no dealers from the south, and campara-
-t: rely few so 1.1; the best fat MS said to reach 7s. per
st "tie, lintel', sinking (Ails. A number never got
oSer for their cattle, and how can tenants in
s.:cla via-ous antes settle their arrears with dun-
r!'tas t.tctors and callous proprietors. Sherears are
en,:a::•eal at 1 Is. to 12s. for women, anal 12 shillings
to 13s. fur men per week, with victuals. A great many
reapers have arrived front the north and west country,
chiefly Irish ; and we observe several of theni returning.
The gr.:in markets have 'been plentifully supplied, and
may he quo. ed :—wheat, 41s. to 455. ; barley 21s. to 245.;
oats, ISs. to 215.; and peas, 265. to 2:35. per boll at six
Winchester bushels, but they are looking downaiard.—
TLe quartern loaf is 9d. and the shearers' dinner loaf
and mutton and butter the same as in our
last report. The herring fishery commenced in . the
course of the month, but they are not yet so plentiful as
usual on our coast.
September 5.
PEtrrosittna.—The effects of slight hoar frosts have
been visild eon potatoe foliage. In the lower dist ricts shear.
it, commenced about the 24th; and in Strathmore aeon.
siderable quantity was cut by the 30th. The very dry
state of the soil has brought forward the ripening pro-
C:,3 sooner than was expected, whether it may have
proved seriously hurtful to the tipening grain remains
to he ascertained. On thicirlands, in good condition,
the grain seems ; on
• .
g..a.. n.ot every description appears light: Wheat is
much infected with smut, the increase of which seems to
have been favoured by the season ; in other respects the
reurn is as mach, or rather more, than was anticipated.
Oars on light soils are a very light crop. Barley is late,
and ripens irregularly. Beans and Peas will yield an
ordinary return. Potatoes do not swell freely, and if
mu :attire does not soon reach their.roots, the return will
be sadly deficient. Turnips that came up about the 24th
of July have made Bala progress and will yield little
bulb. The second tutting of grass is very light, and in
wary instances will not cut.
The harvest is going briskly forward in almost every
part of this district; bat some farmers that were ready
to load have been wisher interrupted by the refrashin g
showers that haw fallen within' the last three days.--.
The demand for shearers this week has not been cOn:
s derable.—(Dumfries &stiles%)
• WATERIPOiIh &PT. B..—The supply of new Wheat at
market yesterday was very large for the beginning oftigr
• season. In the early part dike ilav;our last qnotatioii
were obtained, but subsequently the demand slackened
considerably, and 'the price become quite unsettled
in the afternoon, few parebaseis would exceed Ms, for
the best, and middlieg&ssples Were bought at 275. to t:ts,
Most of what Is offering. Is 'Uri soft, .and much of it
more whim injaiid by the rain, which, of coarse, sells-.
at very inferior prices—flat, as farmers are naturally.
anxious to get off their. Worst grain es early is possible,
-t be quality of what is now cortiliw in cannot be consider-
ed a fair specimen of tIO gem ciadition of the crop.

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