The New York herald., 1879-07-15
Harvest Prospects Destroyed
by Continued Rains.
THE AGRICULTURAL SHOW.
What English Farmers Think About
American Competition.
LOOKING FOR BETTER TIMES.
Popular Opinion and the Feudal
Land Laws.

LONDON July 3. 1879.
dense dun-colored fog ovcrspreading the sky
like pall through it. but not breaking it, descend
Ing torrents of rain; gas lighted in houses at
midday; big soft coal fires in erates--such is
the Sd of July in London. In living memory there
has not been such deplorable. summerless year as
this graceless 1872 Tho continuance OF the wet and
chilly weather into the second half Of the year has
been loudly lamented by society. Not single fash
ionable out-of-door event but has been spoiled by
the rain. Ascot and Henley damp and dreary.
the university cricket match interrupted by
deluge and the agricultural show which the Queen
was to have visited day before yesterday, has been
spoiled. and the absence OF Queens weather ac-
counted for the absence Of the Queen.
THE HARVEST PROSPECT.
Now. however, matters getting really serious
and there gloomy forebodings to the harvest.
The rivers are overfowing. the crops almost
drowned, flowers are scarce and backward. The red.
red rose that's newly blown in June, to which the
poet likened his love, has not blown yet and it will
have to do it's best to be out in July, judging
from the present condition of the atmosphere "The
cycle Of tempests and foods" says provincial
paper. referring to the last HERALD storm warning
now accomplished fact), sis said to be still in
progress. for serious atmospheric disturbance is
now on its way the Atlantic and will prob
the 9th inst The depression will bring heavy rains.
thunder storms and gales from southerly
and northwesterly direction. This will have
the effect Of delaying the hay harvest. and
probably will damage that which Ia already cut.
The corn is somewhat weak in the stem, owing to
the constant moisture III which it has been STEPPED
and heavy gales may have the effect of laying it be-
yond the hope of recovery. The lookout. there
fore. in the immediate future is very disquieting
All that do is to hope that with the progress
of summer. something like summer weather may
be vouchsaied us at last. However the public may
take it. the farmer-poor fellow!-cannot help fore
boding a further time Of anxiety and Distress He
has already trials enough and little able to bear
m increase Of them. But he must submit. He Is
absolutely the creature of the weather All his con-
trving avails nothing when rain and storm assail
him."
ENGLAND's DEPENDENCE
The moral Of it all is that what with the severity
of the and the existing state Of British agri
culture matters have come. or are rapidly coming
to serious pass. "a time will come-and that at no
dstant perod-when Great Britain will be unable to
purchase foreign food il her productions are
beaten out of foreign markets. So long other ma
tions will buy the surplus of our manufactures we
can well afford to take their food in exchange And
yet it is not desirable that the productive powers of
the home country be lowered. even if our manufac-
lures rising in demand. After ALL the stability
OF nation depends upon it's capablty OF feeding
and eQuipping Inhabitants. Any dependence upon
foreigners Is q symptom that the balance is against
The three bad hArvests of 1875, 1877 and 1873
have largely contributed to the commercial and in
dustrial distress which has much suffering
and ruin. Inefficient a2ric ulture is standing cause
for deficient harvesis, and therefore becomes ques
ton which ranscends almost all other questions for
those who govern the State and tor those who call
themselves British citzns.''
DECLINE AGRICULTURAL PRODUCE
Such comments OH TIE agricultural question
becoming more and more frequent in the English
journals, and the Agricultural Show has given the
preachers. who have hitherto preached and warned
almost in vain, q fresh peg on which to hang their
sermons. "The depression OF the agricultural in
terest. says the Standard. has passed into the
region of serious discussion. and is recognized by
the most sceptical as one or the most perpex-
ing and disquietins phenomena OF the present day.
Nobody would venture now TO make it the subject
OF a good -humored joke as was done with the
alleged distress which followed the repeal of the
Corn laws. II the exquisite humorist who drew
Ye Manners and Customs Of ye English were at
work now should have no more caricatures of
agricultural dinners nor of the Parliamentary gen.
Aenan persuading the farmers that they
ruined. We confronted with q solid and severe
fact-namely that the value of the agricultural prod
of the country has within the last three years
declined by twenty-five per cent. and that too.
well managed farms where money has been
spared on cultivation. Words could not tell
palmer story. and plain speaking is now necessary
TO awaken the English people to proper apprecia-
tion or what viii soon become for them the burning
question OF the day.
THE AGRICULTURAL SHOW
1t Is long time since the Royal Agricultural
Society OF England held its annual show in London
and it will probably be still longer they attempt
TO hold 1t here again 1t was held by many to be
mistake from the beginning the Cockneys not being
precisely agricultural people; but the chance OF
doing big thing with the Prince OF Wales pres-
dent was too tempting for the arstocratic patrons
OF the society. and so about year ago the bog at
Kilburn, on which the show yard was erected.
hired and aborers set to work produce the result
or Management have certainly had deal
.,,ssl to contend with; i They had, chiefly. the
each day since: but then rain-persistent unyied-
ing rsin-is no new thing in England and one would
have thought that the very fact of the rain having
beer persevering would have put them on their
guard and prepared them for the worst. But no;
throughout all that huge hed-"a world too wide
for the purpose-there had not been the slight
est attempt to make trench drain it. There tho
water lodged. and instead OF being drawn Off il was
allowed to accumulate. 1t was perfect Serboniau
bog.
THE SHOW AND ITS LESSONS.
To the general public the show offered q chance
they seldom get OF seeing 50 many valuable agrcul-
tural horses, cattle OF descriptions food pro-
ductions. &C.. and no doubt 1t Will have its good
effect In that way. But cannot avoid looking at
the whole thing In connection with the present state
Of agriculture in the threo kingdoms. Taken in
that connection 1t was OF great Importance
Those concerned with agriculture looked upon
It as such & and yes ,or. small nall consolation was
OF cattle--an unprecedented show far regards
nuinber--nnder almost every head. But what is the
good Of being able to raise magnificent cattle when
The daily strengthening probability is that before
long IL won't pay to raise them? l dropped in with
n number of midland and south country farmers in
the showyxrd and was much Interested in their
versation aud that of those they from tmo to timo
sxchan ged word or two with. Indeed, l drew them
cut all could. They used up all their superlativcs
OF admiration the horses aud other cattle ana
they deserved them. but when their attention was
called to the future of British agriculture there was
quite another tone In their speech.
A FARMER sPEAks.
One old fellow shook his head aud said d--"I don't
see way out OF II nohow. We shall ali have to play
follow-y leader to Australia or the States, where
We can get land chc,p ana have no varinint to eat
up our crops" The author of this speech was from
Lincolnshire, and in further conversation with
him l gathered that large numbers of farmers
giving up their holdings and going to
New Zealand. One remark of his was struck with;
the complaint was now 10 He said that farmers
(uown there. suppose. he meantl could not only
not compete with America in regard to the price or
corn. but, he said, ut makes 80 much winter -four
that people-thc working classes especial y-prefer
IT.. asked him II he did not think the British farm.
could hold their own with cattle. NO." said
he. with the present state OF tho land laws there is
mo chance. SO long as tho price of moat keeps up
We may do passably, but then" he added emphati-
u saia u