The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1881-08-27
London Letter.
(From Our Regular Correspondent

LONDON, Aug. 8, 1881.
There has been Q continuance of low TEN.
perature throughout the past week, which may
be correctly stated as 30 degrees Fahrenheit
below the mean Of the readings during the
passage of the wave of heat which passed over
the southern portion of the United Kingdom.
In connection with this lower range of tempera-
,ure there have been general rains and locsl
thunder storms in greater or lesser severity !;
but, as rule, the wheats are not thick enough.
and do not carry sufficient bulk of straw to
sustain serious damage from storms. With
regard TO the lower temperature IN England.
the northern counties may be benefited there
by, but for the rest the delay can scarcely be
credited with advantage; certainly not so far
as the wheats are concerned. The cereal crops
are too far advanced toward maturity to be
benefited by spell Of growing weather, be-.
cause their growing season has passed. The
appearance of mildew In widely separated To-
calities must be recorded as simple fact, hut
Il Is difficult to understand the presence of this
q parasitical fungus in such season as the
present, except on the coolest undrained land.
Wherever mildew is now to be seen there must
Of necessity have been red rust unnoticed or
unrecorded. The abnormally rapid maturing
of the wheat plant may possibly account tor
an oversight Of this kind; but the fact remains
that there has been no mention Of rust whilst
there Is now certain evidence of mildew. With
regard to the prevalence Of red maggot there
are as yet no data; In certain localities ii Is
known to be very prevalent, whilst in others
1t has not been noticed. Wheats which are
vaguely spoken of as "blighted" may have
been cut down by June frosts, or fastened into
premature rIpeness by July heat, the term be-
ing too vague to carry with any definite weight.
In France the yield of the new crop is spoken
of with more or less dissatisfaction. In the
southern and southeastern provinces, where
the wheats we're considered moderate, the re-
suit proves them to have been bad, and in the
southwestern provinces, where the wheats were
considered to be good, ihey turn out only mod
crate. In the central provinces there Is no
complaint but less satisfaction; in the western
provinces an abundant harvest is still hoped
Tor, whilst IN the nor,heasterly provinces halt
crop is being talked about.
In Germany the weather has been favorable
for harvest operations; the trade for bread
stuff. has been quiet but prices have Leen
maintained.
In Hungary harvest has been in active pro
gress, with fine weather, and the wheat crops
are reported as beng a fair average In quanl-
ty and over average as to quality.
In South Russia The wheat crop is well re-
ported and in the Taganrog district there will
he an abundant crop OF wheat of quite cxcep-
uonal quality.
In Rnmania the reports are varied in their
tenor; the weather has been hot and harvest
work is IN full progress. In Wallashia The
crops are said to he light.
In Italy complaints of the yield of the wheat
crop are quite general, and it Is thought that
the season of excessive heat has brought the
grain crop into rr, mature rpencss.