Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1882-08-23

LONDON, Eng, Aug. s, 49,.
The harvest now ripens rapidly, and in
forward districts has already commenced
for winter barley, rye and winter oats, and
in the first week of August no inconsider-
able breadth of wheat will be cut in the
south of England, Although on the very
threshold of the ingathering, accounts are
so conflicting as to the actual condition of
corn fields in various districts that no
very certain forecasts can be made as to
the actual results to be expected. One
thing is certain the yield of both wheat
and barley will vary much in different
localities. On all poor, cold, stiff lands,
especially those in wet condition and
wanting draining badly. the yield may be
expected to be radically deficient. The
wheat yields on dryer soils, also if impov-
erished by illiberal management have
never been able TO make satisfactory
headways, since stricken by rust in April,
and subsequently retarded in development
by frosty nights and bleak, cold blasts.
On the other hand, there are immense
acreagcs of wheat and barley on sandy,
!oamy and alluvial soils, subjected to a
liberal husbandry. that not only look we'll
and are undoubtedly heavy in bulk of
straw, but on examination show we'll
! filed heads without much indication of the
disease usually expected to follow on the
heels of damp weather in July. In other
words, the straw generally appears bright
and healthy, ripening proceeding satisfac-
torily, and although it was thought so
much rain could not prove bat damaging
to the kern, there is every present ndica-
ton that the heads of sheaves will prove
weightier than their tails.
The barley crop throughout the country
is perhaps more variable than even wheat,
for on all the poorer soils, especially those
wanting draining, the cold rains of June
turned it very yellow, and it has never
recovered from the sickly condition thus
impaired. On better lands. especially
those submitted to liberal management
there are many magnificent fields of THU
crop, with very fine heads, no less thar
IN immense bulk of straw. Oats form
no doubt the best of the three white straw
products of the year, for the humid, coo
atmosphere 80 prevalent since the middle
of April has been altogether favorable t.
tho luxurious thriving of this cereal
Beans and peas likewise have iount
circumstances altogether favorable t
their development, and there is not onl,
abundance Of haulm, but in genera
point of view plenty of pods. There ha
been very little green dragon this year
or, indeed, blight of any kind to render tn
prospect of beans and peas precarious
Neither have there been any griovou
complaints of those tiresome little insect
which doom the young turnip plants who
first making their appearance. The wors
=, thing of plant disease complained of ha
= been potato blight, which, falling remark
ably early, has in some districts don
damage to the early potatoes. But Their
is every prospect of the late potatoes doin
0 well, and in the event of fine autumn
l ensuing, it docs not follow at all that the
will be stricken. The weather which wa
, n little too cold for mangolds in June In
r suited the growing plants much bette
t during the past month, and all kinds {
: root crops must he considered to be thri,
! ing.
v South of England fairs for wether lamb
t have commenced with high prices in thi
a department also, and the rising rate
which appear indicated arc sufficient t
| show not ouly that present keep is abund
ant, hut that there are good prospects r