The new era., 1909-11-18


early days of September
was harvest in full swing.
Those were fortunate who
were able to take advan-
tage of the brief glimpses Of sunshine
and dry weather to house their crops.
1t Is characteristic OF the very dry
season that the stalks have less
strength than usual. and are, there
fore easily beaten down by the wind
and rain, with little power Of recov-
cry left them. So long did they lie.
grew up through the corn and pro-
duced .. matted tangle which no
mechanical reaper could deal with.
In consequence, therefore. the coun-
try was secured for harvesters, casual
laborers. men, village women. and
even children were hastily engaged
80 that it has been common to see
bands Of shearers at work exactly as
they might have been seen go years
ago. Many were hoping that Septem-
Der would bring some settled wealth
er. and occasionally it has appeared
as though blue skies and wind were
to predominant, but the hope proved
illusory. Clouds quickly drifted across
the sky and torrents of rain fell upon
the kindly fruits of the earth"
harvest therefore, proved tedious.
Difficult. and costly business, and. un-
tunate, the financial outlook is dark
ened at the same time. Before the
corn was practically ripe 1t looked
better than we had reason to expect,
as the wet had produced an enormous
growth of straw. If by any chance
there had come good period Of sun
shine it is possible that the cara
would have filled well; but from the
reports of those who have threshed
portion of their in-gathering it
seems to be practically certain that
the harvest will be light in grain.
With the proof of this comes the in
telligence OF serious drop in prices.
OF course something of the kind had
been expected and was discounted be-
forehand. During the late spring and
early summer. when exceptionally
high prices prevailed for wheat, the
English farmer was only looker-on
at the game, and to some extent per-
haps a sufferer. Yet the situation is
not without its consoling features.
The price is still good for September.
and shows what to the grower must
be a gratifying increase of price real
fzed since last year. The movement
that began with the century is. there
fore being carried steadily on. 1t Is
described in the agricultural statistics
ct -
century the price of wheat has shown
a distinct tendency to higher level
than that which characterized the
closing years of the last century.
Farmers will be well advised not to
send their wheat to market at pres
ent, as prices are almost invariably
at their lowest in September, and
there is every reason for thinking
that they will increase considerably.
The long g-talked-of effect which the
extended use of motor cars is pro
ducing has now become perfectly
visible In the volume Of statistics
for 1908 there is a new table which
sheds an interesting light upon this
side of the problem. This is a list
of the contract prices of hay and
straw at Colney Hatch and Hanwell
asyluns in the years from 1898 to
1908; 1893 and 1894 were times of
great scarcity, and accordingly we
find extraordinarily high prices rul.
ing. But in 1885 prices were resum-
ing their normal. Last year and the
year before we find that prices had
fallen very considerably. 1t is the
same with straw. In year like the
present, when straw is extremely
abundant, this becomes a very serious
consideration, and there would seem
to be no getting out of the fact that
in future years the value of fodder
will continue to diminish. One sees
the law working obviously enough in
practice, especially in the neighbor-
hood of London. There used to be
men who made their livelihood by
purchasing hay and other foodstuffs
for the purpose of converting them
into fodder for the bus and tramway
horses of London. To a large extent
these latter have ceased to exist, and
their place has been taken by motors,
which consume no corn, and thus tend
to the impoverishment of the farmer.
Another complaint frequently made
about the motor ID that 1t Is causing
q serious diminution In the supply of
manure that used to be obtained
from towns. Railway companies car
ried on the whole at very reasonable
rates manure from stables and streets