Year: 1868

Tho droutb in England though of long DURATION


still continues Nothing to equal 1t has Oeeh KNOWN


in that country for many years The worst conse-


ouences are feared, and it VIII be very dllcult III


deed for the small farmers to Winter their STOCK


,actical farmer writing to The Marx Lane Express,


NJ the date of the 9th of July gives very interest


ing and valuable view of the drouth and its cOntn


gcncies From what he says we gather that the
drouth had then been 81 days in full force and much
loss and difficulty experienced. Notwithstanding
every appearance and foretOkening of rain, none
came. The drouth commenced at the very time
when Summer rains or showers were most needed to
cause the growth and progress of green crops for the
sustenance Of farm stock during the ensuing Winter
All is vet in allowance The fear is that it will prove
one of the most disastrous drouths England has ever
known. Had it commenced earlier or later better
provision could have been made than is now possible
England has seen many trying seasons, but never
one 80 arid and distressing the present In lol'
the drouth commenced August 81 and lasted
til November ., followed by severe WINTER;
but then tumips and other Winter food
were abundant. In the next year 1t was
muoh worse and lasted much longer. begin
ming May H. and continuing to Sept. /, j. e., los
days. but there were to be found some tOlerable
crops of turnips and the hay crop had start and
was fairly gathered In 1926 the dTouth began Feb.
Is and lasted till July /, 124 days. This was most
severe visitation and the distressing circumstances
connected with it may be easily imagined. The
heat tOo was extremely great AS for grass turnips
or any kind of green food there none, and straw
was all they had to fall back upon, and lucky was he
who had a supply of this unusual Summer food In
1910 occurred a very severe drouth throughout the
Sprinr, commencing on the 25th of February, and
continuing to the 4th of May. Such Spring seeding
and such dearth of Spring grasses scarcely ever
7 ,vos uaarlv Midsummer before the farm
stock could be put upon Summer pastures In 1874
there was another severe drOuth. 1t commenced
March 90 and continued till July 1-97 days. Sum-
mer grazing was nearly thrown away, and the
resolving of the green food crops general; but tur
nips and cOeseed were obtained at last, although
inferior crops Hay of course, was wretchedly
bad. In 1852 another very severe Spring
drouth occurred commencing so early as
February Is, and without rain till May G.
50 days. which 50 days gave a rainfall of or
OF an inch. The difficulties experienced during this
Spring were exceedingly trying TO every catteowner
aud floek-master In 1864 was a very dry Summer
the drouth began June "a and did not cease till
August 2s The green crops were woefuly distressed;
and in addition to the drouth deplOrable attack
of the great drab-colored grub consumed whole fields
of fine healthy plants of mangods and turnipS, so
that in the following Winter the farm stock had to
subsist upon straw, hay, and artificial foods. Now
for the present season There has been but slight
shower or two from May so to the 9th July. In the
east of the Kingdom the pastures are everywhere
parched up, the tuTnips IN many parts unsown, ana
those sOwn make no progress; the Spring crops are
the worst known for maay years. The water IN all
the low countries is becoming very scarce and bad


in some districts the stock has to be taken for miles
10 watering this is brought to them in carts or
barrels, or tubs, as many farmars do not possess
Tba and tTOublp knows
but those who have to resort to such prac-
tice in a hot season like thls-the hottest June
since 1855 and the drest since 1926 The stock, how
ever must have water of food they have scarcely
any: and it is surprising how they live, upon the
scanty dry herbage they gather OF water they
drink abundanty and animals supplied literally
with cake do not shrink to any extent. The reports
of the metropolitan and country markets amply tes-
tify to the difficulties of the graziers. Many thou
sands Of both cattle and sheep have been sent IN
half-fatted simply because the fields were bare OF
food and the stock losing instead of progressing.
This must tell severely upon the public ere long 1t
will be worse than the cattle-plague times. Vast
numbers of cattle were then for slaughter alto
gether untitled for sale as animals of consumption.
The like is going on and in addition. sheep In
great numbers are forwarded for sale when only
"half-meatn These were an exemption during
the cattle-plague trial; but now they must 90, or
starve upon the land. In reference to store stock,
the difficulties are still greater - they cannot be
sold at any price. Already the terms Of wintering
cattle and sheep are ruling very high For lambs,
one shilling per head per week is demanded The
owners of store cattle must if possible, retain them
till the fold-yards are ready to receive them
aud then they will have to take very unremunera-
tive prices The depreciation in price now is full 20
per cent, and animals purchased to Craze in the
God dofi nd lriuOin0 full
profit, have so deteriOrated in condition to entail
loss of equal amount. These very serious items
for graziers to encounter but where is it to end
The contingencies yet to be provided for. There
is long Autumn and Winter to tide through, and
that almost without hay or straw from Spring
Hay is already selling at from &c to q 1Os per tun
of mangolds and turnips there are next to none ;
cake sells at an exorbtant price; while wheat straw
will be toerably abundant but it is indifferent food
for stock What then is to be done 1t is not only
choice Of difficulties but of difficulties of no Ordi-
nary kind. From whence are to come the mateTieP
for fattening either cattle sheep Store stock
be sustained IN a somewhat thriving state but how
the public to be supplied with fatted animals
This is the hard problem TO be solved. No more
thoroughly interesting view Of the drouth than this
has reached u.s. and our readers can readily see that
terrible calamity is impending over the British
public Further advices may show that less suffer
Ing may result than is now anticipated, but in any
event the loss must be severe. ....


The Marx Lane Express is filed with details con-
ceIuing the drouth. We extract the following re-
marks from its editorial comments


For the last three weeks with only one days interval
have had taste Of tropical heat and drouth such
has not been experienced IN England say for
more than half century This however, is an exagger
not shower fell between the beginning Of May and the