AGEICULTUEAL REPORT. 



tinue the repetition, wind and weather having persevered for a considerable 

 length of time in one particular course, seldom, perhaps never, fail to adopt the 

 opposite for an equal, a longer or shorter period, such a one as the immediate 

 state of the aerial regions may require. On this hypothesis, sound or cracked, 

 we have to expect, anon, a long course of S.W. winds, as a balance to that which 

 we have experienced of the north-eastern, which consequence really taking place, 

 will no doubt produce a mild and moist winter, not precisely the kind of winter 

 mantling for which our soil is hungering. 



In our last, we took it for granted that wheat sowing would receive its finish- 

 ing hand during the present month. That process, however, as well as the har- 

 vest, was lengthened and rendered additionally expensive by frequent interrup- 

 tions from either drought or moisture, and also by the late clearing of turnip and 

 potatoe lands, which is now proceeding so speedily that, it is probable, no 

 breadth of land worth a mention will remain unsown beyond the first week of 

 December. The remaining turnips, in various parts, are fed off by sheep, taken 

 in at twopence and threepence a-head, and when the stock of roots is considera- 

 ble enough to last over the year, an additional price is paid. The fallows are 

 said to be generally, indeed we may say as usual, in good condition, and had the 

 weather been more settled, the present seed season would have been earlier ; as 

 it is, the wheat seems of various growths, on some lands particularly irregular. 

 The lands sown after the moderate rains we had in October, afford, by far, the 

 most luxuriant crops of wheat of the present season ; in fact they cannot even be 

 desired to look better ; they are not too rank and forward, nor do we hear of any 

 complaints from the slug. It seems likewise the order of the day, or rather of 

 the year, to make an annual addition, throughout Britain, to the quantity of land 

 sown with wheat; in Scotland, we believe, particularly, wheat seed, much of 

 which has cost 70s. per quarter, has said to have proved universally good. The 

 farmers are generally dissatisfied with the present price of wheat, from a some- 

 what late conviction that the crop has by no means realized their early calcula- 

 tions as to quantity, and from the considerable reduction of price, which must be 

 submitted to, on that too extensive part of the crop which has received damage. 

 In those parts of the great and productive County of Norfolk, which border on 

 the ocean, both wheat and barley received very heavy and extensive damages 

 from the storms immediately preceding harvest ; and the difference of price in 

 consequence, between the samples of corn thus exposed and those harvested un- 

 der a more auspicious planet, is most discouraging. Thus the expectations, it 

 seems, is in favour of a rise in the markets, whence all who are able, hold their 

 wheats particularly, until the new year. In the north, where they say the wheat 

 does not yield well, the finest samples were lately worth 60s. per quarter. In 

 looking over market prices, our attention and surprise never fail to dwell a while 

 upon that of Ware Malt, 62s. per quarter '. We have formerly bought the finest 

 at 32s. 



There has been a fine time for harvesting the second crop of clover-seed, 

 which, however, could not be expected to equal the maiden or first crop in any 

 respect. The winter tares do not look discouraging, and may improve in the 

 spring, but the easterly winds and harsh dry weather have damped any great 

 luxuriance in them. In the country throughout, turnips cannot be much above 

 half a crop, and the leaves of those which are mildewed, are neither now rishing 

 nor wholesome for cattle. As to mangel- wurtzel, in some parts yet a favourite, 

 whilst in others the fancy is rather in the wane, they quote the opinion of three- 

 parts an average crop. On hops, the duty still estimated at 130,000, will be as- 

 certained by our next Report. Business has been rather brisk in this market of 

 late, which though late, together with the considerable prices, indicates a reduced 

 crop ; yet, as is usual in our markets, even in the case of a short crop, the finest 

 samples are bought up eagerly, and the inferior and low-priced neglected in the 

 same degree. Kentish bags sell freely at from 8/. to Ql. per cwt. At Worcester 

 pockets of good quality are worth 8/. 



It was speculated that the unexpected improvement of the turnip crop, joined 

 with the plenty of straw from all the crops, would have . considerably quickened 



