AGRICULTURAL REPORT. 607 



T at length and extent to which we have been subjected to them of late years, 

 t he consequence has been influenza, or epidemic catarrh. In the mean time, 

 a speculation has been current, that the disease has been derived by the mode 

 of infection from distant Eastern parts of the Continent, or the Lord knows 

 whither, as though we had not the seeds thoroughly and universally sown in 

 our own air and soil ; and that a like state of the atmosphere, never does, nor 

 ever can fail to produce, periodically, similar effects. The metropolis seems 

 to have suffered particularly ; and such has been the hospital and private de- 

 mand for mutton broth, that scrags have advanced forty per cent., and the 

 supply being inadequate to the demand, some of the venders began to wish 

 fora breed of sheep all scrag! as we remember that eminent improver, 

 BAKEWELL, once gave us hopes, at a dinner, of his ultimately being able to 

 construct and manufacture a breed, containing nothing but fat and bones. 

 We, however, always preferred the savoury, rich, and juicy " Old Lincoln" 

 mutton of Bakewell's competitor, to his greasy and flavourless New Leicester. 

 The extreme mildness of the weather in January, subsequent rains, and 

 absence of frost, seemed to indicate but too clearly the cold and ungenial 

 spring which has succeeded, under which we are doing our utmost to get the 

 various seeds into the ground with all possible expedition, in order to make 

 the best of a late and bad season ; comforting ourselves with the reflection, 

 that all productions, fruits especially, being backward, they will receive com- 

 paratively no injury to that which must have befallen them in a state of 

 seasonable forwardness and luxuriance; and should a genial and enduring 

 season succeed, their advance will be equally remarkable with their former 

 backwardness. It is not possible, however, to flatter ourselves on the state of 

 the tilth for those heavy and backward soils into which the seed was obliged 

 to be hurried, however imperfect their state of tilth. On many soils of this 

 description, the routine of pulse, beans, and peas, has been entirely omitted, 

 and oats substituted ; as well on account of the time required for drilling 

 pulse, which could not be spared at such a crisis, as the miserable hand which 

 must inevitably have been made of the drill on lands in so rough a state. 

 Beyond this even, we have actually witnessed, of late, both beans and peas sown 

 broad- cast, upon lands and in a part of the country where we little expected the 

 revival of that old-fashioned and disadvantageous practice. Some drilling of 

 white corn also will be abandoned this year, for the above reason, unfortu- 

 nately, were it only for the name of the thing, since, to declare the truth, 

 though in opposition to imperial and imperious custom, our fashionable drill- 

 ing intervals are so niggardly narrow, that it is impossible, through such, to be 

 able to preserve the land clear from weeds, that pest and foul disgrace of 

 British husbandry. Our late or spring-winter has been so far impartial, that 

 even on the dryest and earliest tilled lands, we observe no very precocious or 

 luxuriant growths of any kind ; these last must nevertheless take the lead at 

 blooming time and harvest. 



It is natural for us to flatter ourselves in this variable climate of ours, that 

 changes for the better must have their turn ; yet the constant partiality of 

 the wind for the N. Eastern quarter of the compass, is perpetually putting an 

 end to our hopes. A showery April is not precisely the kind of weather of 

 which the greater part of our lands stood in need, after the deluges which 

 winter and early spring had produced. The wheats universally are in want 

 of dry weather ; although upon the soundest and best soils they are said to 

 look healthy, if not forward or luxuriant. On heavy, cold, and ill-toiled soils, 

 and on bleak uplands, they appear thin, discoloured and yellow, affording 

 very uncertain promise of either abundance or fine quality. Six or seven weeks 

 hence, we shall have somewhat of a clearer and more certain prospect. Of 

 the Lent corn, as a young growth, there is literally nothing to be said, since 

 the small portion which was got in early, has been without the advantage of 

 a genial season to bring it forward. The winter tares and clovers are said to 

 look full as well as was expected in the case of a cold and backward spring ; 



