AGRICULTURAL REPORT. 387 



seed. By consequence on heavy and wet lands generally, field culture must 

 have stood still throughout last month, and all seminations have been delayed 

 until the present, when, so far fortunate, we have experienced the benefit of 

 dry and frosty weather. In the mean time it must be considered that the 

 lands referred'to were so thoroughly sodden with moisture, as to require an 

 interval of some length before the dry and frosty air could operate upon 

 them, and render them sufficiently light and friable to be worked into a 

 proper state for the seed process. Thus, although even on heavy lands, 

 early winter culture was sufficiently forward, old February fill-ditch im- 

 posed astern negative upon all ideas or hopes of an early Lent corn season. 

 Not but attempts were made in various parts to get upon the mired and pud- 

 dled soil, distressing to both men and horses ; on some occasions we hear, 

 these attempts were wisely relinquished, and when they were carried into 

 full effect, the operations were so imperfectly performed, that the latest seed 

 season would have afforded a more probable chance of a crop. Considerable 

 damage has been done to the wheat on low heavy lands (we hope not to any 

 great extent) where the springs have arisen, and the plants have been lite- 

 rally flooded and washed out of the ground. There is an old mode of 

 fallowing and laying-up lands of this description, in order to drain and pre- 

 serve the future crop, so far as it is possible, from the injury of too much 

 moisture, of which those farmers who have not hitherto, would do well to 

 make experiment. This mode of practice, if we recollect rightly, is clearly- 

 laid down, and its utility demonstrated, in the " Modern Land Steward." 



The present month has brought with it a late substitute for winter ; for- 

 tunate for us, should it be preventive of a still later. Under such expecta- 

 tion, we must not repine at the injuries all too forward productions may 

 have sustained from a winter in March, when early fruit trees and shrubs are 

 prepared to send forth their foliage and blossoms to expand. The clovers and 

 winter tares on cold and wet lands, must have received an unfavourable 

 check from the sudden change of the weather ; but the same articles on dry 

 and sound soils, forward and luxuriant as they are, may yet produce a 

 valuable stock of early Spring feed. It is the same with the wheats, which, 

 favourably situated, apparently retain their full vigour, strength of plant, 

 and gloss of colour. On the other hand, the poor and wet land wheats have 

 suffered considerably, from the united ill effects of cold and moisture, have 

 parted with their share of verdure, and have assumed a sickly and unpromising 

 yellow. The reason generally assigned, why so little of the wheats of the 

 present season have been winter-proud, is the late time in which they were 

 sown ; that symptom, however, appeared on some of the best lands, and also 

 the gout, a plethora probably, or redundance of juice in the plant. The 

 success of this crop, the great object of our solicitude, depends entirely on the 

 nature of the season to come the moist state of the weather within the 

 last few days, is at no rate in its favour. 



Great exertions have been made upon the heavy and backward lands in all 

 parts, since the change of weather in the beginning of the month ; but they 

 required a much longer time for improvement than could possibly be spared, 

 with any consideration to expedite the business of the season, which now, at 

 all events, must be a late one with these soils ; and, perhaps, not an early 

 one with the most favoured. On the former, neither pulse nor early oats 

 could be got into the ground to any extent during the last month ; and, in the 

 present, much of the business has been executed upon foul and very rough 

 tillage, particularly ill calculated for the dry system. Upon dry and good 

 barley soils, a considerable breadth has been sown, under favourable circum- 

 stances. Cattle food of all kinds, grass, turnips, hay, have been super- 

 abundant, attributable, no doubt, in part to the diminution of the national 

 stock of sheep. The turnips, where prevented from running to seed, are 

 at present good nourishing food, and likely so to continue as long as wanted. 



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