128 Agricultural Report. [JuLiT, 



opposite quarters, attended with hail storms, snow, frosty nights, and a distressing share of 

 the severities of winter and early spring. In these severities, in so great a degree exacer- 

 bated and their danger increased in the present advanced season from their constant alter- 

 nation with the heat of a summer sun. Within these few days we have been flattered with 

 a favourable change, the wind having shifted to the southward of the east, bringing with 

 it a softer and milder temperature ; yet the rainy flood-gates are not yet closed, for it rained 

 here incessantly during the last night and morning. Atmospheric alarmists are predicting 

 another cold and rainy summer, with short or spoiled crops, a calamity which Heaven 

 avert ! Such an event would finally ruin the major part of the present tenantry of the 

 country. On the other hand, our Junattcs are unwilling to surrender their dependence on 

 the influence of the moon, expecting on every change a lunar renovation a change of the 

 weather ; but although the goddess has her regular periodical phases, our atmosphere 

 seems to pay no respect thereto, remaining unchangeable. After all, perhaps, the moon 

 may have no further business with us mortals than to light us to bed. The weather is 

 obviously, and according to all experience, under the dominion of JEoltis^ not of Luna. 

 Our only rational dependence subsists in the probability of an opposite change, the 

 weather having so long continued in an unfavourable course ; under such a favourable 

 circumstance, the corn crops which have suffered the least injury, might yet turn out highly 

 productive ; whilst, to those which have been injuriously affected, an opportunity would 

 be afforded of improvement and recovery. 



The crops of grass, as in the last season, natural and artificial, are most luxuriant and 

 heavy, but the rains have retarded the operation of the scythe, much to the injury both of 

 the crops and the lands. Scarcely any commencement was made until the middle of the 

 present month, when a return of foul weather almost immediately put a stop to further pro- 

 ceedings, leaving the grass already cut at a risk, and both farmers and labourers in an 

 unfortunate predicament. At any rate, we have the prospect of a late hay harvest. A con- 

 siderable riddance is at length said to havejaeen made of the late superabundant stock of 

 old hay. The greatest damage has been suffered from floods sweeping away the products 

 of thousands of acres in the Isle of Ely, Lincolnshire, Durham, Bucks, in many parts of 

 the West, the vicinity of Bath, and in South Wales. The waters retiring from the grass 

 lands, left the crops in such a perished and worthless state, that it would be conferring a 

 favour upon the farmer to clear them away. The clay land fallows are in a worse state, 

 in course, than they were last year, and, as we then predicted, the national stock of weeds 

 has increased, and is increasing to a fearful degree. Great complaints are abroad of the 

 barleys being overrun with charlock ; and we find in the public prints the following recipe 

 for its eradication, said to be recommended by an experienced agriculturist u If you hoe 

 up weeds as fast as they appear, there must soon be an end of their coming. And when 

 after your land shall have become totally freed, and you still continue to hoe, you do so to 

 prevent a recurrence, and for the benefit of dividing and aerating the soil, which is also to 

 bestow upon it a dose of atmosperic manure." Now this doctrine was promulgated 

 about thirty years since, by that well-known agricultural treatise, the u New Farmers' 

 Calendar ;" and had it been generally practised, the lands of this country, instead of their 

 present state, too large a portion of them pretty equally divided between corn and weeds, 

 might the whole of it have been in a state of garden cleanness, the home growth of wheat 

 equal to the national consumption, and the now starving labourers fully employed. The 

 weeds, not the corn crops, have exhausted and impoverished our lands. 



Upon low and wet lands all the operations of the season are necessarily backward. On 

 many such, the farmers, ten days since, had not finished potatoe planting, and had scarcely 

 begun to sow their turnips. Sheep shearing commenced about the middle of the month, 

 and the clip is, thus far, reported to be light. The stocks of wool have gradually decreased, 

 at an advancing price, a continental demand having arisen for our long wool. The very 

 old stocks however, held on speculation, go off heavily at an inferior price. The chilling 

 winds and rains which prevailed at the critical season of the wheats bursting into ear and 

 blooming, must have had unfavourable effects upon the most promising crops, upon 'those 

 of low, cold and infertile soils, the consequences will be ruinous ; on such, scarcely half a 

 crop can be expected, and it is no longer rational to look for an average crop of wheat in 

 the present year. The wheats on poor light lands, have suffered much both from ground 

 insects and unfavourable weather. They are thin upon the ground, pale, yellow and sickly, 

 the leaves curled an'd blighted by the foul atmospheric stroke, furnishing the ear with nests 

 for tiie reception of the ova of the aphis or blight fly. Of the oats, too generally, the report 

 is not more favourable. Beans, peas, and potatoes, at present, appear to be the most pro- 

 mising crops ; yet it will be an occurrence equally strange as favourable, should the pulse 

 escape the ravages of the black insectile vermin, after such weather as we have experienced. 

 The wheats on good and well tilled soils, particularly in the East and midland counties 

 and in Dorset, wear a large and luxuriant appearance. It is to be noted however, that far- 

 mers themselves are customarily guided, not seldom misguided by this flourishing and abun- 

 dant external appearance ; being subsequently taught by the flail, the real state of the 

 case and the extent of internal damage. 



