242 Agricultural Report. QAuct. 



and height of the couch, wore the appearance of meadows ready for the scythe ! We were 

 told by one farmer that half-a-dozen deep ploughings had but little mended the matter. 

 What a soil this, on which to sow that crop which is to furnish the nation's bread ! Here 

 we have a cogent reason for the necessity of importation. The rams continued so long, 

 that it was impossible, until of late, to get upon the heavy lands for any useful or effective 

 purpose. Turnips, on the whole, have escaped the fly beyond expectation, and are good 

 on well tilled turnip soils : on heavy and foul lands, they will be a complete failure. They 

 have been very backward, and some farmers have not yet finished sowing. That impor- 

 tant crop, the Swedes, has been sown too late. The marygold is a great breadth, and, 

 since the change of weather, promising. Potatoes, of which we have never failed of late 

 years to obtain a full supply, appear generally well planted, some parts of the North 

 excepted, where much apprehension is entertained of their total failure ; indeed where, from 

 the state of the lands, they have scarcely been able to plant them. Latter hay harvest will 

 be completed in perfect condition, but the hay consequently large and coarse ; indeed, the 

 quantity of fine hay from this year's crop will be very limited. Clover being later, has 

 succeeded best. It is the general opinion that the native wheat on hand will all be at 

 market before Michaelmas, with the exception of that holden in a few counties, among 

 which Herts stand eminent, as one whence the fewest farming complaints have issued. 



The markets for live stock have varied little from the last reports. An abundance 

 beyond the demand, and on the whole, cheaper ; yet in some parts Berks, for example 

 store sheep and lambs have sold readily to graze the vast quantities keep. The larger 

 store cattle, from the unfavourable season, and even the want of grass on hilly lands, have 

 not been in the good condition usual at this time of the year. The sheep came out of 

 their wool poor and weak, and a number have actually perished, glandered, from the old 

 stupid and heartless custom of exposing the creatures naked, by night, on fields and com- 

 mons, during wet and cold ! Pity, but these Arcadians, so full of sensibility and com- 

 mon-sense, had themselves a taste ' But what then are we to say of certain learned phy- 

 sicians and veterinarians, who, within memory, turned out horses, accustomed to stand 

 clothed in warm stables, naked, abroad in a winter's night, by way of making experiment 

 of the possibility of cold-catching ? The complaint continues that nothing is acquired 

 either by fat or lean stock. Swine are said to pay nothing since the decline of price, in 

 which we suspect some mismanagement or neglect. In some parts, particularly Suffolk, 

 fruit and potatoes are reported extremely plentiful and cheap : in and near the metropolis, 

 fruit is indeed plentiful, but deficient in flavour, and dear. Butter and cheese in the dairy 

 counties continue low in price, and in great plenty. The retailers of these articles in 

 towns must be making a good thing of it. Game has suffered much from the weather, 

 partridges particularly. The demand for wool continues. 



From Scotland, our letters give us the comfortable hope of a full average of all the crops, 

 with, however, an apprehensive salvo on the score of their wheat-fly, to which we lately 

 adverted, and which they aver has diminished their wheat-crop more than a third, during 

 the last three years. They describe it as a species formerly unknown, of a brown and 

 yellow colour. Although their description does not exactly tally with the habits of the 

 ancient aphis, or wheat blight fly, we can scarcely conceive either a new creation or impor- 

 tation of flies, but rather a novel and more sedulous attention in the observers. In Ireland, 

 all the crops are represented as large, that of wheat the most extensive hitherto known. 

 France has had its share of the blessings of a bad season. Their corn in the most exposed 

 districts is laid so flat, that much of it, they say, can never rise but with the assistance of 

 the sickle. Their wine-growers and merchants are still making heavy complaints. The 

 cause of their ill-success is probably two-fold over-production, and a defect of 

 fiscal knowledge in their government. That fine country, nevertheless, is making great 

 strides in opulence and prosperity. The French, ever scientifically alert, have of late not 

 only manufactured bread from bones, pain animalite, but even flour from straw ! 



With us, feeding milch-cows with malt-dust (combs), in order to increase the milk, 

 a practice of ancient days, has been lately revived, and even almost recommended as a 

 novelty. In the use of this article, it ought to be considered that great part of it must con- 

 sist of dirt and impurity, very ill calculated to benefit the stomach or digestion of the 

 animals ; on which account, probably, Mr. Cramp, an eminent publishing cow -feeder 

 twenty years since, allowed but li#te malt-dust in a feed. Even at this season, many 

 labourers are out of employ in various parts of the country. 



SmithfteldEeef 3s. 4d. to 4s. 2d Mutton, 3s. 4d. to 4s. 8d Lamb, 4s. 4d. to 



6s. 8s. Veal, 4s. to 5s. lOd. Pork, 3s. to 5s. Raw fat, 2s. Id. per stone. 



Corn Exchange Wheat, 54s. to 88s. (best foreign) Barley, 24s. to 38s Oats, 



22s. to 33s Fine Bread, the London 4 Ib. Loaf, lO^d Hay, 60s. to 120s. per load 



Clover, ditto 75s. to 125s. Straw, 51s. to 65s. 



Coals in the Pool, 28s. to 35s. 6d. per chaldron. 

 Middlesex, July 23. 



Erratum. End of last month's Report, for rightful read frightful. 



