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AGRICULTURAL REPORT. 



MARCH, reversing his ancient characteristic, came in like a lamb, and is 

 going out like a lion. We have had a peck of his dust, and the agricul- 

 ture of our country is ransomed at least, thus far ; for the weather, during 

 several past weeks, has been most propitious to every operation of agricul- 

 ture, and, notwithstanding the manifold distresses of the farmers, the utmost 

 possible industry appears to have been exerted to get in the various crops 

 of the season, if not in the best manner^ yet in the best which a long train 

 of adverse circumstances has left practicable : and this, we regret to say, 

 with no very sanguine hopes of future indemnity. We regret also that we 

 cannot honestly be the avant-couriers of good news ; but long experience 

 has taught us the lesson that a mild winter, in our climate, has seldom 

 been succeeded by a warm and favourable summer ; a fact to be reflected 

 upon, and, as far as possible, provided against, by every cultivator of the 

 soil. The immense benefits which the country has received from the 

 March dust can only be equalled by those of the glorious and fructifying 

 rains which have succeeded since the 20th, and which will put vegeta- 

 tion of all kinds into the utmost state of forwardness. Indeed the wheats, 

 the rye, the grasses, the winter barley, and winter crops generally, are in 

 a state of advance, which in some seasons we scarcely have witnessed on 

 May-day. The woodbine, alder, and other early growing trees came into 

 leaf almost immediately on the commencement of the month, and through- 

 out the hedges have made a beautiful display with the white flowers of 

 the blackthorn. There is much similarity, thus far, between the March of 

 thirty-three and the present. Notwithstanding the moist and unfavour- 

 state of the weather, wherever the land would admit of it, considerable 

 breadths of spring beans, peas, wheat, Tartarian and other oats, were in 

 a train of culture during last month, and finished early in the present. 



The late dry weather must have had a very salutary effect in checking 

 the inordinate growth of the wheats, which on all rich soils have exhibited 

 a somewhat alarming appearance of winter pride and rankness, indicating 

 the prospect of a larger crop of straw than of corn. This has induced 

 many farmers to resort to the ancient practice of feeding of the wheats with 

 sheep, and in some parts even with cattle ; a practice which we, as 

 drillers especially, could never approve. But we must not forget our un- 

 favourable auguries, during last Spring, respecting the wheat crop, which 

 nevertheless proved one of the most plentiful which our land has borne. 

 Its fellow in the present year would give a strange turn to our agricultu- 

 ral and commercial affairs. The lands, we should conceive, so far as the 

 weather has affected them, are universally in the best possible state for 

 carrying through the seed processes of the important month of April. The 

 frosts and cold which have succeeded the rains will have a great effect 

 in further checking the growth of the wheats, but will be most unfavour- 

 able to fruit and vegetation in general. The turnips, a generally inferior 

 crop, where reserved, run to seed of course retaining little nutriment for 

 sheep, a loss not of that consequence which it would prove in a severe 

 winter, the mildness of the present season affording so many resources. 

 Hay, as in last season, is so abundant that the bulk of it must be again 

 kept over year. As a pregnant evidence of the mildness of last winter, the 

 Cheviot Hills in Northumberland were scarcely ever covered with snow 

 throughout the season an instance which has not occurred during the last 

 twenty years ; and in the Lowlands not even a shower of snow had fallen. 



