THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. 



543 



creased rent in proportion to the late high price of agricul- 

 tural produce, under an impression that these prices would 

 be permanent. — May 19. 



EDINBURGHSHIRE. 



Seldom have we to announce such favour.able weather for 

 field operations during the all-important months of spring. 

 At short intervals we experieiiced intense frosts, the ther- 

 mometer ranging occasionally from 10 to 15 degrees below 

 the freezing point. Less damage has been done to the 

 yorng wheat and seedling grasses than we have seen at a 

 higher temperature. This is no doubt attributable to the 

 extsnsive drainaj^e which has been carried on for many years 

 past, coupled with the extreme dryness of the soil during 

 winter and spring. As a fact, only 5.50 inches of rain has 

 fallen, at a water-gauge kept in the highest district of the 

 county. Wheat appears of average breadtli, and the fields 

 everywhere look vigorous and well planted. Barley and 

 oats, along the sea-board and in the finer districts, look 

 healthy in the extreme ; while in the middle and alpine 

 districts, they have of late assumed a rather sickly appear- 

 ance, evidently suffering for want of rain. Beans appear 

 more extensively sown than formerly, and undergoing the 

 process of cleaning by horse and manual labour. In the 

 lower districts potato planting was commenced before the 

 sowing of spring corn, which is now under horse and hand 

 cultivation. High as the price of seed has ranged, and the 

 heavj' loss sustained last year, a full average extent of 

 ground appears planted. The cultivation of this invaluable 

 root has become somewhat resembling a "lotterj'," some 

 obtaining a handsome prize, while the majority have to put 

 up with a small show, and many blanks entirely. A few 

 samples are still pitched in our weekly market, and ^prices 

 receding. Sowing of Swedish turnips has been prosecuted 

 vigorously during the month of May, and doubts 

 are entertained tnat the nipping frosts may have injured 

 those brairded as likely to run to seed, ice being of consi- 

 derable thickness in the standing pools in Ma}^ The wind 

 has now veered to the south-west, with frequent showers, 

 which will have the beneficial effect of pushing forward a 

 rapid vegetation, affording a full and sweet bite for all kinds 

 of bestial. The extent of land under turnips is annually 

 increasing, and from the quantity manured in autumn 

 abridges greatly the labour when portable manure is only ne- 

 cessary in spring. Cattle markets are unusually large for 

 the season, l,^!)!) being exhibited on the Edin stance on the 

 12th instant ; finest quality was reduced in price, while se- 

 condary and inferior could scarcely be turned into money : 

 256 grazing cattle appeared, and found ready buyers at high 

 rates : milk cows numbered 139, many of excellent quality 

 and in good demand : of sheep 4,997 were penned, being 

 900 more than last week;; a considerable number werehoggs 

 for grass ; for both sorts a good demand was experienced at 

 extreme rates— blackfaced mutton (in the wool) from 8d. 

 to 8^-d., whitefaced G|d. to 8d. per lu. : pigs numbered 398 

 — young ones from 7s. to 10s. a head ; grunters from three 

 to four months old cheap, and difficidt to dispose of. Grain 

 markets are large for the season of the year ; wheat meets a 

 sluggish sale at reduced rates, barley in limited supply and 

 meets a dull sale, oats brought freely to market ( 1,464 qrs) 

 with a good demand and former rates fully supported. Wool 

 growers have had the best of it for years past, prices being 



unusually high . Since the crisis in November last a decline 

 of fully 6d. per lb. has been experienced. Seedling grasses 

 seem well planted; the breadth appears less than in bygone 

 years ; the open winter and spring made speculations in hay 

 anything but remunerative, and the prevalence of depas- 

 turing young grass with sheep greatly abridges the hay crop. 

 English portable thrashing machines have becu busily em- 

 ployed in cleaning out the barnyards, being found admirably 

 adapted for leaving the straw in a fitting state for thatch. 

 This has been long felt as a great desideratum in our Scotch 

 machines, calling loud for some improvement in this res- 

 pect. Wheat-growing farmers have suffered severely from 

 tlie unfavourable state of the weather during the last har- 

 vest, and large quantities are unfit for baking, and have to 

 be disposed of for distilling and feeding iiurpnses. The 

 mania for farms still continues, and when advertised the 

 puzzle is not to get a tenant, but how to select one. The 

 farmer class are frequently " outbid" by individuals who 

 have saved money in other occupations, their professed ob- 

 ject being country air and residence. Money still appears 

 to be theu' object, and after feeling a few years' disappoint- 

 ment, frequently leave in disgust. Draining operations are 

 somewhat abridged ; and no wonder, seeing to what extent 

 it has been carried on for years. Stil! we have no redundant 

 population, and willing hands find ready employment at fair 

 wages. While writing, the protracted diougnt has at length 

 been changed into a drenching rain. The streams are much 

 increased. The change will be gladly appreciated by all — 

 the agriculturist in fostering vegetation, which has been 

 lingering ; the manufacturer'in adding to his water power ; 

 the compensation ponds throughout the county being 

 lower than they have been for a number of years; draw 

 wells have been dried up, and recourse is had to the " pit- 

 cher" and "can" for supply at the nearest stream. — 

 May 20, 



WEALD OF KENT. 

 Since our last report we have experienced some very sudden 

 changes in the temperature of the atmosphere, with piercing 

 easterly winds, which have tended to slackeu the growth of 

 the wheat plant to a certain extent. Onstitf clay soils slackness 

 of plant is complained of; but on good land this is not the 

 case, and it only needs warm weather to succeed the showers 

 which we have lately been favoured with : we might then cal- 

 culate upon a luxuriant appearance. The pastures are very 

 bare, which cannot be wondered at, with such cold weather. 

 Beans and peas that were sown early are looking well for the 

 most part. Barley and oats not so well as we could wi^h, 

 still, with milder weather, we shall not have much room for 

 complaint. The price of Lent corn has not varied mucti since 

 our last, with the exception of oats, which are very scarce in this 

 neighbourhood, and are selling at high prices compared with 

 other grain. The hop plantation is now receiving considerable 

 attention ; tying has commenced ; the bine does not look 

 healthy, and is much infested with flea; a full crop this year 

 would prove very injurious, looking at the immense quantity 

 in the hands of growers, speculators, and factors. Great credit 

 is due to the members for East Sussex, who have by their 

 assiduous exertions obtained from the Chancellor of the Ex- 

 chequer the poatponsmeut of the duty, which is a very great 

 relief to a large body of the planters ; had the full payment 

 been insisted on, immense sacrifice must have been made to 

 enable them to have met the demands.— May 19th. 



AGRICULTURAL INTELLIGENCE, FAIRS, &c. 



BOOBAIN MARKET.— A good show of cattle of every 

 description. There were no fat sheep, but plenty hoggs and 

 shot lambs. The sheep were not in great demand, especially 

 the blackfaced. Prices, however, were in advance of those of 

 last market. Cattle were fully 5 per cent. up. Highland 

 queys, two-year-olds, were sold at £4 15s. A Highland bull, 

 a two-year-old, fetched £10. The market was very brisk. 



BUNGAY FAIR was the largest as to attendance of com- 

 pany and the show of stock, especially ueat stock, which haa 



been held for many years. Business was dull, owing to the 

 shortness of feed ; but as the time approached for driving off 

 the unsold, the demand became much brisker, and a fair amount 

 of trade was done in fat stock at from 63. 6d. to 7s. per stone. 

 Fresh stock also was in demand, and sold freely at a slight re- 

 duction upon the London quotations. Several good horses 

 were exhibited. , „ 1 



CASTLETON FAlR.^The quantity of stock offered 

 was small, and the trade very slack. Beef, about Us. per 



