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THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. 



to hope for— St. Swithiii, that watery saint, having asserted 

 his prerogative, and rain fell on the 15th. If it be followed by 

 forty rainy days, according to the old adage, it would be dif- 

 ficult to calculate the consequence; but it is to be hoped that 

 it will not be carried out to the full term, although it has so 

 far, being very wet both last night and this morning, and ia 

 wearing an exceedingly gloomy appearance ; but there is no 

 pleasure in predicting evil : it ia much more pleasant to hope 

 for good. The hay crop will be much better than at one time 

 anticipated : a part of the sown grass cut off thin and light, 

 but much of it got to a good length, was thick on the ground 

 and well mixed with clover. The old grass-land and dry 

 meadows will cast off a good swathe ; but for cold-bottomed 

 laud the weather had not been so favourable ; but, on the 

 whole, the crop will be good should the weather be favourable 

 for securing it. Wheat came nicely into bloom during the 

 fine weather, which was unattended by any boisterous winds 

 to injure it ; but much of it still appears thin on the ground, 

 and flagging, which may probably tend to produce a coarse 

 sample, with a deficient acreage quantity. Judging by the 

 small quantity exposed at market for sale, the inference is, 

 that stocks are wearing low. Barley on the warm free soils 

 will probably turn out a good crop ; but upon cold stiff soils 

 (on which it perhaps ought not to be sown) the prospect cannot 

 be favourable. Oits will be a bulky crop, and the recent fine 

 weather, by stiffening the straw, will make the danger of 

 suffering, bj' lodging, much less. Potatoes in some instances 

 missed plant, through the seed being affected with dry rot, and 

 continue to look rather thin and weak in the stem ; but, 

 generally speaking, they so far give promise of being a fair 

 crop ; but, should the present weather continue any length of 

 time, it is much to be feared that the weakly state of their 

 constitutiou will be tried beyoud its strength, and that ex- 

 tensive disease will be the result. At present the tubers are 

 growing rapidly, and there is as yet no report of their being 

 affected — the plague-spot not having made its appearance. 

 Turnips came well, and not having suffered from the attacks 

 of their old enemy, the fly, are making rapid progress, some of 

 the early-sown swedes being about to meet across the furrows, 

 and hitherto there has not been much complaint of "fingers- 

 and-toe ;" but there is ample time for that very serious disease 

 to show itself. Mangold came well, and is now doing well, the 

 last fortnight of fine weather having produced a very beneficial 

 effect ; the previous cold and wet weather having stayed its 

 growth considerably. Should the weather take up to be warm 

 and sunny, mangold will, to all appearance, turn out a heavy 

 crop. In the higher and colder districts, and where the soil is 

 wetter and undrained, turnip-sowing was much kept back by 

 the wet in June, after which it would be difficult to get the 

 land into a proper state for the reception of the seed. Grazing 

 pastures have done well, where not out-stinted ; and the change 

 of weather came in time to prevent the ill effects of a much 

 longer continuance of such cold and wet weather as prevailed 

 throughout the month ol June. The fortnight's dry weather 

 was intense enough to affect the dry and sandy portions of the 

 land, which began to show symptoms of being droughted ; 

 but the rain of the last few days will correct that, and the 

 danger now is iu the other extreme. Fat, both beef and mutton, 

 continues scarce and dear, and may probably do so for some 

 time to come. Store cattle for grazing, or young lean cattle of 

 any description, are lower in price, and more difficult to sell ; 

 the same may be said of calving or milch cows, it being a time 

 of the year when there is not much demand, the pastures being 

 Blocked for the summer, and it is too early for back-end calves. 

 The wheat market last week showed a little more animation, 

 with little alteration in price. The scanty supply set down 

 shows that there is either little in farmers' hands, or that 

 they are holding back ; the former is the more probable 

 cause. In barley and cats there is little variation in price, 

 with a very limited supply. — July 19. 



WEST GLOUCESTERSHIRE. 



A most acceptable change of weather took place about the 

 commencement of the present month, during which the im- 

 portant occupation of hay-making made rapid progress; in- 

 deed we cannot call to remembrance so great a breadth of 

 land cleared in so short a time. This was effected by an ex- 

 tensive use of valuable machinery. Mowing machines 

 vere at work in all directions, and it is but justice to skill and 



enterprise to assert that those supplied by Messrs. Burgess 

 and Key performed the work admirably ; cutting the grass on 

 the aggregate closer than any scythe could do. But this is 

 not ail that ought to be expressed in favour of them, for they 

 will sustain rough usage to a remarkable degree. On one oc- 

 casion, which came under our personal observation, a bar of 

 iron had been thrust into the ground, doubtless by some 

 worthless miscreant, ignorantly opposed to the use of these 

 implements, and hoping to occasion permanent injury. No 

 greater damage, however, was sustained, than the breakage of 

 two of the blades, which was speedily rectified by the intro- 

 duction of a spare cutting rod, and new blades were fixed 

 before the others required resharpening. It is rather a diflicult 

 task to compute the average bulk of grass crops of this year ; 

 so greatly do they vary on different soils. Indeed, the same 

 remark applies equally to the grain crops, affording an urgent 

 reason for the establishment of a well-considered system of 

 agricultural statistics. On well-drained lands, in a high state 

 of cultivation, the quantity of grass was enormous, greatly ex- 

 ceeding an average ; while on cold clays, especially those 

 which were spring-grazed late, the crop was most insignificant. 

 This objectionable practice was in too many instances an in- 

 evitable alternative. The inclemency of the winter occasioned 

 fearful encroachments on the hay-ricks, and unfortunately it 

 generally happens that the cultivators of poor soils are the 

 least able to purchase hay, or artificial food ; their means, in 

 fact, sympathize with the soil they farm. A consid'^rable 

 quantity of hay has been secured iu excellent condition. 

 That which was cut about the second, third, and early in the 

 fourth weeks in June sustained more or Jess damage; the 

 first fortnight of this month was in every respect propitious. 

 On St. Swithin's day a considerable quantity of rain descended ; 

 flying showers have since prevailed, and there is every appear- 

 ance of the prognostication associated with the Saint being 

 fulfilled. The appearance of the wheat has improved wonder- 

 fully. In several instances it looks well ; the exceptions 

 being the cold soils. The same observation applies to other 

 kinds of grain, but the harvest will be inevitably late. Much 

 delay was occasioned by the rain during the mouth of June, 

 in sowing both mangolds and swedes. Those who were 

 fortunate enough to sow early have prospects of abundant 

 crops. Some persons were unable to finish with their swedes 

 till the commencement of this mouth ; what the result will 

 be in those cases it is difficult to predict; but the weather 

 since that date has been all in their favour. The make of 

 cheese will be short of an average. The cold and rainy 

 weather experienced at the commencement was not without 

 prejudicial effects. This commodity is therefore scarce and 

 dear, with every prospect of an increase rather than a 

 diminution in value. There is no old cheese on hand as here- 

 tofore. It is tiken to market as soon as it is made, some of 

 it never even finding its way to the cheese room, and in this 

 green state it finds ready purchasers. The monthly market at 

 Berkeley has now become the favourite resort iu this district, 

 and at the last, which was held on the 4th instant, upwards of 

 70 tons were cleared off at prices from 62s. to 64s. per cwt. 

 This is suggestive of another important item, the high price of 

 meat, and the resolutions of consumers in populous towns 

 whose inferences are clearly chimerical. Tiiere are two os- 

 tensible reasons for the high price of meat— enormous con- 

 sumption by a daily increasing population, and the severity of 

 the winter diminishing the quantity that farmers were enabled 

 to produce. Those persons who are now endeavouring to 

 seek a remedy, are of the class who have been the principal 

 cause of the great demand ; but it must be remembered, if 

 they abstain from animal food they must resort to something 

 as a substitute, and they will raise the price of whatever they 

 may select. Cheese as an article of domestic econouy is even 

 more expensive than meat. Again, the land is only capable, 

 under any circumstances, of raising a certain number of cattle, 

 sheep, and pigs. Thus if inclement weather iotervenes, as 

 was the case last winter, when the powers of production were 

 diminished, proportionate scarcity must follow, and enhanced 

 value becomes a natural result. Those who are versed in ag- 

 ricultural subjects know full well that oilcake, or other artifi- 

 cial substitutes, can only be adopted to a limited extent. The 

 quantity of young and store cattle and sheep on hand is great, 

 indeed there are few farmers who do not find themselves over- 

 stocked, but it must have time to come to maturity.— 

 July 19th. 



