THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. 



465 



in harvesting, the bulk of all kinds is large, but the quality 

 will be vastly inferior. We regret to say that in other di.s- 

 tricta things are much worse than in this. We travelled 

 the other day one hundred miles north of this neighbour- 

 hood, and we counted, from the railway between Manches- 

 ter and Macclesfield, a distance of seventeen miles, twenty- 

 nine fields of white corn, mostly wheat, five of beans, and 

 three uncut; between the latter place and Leek (tliirteen 

 miles), thirty-nine of white corn, five uncut, and five of 

 beans; between Leek and Uttoxeter (nine miles), fourteen 

 of white corn, about half wheat and half oats, three of 

 these quite green. This may be classed as a cold district, 

 but we fear there are other parts of the country which have 

 an equal amount of coru yet outstanding ; and after the late 

 heavy rains, and the advanced season, there is no prospect 

 of getting it in, in any state approaching good order, and it 

 will only befit as food for stock. One circumstance, as re- 

 gards this untoward harvest weather, has been fortunate, 

 that is, the uniformly low temperatjjre, which prevented the 

 grain sprouting to that extent it must have done had it been 

 warm as well as wet; and the bread, though made from 

 damp corn, when kiln-dried will be sound, if darker in 

 colour. We must now glance at the already visible effects 

 of this disastrous harvest. The great bulk of new corn 

 comes to market in such a damp raw state, that only two 

 or three samples in ten exhibited are fit for grinding. 

 The question is, how are these non-conditioned samples to 

 be made the best of ? One way is to mix a large por- 

 tion of old or dry corn to grind with the new, and another 

 to kiln-dry the latter. Though this process may diminish 

 the bulk in measure from 10 to 15 per cent., still, if after- 

 wards it will make tolerably good bread, it appears a better 

 plan than mixing old with it, as the new will deteriorate 

 the old, and both only produce an inferior quality of flour. 

 We hope this latter process will be extensively adopted, as 

 it appears the best means of bringing the soft wjfieat into a fit 

 state for human food ; and there is no doubt all will be 

 wanted that can be brought into use. We hear, even, 

 that maltsters put the damp barley on the kiln, and 

 subject it to a partial drying before they steep 

 it, or it would not germinate, but burst in the 

 cistern, and therefore not make malt. Only a few samples 

 are shown in the market, which come up to the standard 

 of fine malting barley : such commanc's a higli price, but 

 the great bulk is rough, of bad colour, and damp. Oats 

 are equally out of condition. The price of each kind of 

 corn varies according to the quality and condition ; thus we 

 have wheat ranging from 50s. to 70s., barley from :!os. to 

 43s., oats from "258. to 30s., beans .OOs. to oSs. per qunrter ; 

 no new yet in the market. In consequence of this 

 extraordinary wet and sunless season the occupation of the 

 farmer has been exceedingly trying and perplexing. The 

 bay harvest has been equally bad as the corn, for, unless 

 secured before the 17th of July, it has been impossible to 

 get it in, in anything like good order, and a gi-eat bulk is 

 so damaged as to be nearly unfit for fodder, and some is 

 quite worthless. The expenses also have been great on this 

 lingering protracted harvest, in paying laboui'ers when tney 

 could do but little work, and sometimes for doing worse 

 than nothing. There never was a season when the practice 

 of cutting corn by machinery was more beneficial. Though 

 the lime was short when the land was in a fit state to bear 

 the reaping-machine, yet those who used them unceasingly 

 during the first Cortnight in September, got their corn cut 

 in a short time, and were enabled to secure a good portion 

 of it before the heavy rain commenced. We regret to stfite 

 that the root crops have not progressed so much as they at 

 one time promised : the cold wet season is the cause of this 

 evil as well as those before mentioned. The mangold is 

 luxuriant in top, but the root is small; swedes have not 

 flourished well, and will only produce a light yield. We 

 observe, wi'.h sorrow, that the potatoes are extensively 

 diseased, and a large portion of this useful edible will 

 vanish during the winter by the attacks of this ruthless de- 

 stroyer. This wet summer has caused an abundance of 

 grass in the pastures: though stock has not thiiveu well 

 from the excess of rain and cold temperature, still there has 

 been plenty of natural food, but the feeding stock has not 

 come out in high condition. The great floods which have 

 lately prevailed have laid the low mesidows, and they wer(i 

 full of gi-ass, under water, and forced the stock upon higher 



ground, and being more crowded, consequently are not 

 doing so well. The prospect for wintering stock is hv no 

 means encouragintr, as both roots and hay will not yield an 

 average supply of food, and additional expense moat be in- 

 curred in the purchase of artificial kinds ; but there will be a 

 quantity of injured grain, which can only be used for feeding 

 cattle and sheep ; and if Providence favours us with a tem- 

 perate winter, we hope to pull through without much difficulty. 

 Fat stock maintains a good price, the best qualities of beef 

 and mutton making 7d per lb. The case is different as regards 

 stores : both beast and sheep have declined in price, and at our 

 late fairs and markets we calculate it to equal 2O3. in beasts 

 and 10s. in sheep. Cheese has not made so much as last year 

 by lOs. per cwt., but wool maiutaius a high price. In con- 

 sequence of the wet summer and autumn, cultivation is in a 

 very backward state. No autumnal cleansing of stubbles, so 

 much to be desired, could be effected; and even the dead 

 fallows on clay soils could not be kept free from weeds, and 

 for the most part are in bad order. Wheat-sowing has 

 scarcely commenced, though the first fortnight before Old 

 Michaelmas-day and the one after it are passed, and this is 

 generally considered the chief seeding-time. The last ftw days 

 have been line, and we hope such weather may coutin\ie, that 

 the corn yet out-standing may he got in, and the land suffi- 

 ciently dried to receive the seed. We would give a caution 

 against the use of very damp, soft wheat for seed, as a large 

 portion of such kinds will burst in the ground and not ger- 

 minate, and the crop prove a failure for want of plant. Our 

 labourers are all employed, and since harvest — waives havein- 

 creafed, the best hands are receiving 12s. per week. — Oct. 24. 

 P.S. — Before we conclude we cannot refrain from remarking, 

 that a happy change has been effected in some parishes in this 

 county in celebrating harvest home ; and we sincerely hope 

 that ministers of religion and other influential inhabitants of 

 other villages will aid in extending this system. The old 

 custom has been for individual farmers to give a harvest 

 supper at their own houses to their servants and all eugaged 

 in tbe ingathering of the fruits of the earth. On these occa- 

 sions, even where best conducted, a scene of rude and boister- 

 ous mirth prevailed, which tended rather to debase than elevate 

 the minds of those present at such celebrations ; but if we 

 turn to others we shall find matters much worse, for frequently 

 they ended in intemperance and debauchery, and even in 

 death. We well remember, some years ago, a sober young 

 man, who had done his share of hard work throuca the har- 

 vest, sat dowu to the harvest supper in full health and 

 strength ; but, from the excitement of the time, drank to 

 excess, and was next morning found a corpse — his young wife 

 a widow, and their children fatherless. Different, indeed, 

 both in practice and results, are the harvest festivals lately 

 celebrated. A day is set apart as a holiday for the whole in- 

 habitants of the parish, and a social compact is entered into 

 by high and low, rich and poor, to render grateful thanks to 

 Almighty God for His goodness in giving us the fruits of the 

 earth in their season. In procession, with the minister at their 

 head, they repair to the church, where prayers and thankf- 

 givings are offered up for these great mercies. From thence 

 they proceed to a suitable place where dmner is provided, by 

 the liberality of the employers, for the labourers and their 

 wives. This ended, innocent sports and pastimes succeed — 

 athletic and gymnastic exercises practised, and the whcie con- 

 eluded by a general tea drinking, when occasional addresses 

 are delivered by the minister and tne influential inhabitants to 

 their humbler neighbours in terms of sympathy, good fteliug, 

 and respect. Thus is a day spent calculated to elevate and 

 expand the mind of the labourer, and to diffuse good-wdl and 

 harmony among all classes, and forms a pleasing contrast to 

 the old mode of celebrating harvest home.— G. K. 



NOTTINGHAMSHIRE. 



We have now arrived at a period of the year when the 

 report of the ungathered or ingathering crops is of import- 

 ance ; and, truly, many years have passed away since the 

 patience of the farmer was so tested. We remember the 

 years of 181.5 and 1816, and since those years cannot tind a 

 parallel to the summer that has just passed. It has truly 

 been trying. The hay harvest was as a ^vholo the worst 

 probably on record ; the corn harvest a mus^. (.rotracted one, 

 and singular for its varied phases. The bulk is gathei-ed in 



