TilE I-AIIMKR'S MAGAZINE. 



261 



Btraugc state of thiufja seems to me uuaccoimtttble ; but most 

 of these Long Island far Jiers are become rich: their huij is 

 easily tilled, therefore they take all thinja aa easily in pro- 

 portion. A little brush, a few roots, and here and there a 

 stump, frightens them : almost every farmer ir/w is a fiirniff 

 has plenty to live upon, and Ihey enjoy tiiii*; plenty easily. 



Now, Mr. Kilitnr, 1 have written this article for the bciictit 

 of those enterprising; emiijranta leavina; England for a new 

 home, and who I should like to see li.Kcd \ipon such a sod, 

 and would advise them to go aud examine it before they pro- 

 ceed further westward. There are a f^reat many thousand 

 acr^fof it for sale, and the price is rapidly increasin;;. It is 

 nearly all of a simdar character : it is held by different owners, 

 and the title invariably frood. I have no interest in this soil 

 myself, further than I should like to see eiiterpriaiu!; English- 

 men upon it, and shall endeavour to procure a farm as aoou 

 as possible. 



This island being surrounded by the ocean, abDunds in fish 



aud wild fowl; lengtii abotit 1 10 miles, breadth about 12 to 

 14. The balmy air from the ocean ou either tide a very re- 

 freshing, and a more hfallhy country cannot be found in the 

 world. I'rotcttant episcopal churthes are dotted all ov(r the 

 island, aud Protestantism appears to be the prevailing religion. 

 Schools of aliuojt evtry (Icstription are close at hand. A 

 great deal of lisli is used as manure, and can be bon;;ht at- a 

 cheap rate ; and the Long I-hmd railroad runs through the 

 centre from one end to the other. I know of no country so 

 suitable to the taste of an Eriglishn.au as this, after leaving 

 his native home. He can pursue almost the same coins'; of 

 cropping, with the exception of tecuriiig his mot crop from 

 tiie frost, which is more severe tlian in England, hut less thau 

 the western covintry, as the winters are milder ou Long 

 Island, aud the Indian corn crop cornea in its turn here, as 

 adopted for the root crop there.— Yours, sincerely, 



VVm. IIy. Sotuam. 

 Owe<jo Tiocjo, Co. Py., Norlh America, July 19. 



AGRICULTURAL REPOR T S 



GENERAL AGRICULTURAL REPORT FOR 



AUGUST. 



Throughout the month the weather, notwithstanding 

 that rain has fallen at intervals, has been highly favourable 

 for all agricultural labours. Great progress has, there'"ore, 

 been made in cutting and carrj-ing wheat and other crops, 

 and we are gratitied in stating that, with very few excep- 

 tions, the produce has reached the stack yards in excellent 

 condition. So far everything has gone on well ; but the 

 all-important question which has formed the general topic 

 of consideration and discussion, is the actual yield of the 

 new crop of wheat. In the early part of the mouth, a 

 great dift'erence of opinion prevailed on this subject ; but, 

 as thrashing has proi;ressed, that difference is less apparent, 

 aud we are now in a position to state with something like 

 accuracy what the yield really is, when compared with for- 

 mer seasons. In general terras we may state, without fear 

 of contradiction, that the crop is fully equal to the average j 

 of most years ; but, in order to arrive at a true estimate, 

 we must omit from our calculation for the moment the won- 

 derful result of last year, both as to quantity and quality. 

 We should say, then, that more wheat has been grown than 

 either in lijoo or 1856, that the quality of the various 

 samples is better than in those years, and that more straw 

 has been grown than iu 1857. This latter feature in tlie 

 crops has led many persons to imagine that more wheat has 

 been produced than in the year just referred to, owing to the 

 large number of ricks upon most farms, and their unusual 

 bulk. Drawing a closer comparison with 1857, we believe 

 that wc are justified in statiug that the yield, as a whole, 

 will be found one quarter deficient upon heavy, and from 

 4 to 6 bushels less upon light, soils. Against that deficiency 

 we have to place a wonderfully large supply of straw, the 

 value of which, however, is a mere trifle when compared 

 with the deficiency in the growth of wheat. Future prices 

 of wheat have, we need scarcely say, been the subject of 

 much discussion. When we consider that our own crop is 

 a good one, and that there is still a large quantity of last 

 y^ear's growth of wheat in stack, and that we are likely to 

 receive steady supplies from abroad, we arrive at the cou- 

 cltision that the quotations will exhibit very few fluctuations 

 during the remainder of the year. But our attention has been 

 directed to some unfavourable reports which have lately come 

 to hand from the South of Russia, in reference to the wheat 

 crop, in proof that the shipments from that covxntry next 

 year will be on a very limited scale. We have, however, 

 good reason to believe that the reports in question are over- 

 charged, although we are free to admit that the harvest in 

 Russia generally is not equal to last year, whl h, indeed, 

 appears to be the case in most of the other great wheat- 

 producing countries of the world. For this reason, we con- 

 clude that prices in this country have seen their lowest 



point for some time. The bulk of the barley crop in Eng- 

 land has been secured, and its yield has turned out better 

 than was at om; time anticipated ; ttill the growth is un- 

 questionably a very moderate one, both as to quantity and 

 quality, (jats ate decidedly a light crop, and the yield of 

 both beans and peas is very deficient. From nearly all 

 parts of the United Kingdom the most flatteiiiig advices 

 have come to hand in reference to the potato crop. Every- 

 where it appears to be almost wholly free from disea<-e; the 

 tubers have ripened rapidly, and the various nia-kets have 

 been heavily supplied with tlio kinds usually disposed of at 

 this time of year, and which have sold at from 4Us. to 100s. 

 per ton. On the continent, however, the crop docs not 

 appear to have gone on well, niauy corresponieuts s'ating 

 that the growth will iall considerably short of last season. 



In the midland, eastern, and southern districts, the 

 second crop of hay has turned out unusually large— so 

 large, indeed, that it is estimated that the season's produce 

 is equal to 1857. Tiie growth of straw is everywhere great, 

 se that low prices may be anticipated. In Lincolnshire, 

 Leicestershire, and Yorkshire, owing to the want of rain, 

 very little hay has been produced. 



The fruit season has turned out a most abundant one; the 

 growth of all kinda of fruit has seldom or never been 

 equalled, either for quantity or quality. 



The various markets have been fairly supplied with stock 

 in number, but, for the most part, the condition of both 

 beasts and sheep has been very inferior. The tiade gene- 

 rally has ruled somewhat active, and prices have ruled con- 

 siderably higher than in the previous month. 



Although nearly 80,000 bales of colonial wool have been 

 offered at public sale, the wool trade has continued very 

 firm, and prices generally have advanced Id. to 2d. per lb. 

 English wool has become iu improved request, partly for 

 shipment to Belgium. 



The hop trade has continued in a most depressed state, 

 arising from the favourable accounts from the plantations, 

 and the high range in the duty, which has been done at 

 £260,000, and even £260,000. At this time in 1857, it was 

 called £155,000, and new pockets were sold at £8 to £12 

 12s. This year the hop trade has opened at £5 \2s. to £8 

 8s. per cwt. The hops sold at those quotations were in first- 

 rate condition. 



The turnip and beet crops are likely to turn out well, ex- 

 cept in those districts where rain has been nmch wanted. 



Notwithstanding that the demand for wheat during the 

 month lias not improved, prices have been fairly suppurted. 

 Spring corn of all kinds has realized extreme rates with- 

 out difticulty, but Hour has met a dull inquiry. 



In Ireland and Scotland the transactions in all kinds of 

 produce have been on a very limited scale, at about sta- 

 tionary prices. 



