J 1 8 Agricultural Intelligence — England. Feb. 



however, has confiderably lefTened thcfe apprehenfions, by fending an 

 autumnal quarter remarkably mild and open. In confequence of which 

 the whe3ts have planted full and regular, and, till the commencement of 

 the prefent fevere froft, appeared vigorous and heahhy : even now I 

 fliould hope they will not fuliain any very ferious injury, except in cafes 

 where the feed was fown, fo late, that the plant is now only juft begin- 

 niniT to make an appearance. 



A heavy crop of corn on the ground is almoft conftantly prejudicial 

 to the young clovers ; but this year furnifhes an exception to a general 

 rule, probably becaufe no very violent rains fell to beat the corn to the 

 grouiid, after it had got into the ear. The clovers have planted thick and 

 veil, and, before the froft fet in, appeared unufually frefli and luxuriant. 

 The fame remark applies to the Winter tares : unprotedled, however, by 

 a friendly covering of fnow,. it is not improbable but in fome (perhaps 

 in many inft?.nces), and particularly where the land is not in very high 

 condition, they may fuffer material injury. The turnip crop, after the 

 iirft and fecond hoeing, was extremely promifing ; but the long drought 

 before, during, and after harveft, greatly injured the young plants, and 

 it was apprehended they could not produce more than one third of an 

 average crop : they are, however, greatly improved in the courfe of the 

 laft quarter, and, thou2:h the froft has now entirely deprived them of 

 their tops, may, 1 think, ftill be deemed full half a crop. The quality 

 is univerfally allowed to be very moderate, not fufficiently good to fatten 

 ftock f'ir market, without the aid of fome more nutritious food ; though 

 a remark, which J have heaid very generally made, and which my own 

 obfervation confirms, * that they are pecullaily mild and pleafant for 

 the table, ' feems, in fome degree at leaft, to militate againft this opi- 

 nion. 



Irrigation, which has lately been introduced into this county, and 

 purfued with great fpirit and judgement, will, in fome cafes this year, 

 fail to produce one of its moft valuable advantages, early fpring feed-, 

 owing to what, at this feafon of the year is a very unufual complaint, 

 a fcanty fupply of water. The fprings are fo low, that a fufficient 

 quantity cannot be obtained for flooding; of courfe, the operation can, at 

 the beft, be but imperfectly executed. The average price of grain has 

 been low ; aiid I am perfuaded the farmer cannot afford to fell it at the 

 prefent rates. In the early part of the Report 1 have obferved, that the 

 bulk of the croy collected during the harveft was very confiderable. I 

 doubt, however, whether the produce of corn, per acre, will- exceed an 

 average crop. Should I fay wheat is three, and barley four quarters per 

 acre, I am perfuaded, if I am erroneous in my calculation, it is in its 

 excefs ; and as it is well known, that no confiderable ftock remained in 

 hand at the commencement of harveft,. the prefent low price can only be 

 accounted for, on the fuppofition that the crop in other quarters of the 

 kingdom has greatly exceeded its ufual average, or that very extenfive 

 importations have been made. J^^' ^7' 



Torijiytre 



