248 ' Agricultural Intelligence — England^ May 



t\ our progrefs ; but with that exception the weather has been truly 

 delightful. ^ 



The froft was very fevere in December and January. One morning 

 I obferved the thermometer to be only 3 degrees above the cypher, in 

 a north afpecl, where it waa rather fhcltered. We had during this 

 feafon little or no fnow upon the gvound, fo that the young wheats 

 were inJL«red ; and vegetatiuV) has been fo much impeded by the 

 grub uorm, that there is not above two thirds of good plants. Some 

 farmers have ploughed their wheats up. This, however, is the cafe 

 but with a few individuals ; and I yet hope thty will branch and get 

 together, as they arecertainly improved after having been hoed. Some 

 think that had we rolled them fooner, or immediately after the froft^ 

 ^'c fiiould have been benefited by it, as the ground would have been 

 rendeied more folid, and the roots lefs expofe.d to a fecond attack, 

 Wisrtcr tares were almo[^ cut off ; fo much fo, that I fear many will 

 not recover, ef; tcially the later fown. Turnips were alfo much in- 

 jured ; but every thing being fo far forward we fliall not feel the lofs 

 jf them. Clover, trefoil, and the young graffes, look particularly well ; 

 ^n.d there is every appearance of having abundance of food. Tiie hop 

 plants have been dreffed. and now begin to flioot ; fo that poling has 

 generally commenced in tne plantations. 



The fpring corn had, throughout the diftri£^, a promifing appear- 

 ance, efpecially barley, till within thefe few days, which is rather de- 

 clining^ for want of rain, of which we have been now deftitute for near- 

 ly a riorith ; the weather continuing cxctlTively warm for the feafon. 



Markets in this neighbourhood are governed entirely r y Marklanc. 

 Tiiey were yefterday at Chelmsford nearly as follows : Red Wheat, 42s. 

 548.'to ^6s. ; White ditto, 45s. to 58s. ; Rivets, 34?. to 50s. ; White 

 >'ea.s, 283. to 35'!. ; Boilers, 35s. to 44s. ; Green Peas, 26s. to 30s. ; 

 Horfe Ber.r,?, 27s. to 3rs. ; Barley, 21s. to 24s. ; Oats, i6s. to 21s. ; 

 r.lp.lt, 38s. to 44s. ptr Qnarter. — Flour, 45s. to 47s. per Sack. — Red 

 C'pver, 32s. to 76s. /^r Cwt. ; White, 42s. to 78s. ; Trefoil, 15s. to 

 56s. 



ihe price of labour is very little reduced, although the neceffaries of 

 life are fo much cheaper. The poor rates, however, are fomething 

 haver. In this parifh there is a large manufactory for baiz^e ; and ow- 

 ing to its influence at the clofe of the war, the rates were as high as 

 forty-two ihillings and tixpence, and nearly up to the rack-rent. This 

 laft year they were reduced to the fmall fum of tiventy-tivo Jhilltngs 

 andftxptnce in the pound, which to be fure gives us a confiderablc re- 

 lief. Jpril 17. 



Letter from a Torkjhire Farmer ^ \<^th Aprih 



* Our fpring grain Is nearly all in the ground ; even the barley. We 

 have had the fined feafon for fowing I ever remember. Our turnip 

 fallows are nearly all clean ; and ploughing very forward. The lambmg 

 ff-afon, which has been very favourable, is now nearly over ; but the 

 Quantity of lambs is faid to be kfs than the laft year, 1 am no great 



advocate 



