560 



THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. 



made it finds ready purchasera. Stores of that article m fac- 

 tors' hands are but light, therefore any reduction m price can 

 scarcely be expected. The show for Iruit is enormous ; such 

 a blossom " the oldest inhabitant" never recollected. The ap- 

 pearance of the orchards, varied by the green foliage and 

 pastures, is truly enchanting, and unless there comes some un- 

 happy blight the quantity of that grateful beverage, cider, 

 will be unusually extensive. Potato planting is completed, 

 end there appears to be about an average quantity of land de- 

 voted to that purpose. With the exception of early ones 

 they have escaped the influences of frost, and are so far pro- 

 mising. We need scarcely comment on the state of the 

 markets, as they ara so accurately chronicled ; but the con- 

 tinued improvement in the value of wheat occasions some 

 surprise, considering the more favourable appearance of the 

 growing crop. — May 24. 



HEREFORDSHIRE. 

 We believe we never recollect seeing this county look more 

 lovely and promising than it does at the present moment. 

 Nothing can be " kinder"' than the blossoms on the apple and 

 pear trees, and we hope there is nosv no fear of its suffering 

 from the effects of the frost, as is the case in an early sptiug, 

 which is accompanied usually by sharp nights in May. The 

 geutle rains of last week have had a wonderful effect on the 

 appearance of the country. The young wheats have quite uu- 

 covered themselves, and the grass crops will, though fate, be, 

 doulitless, heavy. We have had occasion to move about lately, 

 and never do we recollect seeing so much good clover as wo do 

 this year. All this tends to rapidly lower the price of hay 

 which has, in parts of this county, been fetching £7 and £6 

 per ton. At Ross fair fat stock sold well, but lean did not go 

 off. At Hereford, on Saturday, there was an improved de- 

 mand, owing to the favourable effects of the rain. Pigs are 

 still high, but we may expect a reduction in small stores 

 shortly. At the recent fairs good horses, as is usually the 

 case, sold well, but inferior ones were a drug. Potatoes are 

 looking exceedingly well, and great quantities have this year 

 been planted. The barley and winter beans present a favour- 

 able appearance, and, indeed, whether it relates to the field or 

 garden, we may sum all up by saying everything looks well. — 



Mat/ 22. 



NORTH NORTHUMBERLAND. 



Looking to what was notified in our last public letter 

 (April 20th), we were then doomed to write, as for several pre- 

 vious months, under very gloomy auspices. Grass and vege- 

 tation seemed exhausted and lileless. Nor did any genial at- 

 mospherical change visit our northern clime before May lOtb, 

 about noon ; when the frosty element fairly yielded to genial, 

 or nearly summer heat. Vegetation assumed a more pleasing 

 hue, and the face of nature seemed as if awaking from a 

 dream. Looking at our growing crops on the more favoured 

 districts, spring corn has made good braird. Oats and barley 

 assume a rich green, and promise favourably for a good return. 

 Wheat, of which the breadth sown is much less than usual, is 

 various — in exceptional cases a very rich full plant may be 

 seen, while large breadths seem thin, and occasional patches 

 very much destroyed by slug, larvEB, or wire-worm. In fact, 

 the season for tillering seems to have gone by, and the plant 

 draws up thin and spiky. Another month will determine the 

 fate of this our principal grain crop, at least in appearance, 

 for bulk, when we truat a more favourable report awaits us. 

 Beans and peas (only a small breadth sown) promise well, with 

 a full vigorous plant. Potatoes were planted extensively, and 

 generally with land in good tilth; the earliest field varieties are 

 making braird, weather being very favourable for progress. 

 Mangold wurtzel has also been very liberally planted, and 

 Swedish turnips sown to the full usual extent. Having only 

 been visited with occasional showers, the loamy soils work dry 

 and require extra team labour, particularly rolling and clod- 

 crushing. On free soils the braird has been quick, and we 

 hope the plant will outgrow the beetle, which was unusually 

 disastrous last season. Owing to the great want of roots in 

 early spring, youug grasses were necessarily overstocked to 

 keep the fleecy tribe from starvation, and many pastures re- 

 main very bare of feed. In sheltered aud cultivated districts 

 the fall of hmbs will be less, but not much below our umal 

 number, but we regret to say that over the hills and large 

 pastoral occupations in this county, the loss is almost fabulous. 



While we write weather is warm and refreshing ; still, great 

 misses of snow linger in the gullies of the Cheviots. We 

 believe there has Veen no season during the present century 

 when prnvender, hay, and straw have been so nearly exha'.isted, 

 or used up, end hand-feeding with artificials bo extensively re- 

 sorted to. As may be expected, store cattle and sheep have 

 been put to graze in poor condition, and it may be several 

 weeks before we can supply the fat markets ia the usual way. 

 Beef aud mutton sell at exorbitant rates, and it cannot he 

 taken advantage of by the ordinary farmer. Sales of farm- 

 stock by auction have been numerous and well sold ; while 

 public old-established fairs have been badly attended ; stiff 

 slow selling markets. — May 25th. 



AGRICULTURAL INTELLIGENCE, 

 FAIRS. &c. 



ALCESTER FAIR was supplied equal to the demand, 

 and prices generally were lower. Beef realized 7d. per lb., 

 mutton 7d. to 7id., pigs 35s. per head. Cows and calves and 

 store stock maintained late rates. 



BLYTH FAIR. — Oxen of all descriptions entered the vil- 

 lage from all quarters in larger numbers than had been ex- 

 pected. High prices were asked, and a considerable amount 

 of business was transacted. Prices ranged 'rom Ss. 6d. to 9*. 

 per stone. A pen of wether hogga belonging to Mr. Jackson, 

 of Brancroft, near Finningley, attracted much attention. He 

 asked 80s. per hesd "naked." Colonel Mellish showed some 

 pens of superior hoggs, as did also Mr. C. Hudson, 110 of 

 which averaged £'i IOj. clipped. There was a considerable 

 number of youug horses exhibited, and many were sold at 

 good prices. Inferior animals, as usual, attracted no notice. 

 The show of pigs was not large, and chiefly of the younger 

 sorts, the prices varying from 20a. to 25s. each for - those of 

 nine or ten weeks old. 



BODMIN FAIR. — The sheep fair was very scantily sup- 

 plied. There was but one pen of fat sheep, which sold readily 

 at 8Jd. per lb.; the rest were store sheep of inferior quality. 

 There was also a poor lot of lambs ; the few in good condition 

 sold freely at 8d. per lb. There was a very large supply of 

 cattle. Good oxen and steers sold well, though the bargains 

 were made slowly and cautiously. Some good cows sold 

 readily at good prices. Cows and calves averaged 508. per 

 cwt. The supply of cattle was rather limited, aud prices 

 ranged from 60j.to 703. per cwt. 



CLAVERLEY FAIR.— The supply of beasts on offer was 

 only moderate. A few prime things sold at extreme prices. 

 Beef about 7d. to 74d, mutton, in the wool, about 8Jd. to 

 9J^d. per lb. The average price of lambs was abouc £1 8s. to 

 £i Qs. each. Store pigs sold very dear. 



GLOUCESTER MONTHLY CATTLE MARKET.— 

 The demand for all kind of meat was good, but the supply 

 was very short. With the exception of beef, with which the 

 market was well supplied, mutton aud lamb were very scarce, 

 and readily realized the following prices : Mutton 7d. to 8d., 

 lamb Sjd. to 9d. per lb. The beef trade varied according to 

 quality, from 6 Jd. to l^i. per lb. The whole of the stock was 

 very soon disposed of, and the market quite cleared. 



HEREFORD FAIR.~The supply of stock was somewhat 

 in excess of what we have been accustomed to see at this sea- 

 son of the year, and the attendance of dealers from a distance 

 was also numerous. Fat beasts of every description were in 

 urgent demand, aud were eagerly bought for distant markets, 

 at prices varying from 7d. to 7Jd. per lb. ; all animals of this 

 class were purchased at an early hour, and many of them were 

 sent to Manchester, Birmingham, and London, the same even- 

 ing. Calves aho sold readily at the same figure. The late 

 geaial rains, by clothing the pastures with luxuriant herbage, 

 and generally giving an almost magical impetus to vegetation, 

 added at least £1 per head to the value of lean stock ; but 

 still the supply was far in excess of the demand, and trade in 

 this department ruled heavily ,'many lots being sent home un- 

 sold. Good milkers were in rather better demand. lu the 

 sheep market a good deal of briskness prevailed, aud fat 

 wethers were worth all the money they have lately realized, 

 with a slight advance in a few cases ; several sales were effected 

 at 7id. per lb., and many pens sold by hand realized prices 

 equally advantageous. Fat lambs were worth about 8-Jd., and 

 ewes with lambs were disposed of on terms rather more ia 



