THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. 



455 



AGRICULTURAL REPORTS. 



GENERAL AGRICULTURAL REPORT FOR 

 APRIL. 



Although easterly winds have prevailed during a portion 

 of the month, the weather, on the whole, has been season- 

 ably fine. The fine rains which fell from the 22nd to the 

 25th have been highly beneficial to vegetation, and more 

 especially to the pastures, which, at this time, present a 

 favourable appearance for a full average grass crop. As re- 

 gards the now rapidly growing wheats, we may observe that 

 they are looking remarkably healthy, with scarcely an ex- 

 ception ; consequently we have every reason to anticipate, so 

 far, a full average forthcoming yield of wheat. 



The prospect of an immediate outbreak of hostilities 

 between Austria, France, and Sardinia, has had consider- 

 able influence upon the wheat trade. Since we last wrote, 

 both English and foreign wheat has improved in value from 

 4s. to Os. per quarter, and there is every probability of fur- 

 ther enhanced rates, even though the stocks on hand are 

 large for the time of year. A continental war will, no 

 doubt, lead to a considerable falling off in the imports 

 of foreign produce into this country, and to large speculative 

 operations, under the impression that liigli prices may result 

 from hostilities between the powers just alluded to. Again, 

 we must bear in mind that America has very little grain to 

 spare for export purposes, and that the value of produce 

 throughout the Union is still high. Whilst admitting that 

 there is ample room for au improvement in the value 

 of wheat, the questiou is, do we require a heavy importation 

 this year to meet consumption ? Our impression is that we 

 do not, because it is admitted on all hands that our farmers 

 still hold large quantities of wheat, and because immediate 

 shipments ol grain to some extent would result from warlike 

 operations, though they might not be continued. Our far- 

 mers require not unnecessary excitement in the trade, but 

 steady and remunera'.ive prices. A sudden advance of lOs. 

 per quarter would, possibly, lead to a re-action in the trade; 

 but a moderate improvement, such as we have lately expe- 

 rienced, may have the effect of producing a further rise, and 

 that, too, of a legitimate character. In reference to spring 

 corn, we may observe that, as we draw the bulk of our sup- 

 plies from countries which are not likely to be involved in 

 the pending struggle, the importations are likely to continue 

 on a fair average scale. Prices, however, will, we think, 

 be maintained, and it is possible that barley may continue 

 to rise in value. Some few sales of English wheat have 

 been made in Mark Lane for expoit to Portugal, but this 

 demand is not likely to exercise any great influence upon the 

 quotations, though, of course, it will tend to give firmness to 

 them. 



Owing to the small commercial operations for export to 

 the continent, and the compnrative heaviness in the woollen 

 trade, all kinds of wool have ruled very inactive during the 

 greater portion of the month, and, in some instances, prices 

 have had a drooping tendency. The next public sales of 

 colonial wool in London, which have been postponed till the 

 5th of May, are looked forward to with more than usual 

 interest. At present, there is nothing indicative of an 

 advance in prices, more especially as great efforts continue to 



be made on the continent to lessen the influence which these 

 sales have long since exercised upon the wool trade of the 

 world. The quantity ot foreign and colonial wool now in 

 London is about G0,00() bales, the whole of which will 

 shortly be brought to the hammer. The paucity of the de- 

 maud has led to increased stocks in the hands of our flock- 

 masters, 80 that there is no reason to apprehend any defi- 

 ciency of supply, even though the advices at hand from Aus- 

 tralia and South America indicate only moderate shipments. 

 Any falling off in the supply from those quarters will, we 

 imngine, be fully made good by the Cape farmers, who are 

 now shipping increased quantities to England. During 

 Maixh, 24,223 bales of colonial, and 834 bales of foreign 

 wool arrived in the port of Loudon. The supplies of the 

 latter into Liverpool were 12,02G, into Hull 457, and into 

 Leith 344 bales. 



Judging from the enormous quantities of potatoes which 

 continue to arrive in Loudon from Scotland and various parts 

 of England, it is evident that last year's crop was very abun- 

 dant, and of full average quality. The excess iu the supplies 

 during the winter months, the low prices at which they have 

 been selling, aud the enormous quantities of rice offering at 

 unusually low figures, no doubt interfered materially with the 

 value of wheat, which, in our opiuion, even allowing for sea- 

 sonably large stocks, had a depressing influence upon the value 

 of wheat. But, ou the other hand, ive have been told that the 

 consumption cf bread has fallen off, not only iu the metropolis, 

 but iu the provincial districts. We, ho>.vever, have uo faith in 

 such a statement, because it ij admitted that trade, generally, 

 is iu a sound, thougli not to say brisk, state, aud that our arti- 

 zans and others continue to ba well aad fully employed. It 

 may be that increased wages have led to an extended con- 

 sumption of butchers' meat ; but we think that, eventually, it 

 will be found that more bread is now being cousuiied in the 

 United Kingdom than is generally imagined. The late 

 extensive system of feeding cattle with inferior wheats— a sys- 

 tem, by the way, which has paid remarkably well, from its 

 having been found much cheaper than oii-c.ike — will, we appre- 

 hend, be partly, peihaps wholly, discontiuueJ, now that prices 

 are advancing. Upon inferior samples, for feeding purposes, 

 great inroads have been made from time to time, aud such 

 qualities will, as a consequence, speedily rise to a higher level 

 in value than either linseed or rape-cake. 



Some extensive fluctuations have taken place in the value of 

 live stock in the whole of our leading markets, but more par- 

 ticularly iu London. , Up to the 25th of the month, both 

 beasts Eud sheep were selling at very hi:!h rates, owing to 

 deficient supplies of home-fed stock, and to the stringency iu 

 the Government mapection of the beasts aud sheep arriving 

 from the coutineut. This stringency has been strongly 

 opposed by those immediately interested, and upon this point 

 much might be said. Here, however, we shall merely observe 

 that it is the duty of Government to prevent the introduction 

 of diseased auimals into this country, aud, to secure that end, 

 they ought to appoint competent judges of stock. Those 

 judges should be free from bias as respects any particular 

 interest, and should have full power to deal with the importa- 

 tious as they arrive. It is well known that disease exists to a 

 great extent throughout Holland and Denmark, and to allow 



