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THE FARMER'S MAQAZINE. 



of windy auJ rough weather— hying alike for niBU and 

 beast. The brief intervals have been seized to put in 

 spring corn, and a considerable breadth of oats has been 

 sown, with a limited quantity of barley. AVinter oats have 

 so completely gone oil' that many farmers have ploughed up 

 their entire crop, one large grower to the extent of 70 acres. 

 We are not partial to winter oats as a crop, and cannot see 

 the advantage to be derived from growing them in prefer- 

 ence to spring oats. To be sure, by sowing oats in the 

 autumn, we ai-e relieved of part of our spring labour, but 

 we fancy the land would rather be relieved of the crop for 

 the winter inonths, and be as well laid up in ridges, subject 

 to the beneficial iufluences of frost. However, another such 

 winter as the last will satisfy the most devoted admirer of 

 winter oats, and cause their cultivation to die away, as the 

 growth of winter beans has in a great measure already 

 done. It is no .joke to lose 70 acres of corn, the seed and 

 labour for whicli amounts to a considerable sura. We think 

 the breadth of wheat for this year is quite an average for 

 our district, but a greater proportion than usual is spring- 

 sown. All kinds of roots pitted in November have kept 

 tolerably well, but the swedes left standing in the fields 

 rotted extensively. The quantity of hay in the country is 

 large, but much of it is scarcely fit for food : at any rate it 

 must be steamed and mixed with pulped roots before cattle 

 will eat it ; and it is doubtful if the animals derive benefit 

 from bad hay, no matter in what form it is given. Clean 

 and good straw has not been so scarce and dear for many 

 years. It is worth from 35s. to 433. per load in the coun- 

 try ; and is expected to be dearer rather than cheaper. The 

 inability of farmers to sell their corn, unless the condition 

 and quality are good, prevents thrashing — as probably nine 

 Slacks outof ten are in rough condition. It is many years 

 since we have known so much difficulty in turning corn 

 into money. The former period being when the " man of 

 unadorned eloquence" so zealously advocated the principles 

 of free trade, and prognosticated peace and plenty as the 

 perpetual fruits thereof. But " Paul may plant, and ApoUos 

 may water ; God alone gives the increase." Every one is 

 desiring finer and warmer weather. We have had along 

 and severe winter, whilst now, on the eve of spring, it is 

 loath to leave us. Swedes are just done, wurtzel is rapidly 

 disappearing, autumn-sown tares and rye there are none, 

 and if we do not get a bite of grass until late in April, cattle 

 and sheep will be kept at a serious expense. Let us hope 

 a change for the better will soon come. T\^ lambing sea- 

 son is about over, and the fall is an average. Lambs have 

 Bufl'ered from the cold rains, especially if they have not had 

 a little cake and corn allowed them, with shelter at night. 

 We are accustomed to bring our twin lambs and any that 

 are young and weak into the shepp-yard at night, and both 

 ewes and lambs seem glad of the shelter. Fatting sheep 

 have done pretty well through the winter, but they are 

 scarce. Fat beasts are also scarce, and we expect the price 

 of beef and mutton will advance rather than fall. The drain- 

 ing of land received an impetus from the excessive rains 

 of 1860, and the makers of drain-pipes are unable to sup- 

 ply pipes fast enough. We rejoice drainage is on the in- 

 crease, as every acre of land properly drained is a positive 

 benefit to the country. As the warm weather comes on 

 farmers will do well to look to the state of their pastures 

 before stocking them with sheep, as rotten sheep are already 

 too numerous, and unless care is taken greater losses will 

 be sustained. — March 23. 



ISLE OF ELY. 

 March has come in " like a lion:" whether it will go out 

 " like a lamb " remains to be seen. It has been true to its 

 character thus far, and has displayed its " many weathers," 

 We have had frost, rain, hail, snow, with one or two mild 

 days, thunder, lightning, and tempests of wind. The last 

 week has been severely cold, and vegetation has made but 

 little piogress. The high searching winds have in some 

 respects been beneficial ; they have dried up the ground and 

 made the spring seeding do well, and they have also pene- 

 trated into the corn stacks, and made the newly-thrashed 

 corn come to hand in greatly improved condition. Our re- 

 port of the growing wheats, we regret to say, must, upon 

 the whole, be decidedly unfavourable. Here and there a 

 field looks healthy and vigorous, and is assuming its beauti- 

 ful spring verdure; bat these., are the exception. Much 



looks weak and sickly, and unpromising, with, in many in- 

 stances, a very thin plant. If such a crop as Uie present 

 one can ever produce an average yield of grain, it must 

 undergo a very speedy and marvellous change ; but this can 

 only be eS'ected by continued genial, spring-like weather. 

 So long, then, as these cold nipping winds and severe frosts 

 continue, we can expect no favourable change. Spring 

 seeding is progressing rapidly and satisfactorily. Beans are 

 sown, and will ere long be showing themselves above ground, 

 especially should we get a few mild days. Oats, too, are 

 largely sown; some were put in in February, and many 

 were drilled the early part of this month. The land is 

 generally wet and cold, and it will be some time before the 

 spring-sown corn Will, to any great extent, appear. It vege- 

 tates very slowly, but we hope surely. Sheep are selling 

 well, but trade is not brisk, in consequence of the cold 

 storms ; were grass to grow quickly, and keeping become 

 plentiful, we should probably see prices advance considera- 

 blj'. Beef and mutton sell at high prices, the latter especially 

 — 9d. to lOd. per lb. Pork makes 7s. Cd. per stone. We 

 have at length a little more trade for our fen wheats, and 

 prices have slightly improved : but low qualities are only a 

 slow sale yet. The condition of all fresh-thrashed samples 

 is good, and the intrinsic value of the wheat is thereby 

 increased. Beans are selling at about Is. per stone, and in 

 some instances are reported to yield badly — from 2 to 3 

 quarters per acre. Oats are about the same, and are still 

 selling at 13d. to 14d. per stone for good qualities.— 

 March 18. 



AGRICULTURAL INTELLIGENCE, 

 FAIRS. &c. 



ABERGAVENNY FAIR.— There was a very gcod at- 

 tendance of horned stock, the quality of aorae being very good, 

 and the prices realized in advance of those recently obtained. 

 In the liorse fair there wa3 a good attendance of capital 

 draught horses, which sold freely at good remunerative prices. 



ASHBURTON FAIR,— The supply of bullocks was toler- 

 ably good, but not in good condition. Of sheep there was a 

 amall supply, and trade was dull. Fat bullocks, 6O3, to 64s. 

 per cwt., store ditto 40s. to 443. ; fat sheep 7d. per lb., ewes 

 and lambs 53s. to 6O3. per couple. Yolk wool Is. 2d. per lb. 



AYLESBURY PALM FAIR, (Saturday last.)— A large 

 supply of all kinds of stock on offer, and trade in everythiug 

 ruled brisk. The supply of horses was very large, consisting 

 of all kinds, from the £80 nag -horse to the veriest knacker. 

 The trade was very active, and few remained unsold, prices 

 averaging from £30 to £80 for nags, and £20 to £60 each for 

 carthorses. In cow stock there was an excellent supply, both 

 as regards quantity and quality, and farmars and graziers 

 having refrained from buying cow stock during the winter on 

 account of the shortness of keep, there was a large number of 

 buyers at market, consequently trade ruled btiak, and very 

 little was left unsold, prices averaging for milch cows £13 to 

 £23, barreners £9 to £17, heifers £8 to £18, stirks and steers 

 £4 to £9 each. For calves there was a good inquiry, and 

 though the supply was large, all were sold. Weaners 263. to 

 428., Bucklers I83. to 38s. each. There was a very large sup- 

 ply of sheep at the fair, and buyers being plentiful a full clear- 

 ance was effected. Wethers 333. to 43s., tegs 26s. to 403., 

 couples 40s. to 46s. each. A few pens of fat sheep sold at 

 4s. 6d. to 5s. per stone. A good demand for pigs, at full 

 prices. In the butchers' market there was a good supply of 

 slaughtered meat, and trade was active. Beef 6Jd. to 8d., 

 Veal 64d. to 74d., Mutton 7d. to 8d., Pork 7d. to 8d. per lb. 



BANBURY FAIR.— There was a good supply of stock. 

 The prices of beef ranged from 3s. 6d. to 53., and mutton 

 from 5s. to 63. per Slbs. on the average, the briskest trade 

 being in the latter. 



BRIDGNORTH FAIR was stocked with a tolerable show 

 of good cattle. Prime beasts for the knife realized fully 7d. per 

 lb. Cows and calves went from £14 to £18. The quantity 

 of sheep penned was staall, and not equal to the demand, 

 prime wethers obtaining from 8^. to 9d. per lb. The pig 

 market was well stocked, and they realized from 6d. to 6^d. 

 per lb. The show of horses was scanty, and only a few hacks 

 and waggon-horses were exhibited. 



BROM.YARD FAIR vfaa well supplied with cows and 

 calves and poor stock ; the former sold well, but the latter 



