416 



THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. 



we had a fair sale tor our fen wheats, but the demand has 

 again subsided. — Your Fen Reporter.— April 15. 



EAST SUFFOLK. 

 In reporting the growing crops in this locality, the month 

 of March was partly wet, which is considered unfavourable 

 for wheat, yet on the whole this cereal is looking healthy, and 

 promises well. Ou some heavy clay soil the slug has taken 

 it off in places. The usual acreage is sown. Last j'ear's 

 crop proves a very defective yield ; and an extensive in- 

 road has been made in thrashing it out, although the price 

 is unsatisfactory. A small portion only of barley is yet sown ; 

 but with favourable weather will soon come to a close. The 

 last crop, like wheat, is a bad yield. A small quantity re- 

 mains in farmers' hr.nds. 



SOMERSETSHIRE. 

 May weather has commenced iu April this year, aud very 

 grateful to have such beautiful sunshiniug or with little inter- 

 ruption. The greatest heat was on the 17tb, 70^ degrees, 

 aud 34^ was the lowest for the past three days. There has 

 been for these few days marked progress, and the spring 

 birds are announcing themselves ; the cuckoo is very punc- 

 tual on or before the 20th, but as yet there has not been 

 the number arrived as in some years, and all our winter 

 birds show a falling-off without exception, proving last 

 winter was fatal to a great many of our feathered tribe 

 — the robin, thrush, starling, and rook are evidently les- 

 sened in number ; but what is, perhaps, less explainable, 

 the small slugs are very plentiful; the severity of the 

 winter does not appear to affect this family. Much of the 

 damage to the wheat plant may be traced to them. Some 

 pieces have to be ploughed up, others are very thin on heavy 

 soils, and have been partially resown. We do not estimate 

 the quantity put in as equal to last year, which was considered 

 less than the previous one, as this year there has not been so 

 little autumn sown. " April" has lately been enquired for, 

 and there will be grown more than last year. None of the 

 wheats are forward: but we may have an average crop, and an 

 earlier one than the last year's. Beans have come up well, 

 and the winter ones, although backward, promise fairly, A 

 good deal of barley has gone in, and is now waiting for rain. 

 The land will now be in fine condition, if we have rain in 

 about a week. There is a prospect of a much earlier spring 

 than last year, and a dry summer not unlikely to follow. 

 There is a shortness of sheep keep; the roots have not held 

 out well, and on all the winter food there is not that pressure 

 usually found. The artificial grasses are looking worse ; a 

 good plant of clover ; and the meadows are forwarder than 

 last year at this time. The hay has held out better than was 

 expected. There does not appear much likelihood of a fruit 

 season ; the pear is in bloom, but sparingly, and the apple, 

 although more backward, will be a very partial blossom. 

 Potatoes have gone in pretty freely ; but on the field there is 

 still more to do. Sheep have been very badly kept, and there 

 is not full confidence ; still good hogs fetch high prices — prime 

 40s. to 458., but under 408. ; there are few of prime quality 

 in fair condition to be bought : those not warranted are very 

 low, from 158. to 20s. per head. Our graziers have bought 

 up to their means or food. If the grass grows fast, there 

 will be more doing. Prices have been steady, but much lower 

 than last year for inferior. There are a good many barren- 

 ners'; and good cows and calves sell high. Up to this time 

 there has been much complaint of short produce from the 

 cons come in to milk ; and the price of butter has been high, 

 14d. to 15d., it is now down to Is. Cheese has been selling 

 badly, and prices have given way 4s. to 5s. per cwt., in some 

 iustances more ; but the stock is considered light, as the make 

 last year was very short. Beef keep] fairly up, and so does 

 good mutton, aud mostly fetching 12s. to 13s. per score, and 

 8d. to 9il. per lb. Fat pigs have kept up to lOs. and lOs. 6d.; 

 poor ones are rather higher. Wheats have not got up equal 

 to London, as for best whites nearly as much is given as 

 before the late falls. We are not largely supplied ; the condi- 

 tion lately much improved, from 6s. 6d. to 7a. 8d. red, 60 to 

 621b., white 7s. to 7s. 9d., in fair condition ; inferior difficult 

 to sell, so that there is by no means a large stock in farmers' 

 hands, hardly an average; but the quality will not tempt 

 them to keep over, as the price makes it safe.— April 19. 



AGRICULTURAL INTELLIGENCE, 

 FAIRS. &c. 



BANBURY FAIR.— There was an average supply of 

 stock, both in the beast and sheep markets. Beef fetched 

 from 43. 6d. to 5s. 2d., and mutton from Ss. to 6s. per 81bs. 

 In the horse fair Mr. Cother had an auction of several fine 

 entire cart horses. One of them, a dark brown three-year-old, 

 which took the first prize at the Chipping Norton Agricultu- 

 ral Meeting, was knocked down at £80. 



CASTLE-DOUGLAS M.ARKET.— This being the day of 

 our anuual hog show for Penrith Market, it was expected that 

 it would have been a fair one. The state of the weather, how- 

 ever, having o! late taken so propitious a turn as to almost 

 insure abundance of keep, has told against a large show, and 

 thfrefore we have to report a very indifferent one. The de- 

 mand, however, for hogs of each class in fair condition was 

 good. Prices ranged from 483. to 403. per head for half-breds, 

 and from Sis. to 353. for crosses. 



CHESTER FAIRS.— There was a large show of horses, 

 but very few changed hands. Buyers attended in considerable 

 numbers, but, as prices ruled high, few purchases were effected. 

 Business was more brisk in the cattle fair, the rates iu some 

 instances being in favour of the buyer. On the whole the 

 prices for every description of cattle were the same as last 

 quoted. 



CROWLE SPRING MARKET.— The show of beasts and 

 pigs was not so good as on former occasions, and business 

 amongst them was only flat. 



DODBROOKE MONTHLY MARKET.— There was an 

 average supply of cattle, with a good demand, beef fetching 

 from £3 5s. to £3 lOs. per cwt. A moderate supply of mut- 

 ton, with a slow sale at S^d. to 8|d. per lb. Mr. Pedler, of 

 Sherford. sold 50 wether hogs at 52s. 6d. each. 



GLOUCESTER MONTHLY MARKET.— The supply of 

 beef and mutton was unusually short, and the trade was there- 

 fore brisk, while former prices were fully supported. Beef 

 ruled from 7d. to 75d., mutton in the wool from 8^d. to 9d., 

 and shorn sheep from 7d. to 7id. per lb. Pigs were sold at 

 from lOs. 6d. to lis. per score. 



HOLY CROSS FAIR.— There was a larger supply than 

 usual of all kinds of stock. Barrin cows sold from £9 to £12 

 each, fat wethers £3 each ; fat pigs from lOs. 6d. to lis. per 

 score. Some good horses met with a ready sale. 



HONITON GREAT MARKET.— There was a large at- 

 tendance of dealers and farmers, and a great quautity of cattle 

 and sheep driven in, but very few changed hands in conse- 

 quence of food being scarce. 



HOWDEN FAIR.— Tfcere was a good supply of horses. 

 The best sorts met a ready sale at good prices ; for second 

 quality and inferior animals there was a dull market. The 

 cattle fair had a fair supply, and prices ruled quiet. 



LESLIE SPRING MARKET.— Fine fat brought about 

 10s. per stone. Some idea of the general prices may be formed 

 from the following sales : — A fine lot of fat stock was sold at 

 £27 per head. Mr. Young, Balgedie, sold a lot (six) of two- 

 year-olds at £8 lis. per head. Captain Murray, Kinglassie, 

 sold ten two-year-olds at £10 per head. Mr. Elder, Wells- 

 green, sold a lot at £9 5s. a-head. Mr. Beveridge, Kinniston, 

 sold a large lot at £12 128. a-head. Mr. Black, TiUobreck, 

 sold a pair of calving queys for £27. Mr. Bogie sold five 

 queys at £12 a-head •, and Mr. Barclay, from the neighbour- 

 hood of Kinross, sold to Mr. Arnot, Bowhouse, a lot at £10 

 a-head. 



LUTON FAIR. — A large quantity of lean beasts, cows, 

 heifers, and calves. High prices were asked and given for the 

 best breeds and sizes. The chief were short-horns, Welsh, 

 and Devons. Five three years old stores made from £12 to 

 £14 per head, second rate ditto £7 to £9 ditto, small ditto 

 from £5 to £6 ditto, cow in calf from £16 to £20 each, others 

 at from £12 to £15 ditto, heifers at from £10 to .£14 ditto, 

 calves at from 208. up to SOs. each. The majority of every 

 description found buyers. A large quantity of sheep ^^a8 

 penned. Of sonthdowns and half-breds, fat and lean, sales 

 brisk and prices high ; beat store tegs made from 348. to 38s. 

 each, couples from SCs. to 44s., lambs at from 1 63. to 228. 

 each. Fat sheep : wethers at from 5s. to 5s. 4d. per stone, 

 second quahty from 48. 6d. to 4s. lOd. ditto. Pens all cleared 

 out early. A greater number than usual of riding, driving, 

 and draught horses, with small droves of Welsh and Irish 



