16 



paralysis has come over the grain trade, from which there is, apparently, no 

 immediate relief." 



This view of the state of the crops of Great Britain during the month of Sep- 

 tember is sustained by the London Economist, and in its commercial epitome 

 of September 24 it remarks : 



" The trade at Mark Lane, to-day, for all descriptions of produce, both Eng- 

 lish and foreign, was very dull. Even including a few samples of home-grown 

 wheat, of fine quality, which changed hands at Monday's decline in prices, the 

 amount of business transacted was unimportant, and the bulk of the supplies 

 brought forward was left unsold at the close of the business. As regards bar- 

 ley and oats, the tendency of prices was strongly in favor of buyers, and beans 

 could only be disposed of at reduced quotations. At Liverpool, this morning, 

 the grain trade was very dull, and prices declined. Wheat gave way 2d. ( 4 cts.) 

 per cental ; flour, Q>d. (12 cts.) per barrel ; and maize Qd. per quarter. At Wake- 

 field, a reduction of 1 shilling (24 cts.) per quarter (480 lbs.) took place both 

 in wheat and barley." 



There are two causes which have a tendency to produce a temporary depres- 

 gion — the high rate of bank interest, being the unprecedented rate of 9 per 

 cent., and the necessity of renters paying their money rents due at Michaelmas, 

 (,29th September.) How fixr wheat on the continent is injured by unfavorable 

 weather, remains to be seen ; but if the quality is impaired, the fine condition 

 and quality of our own will give it preference in the English markets. It is 

 pretty certain that the English harvest is below an average crop, and that it 

 has sustained some injury from wet weather. 



It is, however, important to observe the opinion expressed, that France will 

 not export wheat and flour to Great Britain. By reference to the table of im- 

 ports of wheat, &c., to that country, in this report, it will be seen that France, 

 during the first eight months of this year, sent 101,901,600 pounds of flour to 

 Great Britain, whilst the United States sent but 149,779,056 pounds. France 

 also exported to England about two-thirds as much wheat as this country did. 

 The condition of the wheat crop in France will insure to our own wheat and flour 

 an increased demand. 



THE GRASS, OAT AND ROOT CROPS OF ENGLAND. 



The foregoing remarks on the state of the English and continental crops 

 have especial reference to the wheat crop. But the crops now to be considered 

 are those which affect the feed of farm stock directly, and indirectly that of the 

 human family. The tendency of the farming of Great Britain, for several years, 

 has been to the increase of animals for food. Hence any condition of the crops 

 that lessens the number of these in the market must increase the consumption 

 of the cereals. 



There is but one opinion expressed in the English papers of the crops above 

 named — all are far below an average, and some of them, as the hay and turnip 

 crops, so short that English agricultural papers are now discussing very earn- 

 estly the best modes of supplying the deficiencies during the coming winter. 

 For the purpose of presenting the shortness of these crops, we take from the 

 Gardeners' Chronicle the following extracts. 



In that paper of September 1 0, we have this general account : 



" With the exception of the Lincoln, Cambridge, and York fens, which have 

 produced bulky crops, the oat crop in England is sadly deficient. In Scotland, 

 too, the oat crop is thin on the ground, short in straw, and altogether deficient. 



" The bean crop is very irregular ; on deep loams it is an average, but on the 

 whole this crop is deficient. 



" Potatoes generally are of a fine quality ; tubers small, but plentiful, and the 

 produce light. 



