644 Monthly AghcuUural Report. [June, 



tlid imleed occur in a loug succession of north-east winds, which, it may be hoped, is 

 now exliausted, and about to be balanced in the opposite direction. 



Tlie pi-incipal crop, wlieat, has in course suffered least from the drought, scarcely to 

 any very perceptible degree on the best land ; on inferior, and in exposed situations, it 

 looks backward, yellow, and streaked with blight. Sliould warm weather ensue, its 

 advance to ear and blooming \\'ill be rapid. The spring crops never found a finer tilth 

 or more favourable seed bed, and the first sown are now full as forward as usual ; the 

 latter seeds remained dormant in the soil from want of moisture, the blades appearing 

 liitherto veiy scantily, which will occasion a part of the harvest to be late. A con- 

 siderable breadth of pease and beans are in this predicament. Oats look promising ; and 

 should the piesent rains continue and penetrate to tlie root, crops of every species, corn, 

 seeds, grasses or roots, will, in all probability, speedily assume the appearance of the 

 most favourable year. The apples have >vithstood the attacks of the late rigorous 

 weathei-, and promise well ; cherries, plums, gooseberries, and part of the wall-fruit, 

 have been blighted, and in great part destroyed. The hops have suffered universally, 

 but the present driving showers will have a beneficial effect in cleanshig the vine from 

 vermin; they cannot however prove a large crop. TJie potatoe culture has been rather 

 forward, and the present state of the weather is much in favour of the plants ; which 

 will also bring forward turnip sowing, on the best tilth that has been known for years. 

 Mangel Wurzel and Swedes follow, the culture of which, ridiculed and rejected by 

 farmers formerly, is now making its way throughout the country, to an immense public 

 advantage. 



The crops in the famous and fruitful county of Kent, appear to us to have received 

 less damage, and to have a more luxuriant appearance, than upon any lands which we 

 have passed over. It has ever struck us forcibly, not indeed as a proof of agricultural 

 wisdom, that the culture of that most profitable grass lucerne, should be almost con- 

 fined to Kent, where indeed it seems increasing. Their crops are all forward, and pro- 

 mise an early harvest, and notwithstanding the consumption of the late rigorous season, 

 the county is still full of hay and the grasses; and according to report, there is a con- 

 siderable quantity of wheat and other grain yet remaining on the hands of the farmers. 

 It is chiefly in the western counties, where the quantity of wheat on hand is short ; 

 generally, we find our former opinion as to the stock of wheat, confirmed. The same 

 as to the stock of potatoes, which has proved amply sufficient, though great part of it 

 deteriorated in quantity. 



The fall of lambs has beeji one of the most successful within memory ; sheep, well 

 fed, will endure cold dn/ weather. The stock of cattle in the country is great, but the 

 ])ast season lias been unsuccessful, generally to the graizer ; nor is the prospect very 

 inviting, though stores are lower in price, for " down corn down horn," and it is not pro- 

 bable that the autumnal markets wU prove very remunerative. IMilch cows and heifers 

 are always wortli money, for should they flag awhile, the price soon recovers. It is now 

 too late in the season for any advance in the horse market, which is twenty to thirty per 

 cent, below the rate of last year. The extensive imports from Belgium have greatly 

 reduced the price of cart hoi'ses ; but yearling cart colts are scarce and dear, which at 

 once explains the motive for those imports. 



The ill blood and mutual recriminations between the agricultural and manufacturing 

 interests, which we meet with in the public prints, are sufficiently absurd. The former 

 ought to consider that we are not merely an agricultural, but a great commercial nation, 

 and that the interests of commerce must not be sacrificed to any partial views. Nor 

 ought they to com])lain of breach of faith, or of being taken by surprize, on the late 

 release of the bonded corn, since they have had a long warning of the determination of 

 both the state and the country, to repeal the existing corn laws. Tiicse heart-burnings 

 in the country, of use to no party, seem to be fanned and kept alive by certain itinerant 

 political pedlars, who go about ringing the changes on " gold and paper, and corn and cur- 

 rency," of which they seem to entertain a jumble of very confused ideas, setting the 

 heads of that part of the public who are weak enough to attend to them, wool-gathering 

 on, at last, they know not what. They have not yet told us precisely what they mean 

 by the catch-word currency. We must at last have both gold and paper ; and in our 

 view the diatribes on small bank notes, are inconsequential enough; and had our great 

 commercial and agricultural parties possessed a sufficient fund of moderation and dis- 

 cretion, whilst a vast tide of prosperity was breaking in upon them, the late distress 

 would not have occurred, nor would currency have had such a vast load of guUt imposed 

 upon it. 



Smithfield.— Beef, is. to 5s.— Mutton, 4s. to 4s. 8d. — Veal, 4s. 4rf. to 5s. lOd.— 

 Pork, 3s. 8(1, to 6s. — Lamb, 4,'i. 8rf. to 6^. 2d — Raw Fat, 2s. — 



Corn Exchange.— Whea.t, 46s. to 68s.— Bariey, 30s. to 36s.— Oatr., 22s. to 34s.— 

 London loaf of fine Bread, 41b. , O^d- Hay, 60s. to 103s.— Clover ditto, 70s. to 1 10s.— 

 Straw, 36s. to 42s. 



Coais in the pool, 27.». to 39.?. per chaldron. 

 Middlesex, May 2ld, 1826. 



