[ 216 ] [ Fes. 
MONTHLY AGRICULTURAL REPORT.. 
THE most important relative topic is the FROosT—and it is gone ; in all probability not 
to return during the present season. It was ardently and impatiently desired by the whole 
countty, not only as most congenial and salubrious in our climature, as Marshall would say, 
were he living, but for especial and most important purposes in our agricultural system— 
the natural draining and moulding of our heavy lands, rendering them friable and cultur- 
able, checking inordinate luxuriance in the wheat plant, changing myriads of slugs and 
insectite vermin into a manure, instead of a devouring plague; and surely last of all, 
compelling the farmer to take his stock home to the fold, that they might eat up his super- 
abundance of fodder and of hay, lest he should, like Midas, be surfeited and undone by 
the excess of that, which he had so eagerly coveted and sedulously stored up. Thus the 
world wags; we are at one time overburthened with that which at another time we are 
exerting ourselves velis et remis, omnibus nervis, to obtain, and are at last probably and 
sorrowfully compelled to go without. The frost in our county, commencing on the 17th, 
continued nine days, acting very beneficially in the respects above stated. With respect to 
slugs, grubs, and wire-worms, we have ourselves formerly tried lime, and the nonsense of 
turning flocks of ducks upon the wheat, without any perceptible benefit ; the vermin would 
yet remain through the spring, unless destroyed by severe frost. The only remedy in our 
power, is heavy rolling, early and frequent, in order to crush and destroy the ova of the 
marauders, and so practice the noble cure of prevention. A month’s continuance of the 
frost, would have been of immense benefit to the lands, wherever there isany depth of soil. 
Tt has been said that wheat, after fallow, is never slugged; the land then, must have been 
well and frequently heavy rolled. 
Until the commencement of the frost, live stock, in general, were abroad and doing 
remarkably well, excepting that the tread of heavy cattle was mischievous upon wet and. 
tender soils ; and that sheep at turnips on such soils were much in want of shelter during 
the high winds. In fact, unless upon the best lands, the turnip has been running away 
fast, the bulb losing its size and substance, and retaining very small power of nutrition. 
Of this tribe the rwtabaga, or Swedish turnip, alone can be depended on, in either moist or 
frosty seasons ; and we submit to those flock and stock masters, who have a sufficient breadth 
of grass land, whether it would not be to their interest, to confine their culture of the com- 
mon roots to the Swedish turnip and Mangold, with the caution, however, that the latter be 
not brought into use until it shall have passed through its sweating process, as several acci- 
dents came under our notice in the late autumn, of cattle blown, and dangerously affected 
by the too early use of that root. Generally, its use should not commence until about the 
present time. Considerable stock farmers, whose turnips have failed, allow their sheep full 
feeds of corn, oats, and beans. Such a process continued, will no doubt clap two or three 
stone upon the backs of the sheep ; and as a valuable addition, will so enrich the manure, as 
to have permanent effects on the land. Generally, however, never has live stock been 
maintained better, and at less expence, than during the present season. This fortunate 
abundance of keep, will have the effect of preventing flesh meat from rising to any exor- 
bitant price in the spring, since it has compelled all who had it in their power to provide 
stock to graze their lands ; and the common sense of the present Ministry, to do them justice, 
by that well timed national measure, passing the corn bill, have secured a similar advantage 
in the still more important article, BREAD. A considerable supply of flour is expected from 
the us flaminica. There is little variation in the price of flesh meat, fat or lean stock ; the 
latter still held too dear to return a profit to the feeder ; store pigs, indeed, are quoted still 
higher ; and by the invariable scarcity and high price, through such a number of years, an 
occurrence unprecedented in former days, it is obvious that the national stock and breed is 
upon too limited a scale. Our musical farmers prefer the lowing of cattle and bleating of 
sheep, to the grunting of nasty pigs. Fat hogs are worth about sixpence per lb. in the 
distant counties. It is universally expected that the fall of lambs in the spring will be 
uncommonly large, from the favourable circumstance of the ewes having been so fully fed 
during the autumn and winter. 
Wheat, besides being a most extensive crop, is almost universally, a strong and good plant, 
upon the best lands, fully tillered and stooled, no material damage having yet occurred ; 
the same may be said of winter tares, clover, and seeds of every description ; but the last 
year’s seeds were a defective crop, with the exception of hop-clover or trefoil. Clover and 
sainfoin, though considerable in bulk, are yet poorly in seed, whether as to quantity or quality. 
The lands are generally in great forwardness, and ready for the seed furrow. The short 
interval of frost was employed in carting manure or mending roads. Fine malting barley 
is very scarce, and must be dearer ; the crop having been large, it may be supposed the 
inferior surplus will be used, to some extent, in the country, as horse-feeds, which will have 
considerable effect in moderating the excessive import of oats. Hay and fodder of all kind 
