440 Monthly Agricultural Report. [Ocr. 
foul and weedy state of vast breadths of both arable and pasture land, throughout this 
country, so boastful of her agriculture. Now the clearing away this degrading nuisance 
would, at once, employ a great additional number of labourers, and return a vast profit to 
their employers. There are also many profitable articles heretofore cultivated in England, 
but many years since entirely neglected, since wheat has been the golden object, the cul- 
ture of which might now be advantageously revived. There are, too, numbers of indispen- 
sable articles which we have long been voluntarily in the habit of importing, that might be 
profitably grown athome. Our tenantry, indeed, complain, and very justly, of the oppres- 
sive burden of taxation; for though the public bears this burden, it must be understood 
with respect to those growers who have the means of holding their corn, whilst the less for- 
tunate in that respect, on every falling market, must feel heavily the grievous weight of 
taxation. On this point, indeed, the appeal to Parliament is most legitimate. And it is 
the clearest and most obvious duty of all public bodies, to use their accumulated and power- 
ful influence on the legislature, for the removal of all unnecessary, that is to say, of all 
taxation which is not required for truly public and national purposes. Such, however, 
seems by no means the leading object of our great agricultural associations. Finally, the 
signs of the times seem to indicate, that the monopoly of home-grown corn cannot be 
revived or obtained. = 
A summer, the most variable, wet, stormy, and blighting, that we have seen during 
many years, has been fortunately concluded by some weeks of the most mild and beautiful 
cweather, with which our fickle climate ever indulges us. The result has been most fortu- 
nate for late harvests, and for those farmers in early districts who had either the good luck 
or the discretion not to be too hasty in their operations. ‘The wheat crop will be full as 
defective as we stated in our last; nor will the quality of the best preserved, equal that 
produced in a good, namely, a dry season. Wet summers are unfriendly to the weight 
and quality of bread corn. However, price will make ample amends to the fortunate 
growers of the best samples of the year, and even afford some indemnity to the less for- 
tunate, since the damp and rough corn will fill the bushel. Had not the Corn Bill passed, 
wheat would at this moment have been at an alarming price, sufficient to excite the most 
heart-burning clamours in the country. It may at present be deemed high, with little 
probability of a fall, since, from a harvest like the late, the supplies from abroad cannot be 
so considerable as in productive years. Old wheat is superior in price to the new, by 6s. 
to 16s. per quarter. The straw of all culmiferous crops is necessarily great, from the con- 
stant moisture of the season ; and in the least fortunate districts, it is averred, that a sheaf 
of wheat has scarcely produced beyond one-half of the weight of corn, which was rendered 
by a sheaf of last year, the quality also cold, rough, and lean. These facts have been 
speedily ascertained, as the flail and threshing-mill, this year, have been called into very 
early operation. ; 
The spring crops have been universally more prosperous than the wheats, both in straw 
and corn. Beans and peas are the most productive ; oats standing next, though much of 
this corm was blown away by the high winds. Barley-is a great crop, but a considerable 
part of it discoloured ; and that which has been put up in a damp state, will scarcely escape 
being mow-burnt, thence unfit for matting. Much corn of all kinds, indeed, was stacked 
in so moist a condition, as to induce the necessity of unmaking the rick, in order to dry 
the sheaves. The harvest has been most perplexing and expensive, but to the fortunate 
few. The fen counties appear to have suffered most, and the heaviest calamities of the 
season have arisen from the floods. Clover seed, from the favourable change of the weather, 
has succeeded beyond expectation, yet will not be an abundant crop. ‘Trefoil is a crop, 
and winter tares particularly good. Turnips, potatoes, and mangel wurzel are great.crops 
—the after grasses most abundant, and the fallows green like a meadow, and full of keep. 
But in the fens, both the cole and turnips are unproductive. Our late observation has 
been verified, as to the inferior quality of grass forced into an inordinate luxuriance by con- 
stant moisture. Beasts, in the great cattle districts, have not improved in proportion to 
the superabundance of grass. The present cannot be deemed a great fruit year, nor is the 
quantity of any species entitled to particular commendation. 
All store stock is in great request. Cart colts are at an extravagant price, and the 
import of horses continues. Wheat sowing began early, the length of the harvest, and 
condition of the fallows considered. These last, indeed, we never before saw in a more 
foul and slovenly condition. ‘The next crop of wheat, that is to say, the proprietors of it, 
will suffer heavily for this. Hops, in consequence of the late favourable weather, have 
improved, but neither the quality or extent of the crop can be yet ascertained. 
Smithfield.—Beef, 3s. 4d. to 4s. 4d. Mutton, 3s. 8d. to 4s. 6d.— Veal, 4s. 8d. to ds. 6d. 
— Pork, 5s. to 6s. —Raw fat, 2s. 4d. 
Corn Exchange.—Wheat, 46s. to 90s.—Barley, 34s. to 40s.—Oats, 19s. to 34s. 
—Bread, The London fine 4 lb. loaf 11d.—Hay 55s. to 100s.—Clover ditto, 75s. to 120s. 
Straw 32s. to 38s. : 
Coals in the Pool, 27s. to 39s. per chaldron. 
Middlesex, September 22d. 
