( 33i ) 



Fly very busy. Downs burnt up, having had no rain since 

 April, and very little since February, 1873. Some heavy 

 thunderstorms about midsummer, and showery till July 

 5th; then hot and dry till 2 ist, when we had showers, 

 with thunder, till 28th. Good crop of wheat and fine 

 harvest, but some showers. August set in fine ; then 

 showery till middle ; last fortnight fine. Finished barley 

 hauling 28th, except some rakings. In late districts there 

 was some quantity of barley still out, which got stained, 

 and was harvested badly. After Wilton Fair fine till end 

 of month. October was wet and stormy, but favourable 

 for wheat sowing. November, rather cold, by no means 

 dry, yet wheat went in well. December, very winterly ; 

 first half sometimes frost, sometimes gales, doing con- 

 siderable damage. Heavy rains. On i6th winter set in, 

 with snow and frost, which continued to the end of the 

 year. Roads so slippery by snow melting and freezing 

 again that travelling is very dangerous (T. H. .). 



Barley, good quality ; not heavy crop. Oats, worst in 

 memory of man. Peas, poor crop. Hay crop light in 

 general. Roots, bad. Store stock, gone down in price. 

 Fat stock, very dear at Christmas. Beef, up to i8.r., or 

 even more per score. Mutton, 9^. to lod. per Ib. In 

 December, wheat, 12 sc. 18 Ib., worth 23^.; malting barley, 

 42s. to $os. per qr. ; oats, $os. per qr. Winter beans, a 

 good crop. Spring beans, bad. All feeding stuffs dear. 

 Horses also very dear. Cart colts from 50 guineas to 

 70 guineas. Suckers from 20 guineas to 30 guineas 

 (T. H.B.). 



Best 100 lambs at Yarnbury Castle, 35^. ; second 100, 

 2$s. ; culls, 27,?., all cake fed (T. H. B.). 



Over an average crop of wheat (Times}. 



Let cows at 11 per cow (T. H. .). 



July and August, 1-3 above average temperature 

 (Times). 



Severe December, therm., 6 on 3oth (Whistlecraft). 



