57 



May was hot and dry, culminating in a very hot week near the 

 end, and it looked as if we might have another 1921 summer, but 

 June, thoug-h dry, was colder and less sunny, and the weather 

 prog'ressively deteriorated as the season advanced. The summer 

 was a byword among- farmers and holiday-makers. July was not 

 only cold and sunless, but very wet as well, there being almost 

 double the average rainfall (4.6 ins. instead of 2.4 ins.). August 

 and September remained cold and sunless, and differed only in that 

 August was not wetter than usual, while September had 50% more 

 than the average rainfall. The harvest was much delayed ; it had 

 been one of the earliest on record in 1921 ; it was one of the latest 

 and most protracted in 1922. Old farmers compared it with that 

 of 1879 ; indeed some said it was worse. The comparison was 

 ominous, for it foreshadowed suffering not only from the weather 

 but from the severe financial crisis which set in, worse than any 

 in the last 30 years. October was much drier and had more 

 sunshine, but the winds were mostly cold ; arrears of cultivations 

 were, however, partly overcome. 



The yields of crops were far better than might have been 

 expected in view of the wretched weather conditions. Spring 

 growth was poor, but later growth was very marked ; indeed the 

 results were so remarkable that we cannot help connecting them 

 with the thorough baking given to the soil by the hot dry autumn 

 of 1921. Taking the crops in detail, grass, while gixing a poor 

 yield of hay in June, made better growth afterwards, and the 

 grazing results over the season were considerably more satisfac- 

 tory than in 1921 ; thus on the permanent grass plots of Great 

 Field the results were : — 



Yield of hay, cwt. per acre (end of June) 



Live weight increase in sheep, lb. per 

 acre (end of September) . 

 Barley made a splendid start as the March weather allowed an 

 excellent seed-bed to be formed, but the young plants were 

 seriously checked by the drought in May and June ; some of them 

 began to turn yellow as if the ripening processes were already 

 beginning. The July rain caused a resumption of growth, but 

 the absence of sun and the continued rain seriously interfered with 

 ripening. In the end the yield of grain was normal,^ but the 

 quality was execrable ; indeed, experienced barley buyers 

 described the season as one of the worst for many years. Some 

 of the results were : — 



Hoos Field 4a Long Hoos 



The average yields of cereals for Kngland and Wales were lower than in 1921, and, in thi; 

 case of the oats belxjw the ten 3ears' average. 



