372 Notes on the Weather and Crops. [sept., 



The general summary of the Reports of the Crop Estimators of the Board issued on 

 the 23rd August is as follows : — 



A spell of warm dry weather in the latter half of 

 Report Oil Crop J u * y a f avoura ble effect on the crops, and the un- 

 Ptiwupp* August -1QH7 S enial weather durin g August does not appear to have 

 rros>peui5, AUgUfcl, 1»U/. prevented some general improvement as compared 



with the previous report relating to mid-July. The 

 boisterous weather of the present month has knocked the crops about a good deal, 

 and its further continuance is viewed by all the Board's Crop Estimators with great 

 anxiety, particularly in upland districts, where the want of sun threatens to prevent 

 the crops from ripening. The prospect has not been improved since the date of 

 these reports. 



All three cereals show some improvement during the month. Wheat, at the date 

 of the reports, promised practically an average yield in Great Britain as a whole : it is 

 most promising in the East of. Scotland. Barley is not quite so good as wheat. Oats 

 are the best of the cereals, being particularly promising in the West and South-West. 

 Reports as to beans vary, but some localities anticipate good crops. All the corn 

 crops have abundance of straw, and they have everywhere been more or less laid by 

 the windy rains in August, and the harvest in consequence is likely to be tedious and 

 troublesome. The date of the corn-harvest will be generally much later than usual. 



Potatoes are quite the worst crop of the year, and have further deteriorated during 

 the month, owing to the widepread appearance of disease. The crop in Scotland 

 appears to be healthier than in England, but the yield will be poor in both cases. 



Roots have improved considerably during the month ; they are better in England 

 than in Scotland. Reports of the difficulty of cleaning the root land are numerous, 

 but there has been comparatively little Turnip-Fly or Finger-and-Toe. 



Hay, as regards bulk, is the crop of the year, but the quality is generally very 

 poor. That which was secured during the ten days's hot spell of July is nearly all in 

 good condition, the South-West being particularly fortunate in this respect. Reports 

 as to quality from Scotland are mostly better than in England, but the quantity 

 there is not so satisfactory. Much hay is still out and uncut, and is deteriorating 

 through wet. 



Apples and pears are everywhere a short crop ; plums are very abundant in 

 England ; and bush fruits have generally done well. 



Reports from the hop counties are variable and the prospects seem somewhat 

 uncertain. On the whole the South-Eastern Districts appear to promise little short 

 of an average yield, and the outlook in the Western Districts is favourable. 



The supply of labour seems, with few exceptions, to be sufficient or plentiful. 



Summarising the reports, and representing the prospect of an average yield in 

 each case by loo, the appearance of the crops in mid- August may be represented, for 

 Great Britain as a whole, by the following percentages : — wheat, 100 ; barlev, 99 ; 

 oats, 103 ; potatoes, 96 ; roots, 103 ; hay, 107. 



The changeable weather which marked the latter part of July continued into 

 August, aud in the week ending August 3, it was unsettled over the whole Kingdom. 



Temperature was below the normal in all districts, 

 Notes Oil the Weather and ^ r ig nt sunshine was also below the average. 



Rainfall was ' ' heavy " in the Midland Counties and 



and the Crops in August. „ moderate » elsewh e r e. 



In the second week the general state of the weather 

 was again unsettled, but rain was heavier and much more frequent in the north and 

 west than in the east and south. Temperature exceeded the normal over all the 

 Midland and Eastern counties of England, but was rather below it elsewhere. Bright 

 sunshine was rather deficient in many parts. Rainfall exceeded the average in 

 England N.W., Scotland N. and W., and just about equalled it in Scotland E. In 

 the other districts except England S.W. there was a considerable deficit. 



