i9io.] Report on Crop Prospects on August ist. 417 



In the first week the weather was rainy over the country generally 



during the earlier days, but the conditions then improved. Temperature 



was below the average, warmth being classed 



___ as "very deficient" in England N.E., E., 



Notes on the Weather e „ - , ^ , r . n , . j 



4 . S.E., and the Midland Counties, and 



m U y." "deficient" elsewhere. Sunshine was less 



than the normal in almost all parts of England. 



During the greater part of the second week the weather was dry, 

 but in the south and east of England the sky was often very cloudy. 

 Very little rain fell, except in thunderstorms, on the southern and south- 

 eastern coasts. The temperature was again below the average in Eng- 

 land, except in the north-west, but sunshine varied. In the south, 

 south-east, and east of England there was a great deficiency. 



During the third week unsettled weather was experienced, rain 

 falling on most days over nearly the whole of Great Britain. Warmth 

 was "deficient" everywhere except in England E., where it was 

 "moderate," and sunshine was "scanty" or "very scanty" in almost 

 all districts. 



In the fourth week cool and unsettled conditions continued till 

 nearly the end of the week, when a decided improvement took place, 

 and the weather became fairer and more seasonable than for some time 

 past. Rainfall was " moderate " in most districts of England, but was 

 "very heavy" in Scotland and England N.W., and "heavy" in Eng- 

 land S.W. Temperature remained below the average taking the week 

 as a whole s and sunshine was "scanty " or " very scanty " in all districts 

 of Great Britain. 



The Crop Estimators of the Board, in reporting on the state of 

 the crops and the agricultural conditions on the ist August, indicate 

 P , p that the wet and cold weather which pre- 



p + vailed generally during July in the southern 



Au ust 1st ^ ait °^ t ^ G -^ n §^ om ^ as been unfavourable 



* ' to the cereals, but the changes on the month 



in the prospects of these crops are, for the country as a whole, slight, 

 except in the case of oats. As in the previous month, much diversity 

 is evident in the prospects of different districts. 



Wheat and Barley are still expected to prove a little over average 

 in quantity. Speaking generally, the prospects of both have deterior- 

 ated in the south and east, and improved in the north and in Wales. 



Oats have suffered generally from the July weather, and are now 

 considered as hardly up to the average, the decline in this crop having 

 been fairly distributed over the country. 



Peas are scarcely as promising as a month ago and will probably 

 not exceed an average crop. Beans are practically unchanged ; and 

 are expected to yield a little over the average. Mangolds are also 

 reported unchanged, while turnips and swedes are, very generally, 

 healthy and vigorous, though mostly backward. 



Potatoes have improved considerably during the month, and now 

 appear to be relatively the most promising of all the crops ; little 

 disease is reported. 



Hay is generally abundant, except in Scotland. Seeds hay appears 



G G 



