( V[ ) 
The Agricultural prospects towards the close of the quarter are 
thus described in the Mark Lane Express for 23rd December. — 
" The state of the weather has become the permanent source of 
complaint. The floods, instead of abating, have further increased, 
and most of our great rivers have overflown their banks, entirely 
swamping the low-lying neighbourhoods. Farmers are literally 
puzzled what to do, their horses getting out of health, for want of 
work, in the stables, the land hopelessly sodden, and the flail or 
thrashing machine next to useless ; while round our coasts there 
have been numerous and terrible wrecks. But it is almost dangerous 
to have a strong frost when vegetation is so heavily charged with 
moisture, and all we can hope for is a continuance of moderate 
breezes till the land is in working order. There are many fears 
that the little wheat already planted will turn out a partial failure, 
the seed rotting in the soil ; and this apprehension is felt on the 
continent of Europe, where the sowing was more successful, as well 
as here. Still, with foreign supplies arriving in greater plenty 
than what immediate consumption requires, the market is effectu- 
ally prevented from rising, and is only maintained with difficulty. 
It is worthy of note that for the last four weeks the London 
averages have been below those of the country about Is. per qr., 
and this may well account for the poor supplies sent up to the 
metropolis. Farmers, indeed, would seem to send very little more 
here than what they are obliged, and of the poorest quality, London 
being the great market for everything good or bad. We are not 
fond of disparaging our own produce, but it is clear from the ex- 
hibition of samples, that if no rain had fallen, the crop in quality, 
more especially the white wheat, would have been below the 
average of seasons ; and if we select the numerous sprouted corns 
from these we shall find they were the best and plumpest grains, 
which are always the first to grow. The damage therefore to the 
flour is unusually great, its strength and nutrition are diminished, 
and though only a slow and gradual course will make this felt, it 
shows that whatever be the present dulness or the fluctuations 
following, we must have unusual imports to fill the void. Paris is 
again 1 fr. dearer for flour, Belgium and Holland show a slight 
improvement, but Dantzic has rather given way, other places re- 
maining much the same. They have frost at Konigsberg, Dantzic, 
and Stettin." 
