The mmer of 1885-8Q. 
437 
cultivation depends upon the nature of the soil and the intended 
crops. I do not think the past winter has altered my views. Land 
intended for bare fallow is best unploughed. Root land should 
be ploughed early when the land is dry, and, if possible, 
worked in spring by cultivating implements only." And Earl 
Powis sums up the matter in the lesson, " Lose no opportunity 
when the land is jit^ 
Speaking in a general way, the alterations brought about by 
the past winter have been slight ; and as for spring catch-crops, 
where they are grown, they would still be relied on in ordinary 
seasons, though in one instance they failed to be early. Every- 
where the best wheats have been produced from early sowing, 
but a large number of late-sown wheats were failures, and these 
were ploughed up, and resown with barley. This latter crop 
was everywhere sown late, but has generally done well, though 
in many districts it has suffered from wet and cold. Winter 
wheat in many districts has suffered from wireworm, and is thin 
on the ground everywhere. Mr. H. J. Sheldon may be quoted 
as giving his experience : — • 
" 12. It has made no difference in my arrangements, except getting more 
horses in order to be able to make up for lost time, and to be able to take 
advantage of the few dry days one has, and get double work done in the short 
space of time the weather gives one to do it in, which is, of course, an increase 
of expense which present prices make one ill able to afford. 
" 13. The wheat is very late ; generally too spiry in the braird, and on 
strong land the constant and heavy rains of the last three weeks have turned 
it yellow, as also some of the barley. On M?y 12 and 13 we had 85 inches 
of rain, which, with constant rains ever since, have done a lot of harm to 
everything, and will prevent most of the corn-crops from being hoed — these 
three weeks being the proper time to do so, and it has been impossible to 
touch them." 
So also says Mr. Charles Randell : — 
" 12. The effect has been to delay all spring sowing ; for instance, last 
year my barley was drilled in January ; the crop averaged 7J quarters per 
acre. This year it was planted late in March, and will probably produce 
2 quarters per acre less. This, however, is not all owing to late sowing ; 
the cold wet weather of May and the beginning of June checked the growth of 
barley ; it lost colour, and this had to be restored by nitrate of soda — f ewt. 
per acre. 
" 13. Wheat upon heavy land, more especially after steam cultivation, 
suffered from the soil being deeply pulverised by frost, and the impossibility 
of rendering it firm in the spring by rolling ; it was never dry enough. Here 
again the late-planted suffered most." 
Mr. J. H. Arkwright also says : — 
" 11. Autumn-sown com crops have a distinct advantage over Lent com. 
Spring crops are thin, and the straw weak and short : we like to get our 
wheat in by or before the 1st of November. 
" 12. There has been a far greater acreage of oats planted this spring in 
