376 Monthly Agricultural Report. [Feb. 
57,750 tons of crude iron will then be neceffary to form 35,c00 tons of bars 


at 20l. — ~— _ — £ 700,000 
2,250 tons caft into cannon, cylinders, machinery, wares, &c. at 141. 591,5¢0. 
390,000 tons amount of the native manufactures of iron at this period 1,291,500: 
The extenfive manufactures of this country have for many years paft demanded an additio- 
nal fupply of foreign bar iron. This has been chiefly obtained from Ruffia and Sweden, and 
the annual quantity may be averaged for the laft 20 years at 70,000 tons, which at 18]. 
per ton makes 3,260,000]. amounting with, the fum before ftated to 25551,5001. which - 
may be taken as the annual amount of the raw material, the chief part of which becomes 
more valuable in an uncommon ratio, by fubfequent labour. 

Monthly Agricultural Report. 
T was fortunate for the farmer that the operations of the plough had been continued with- 
out much interruption for fome time previous to the fetting in of the frofts; as thofe 
together with the very unuftial quantity of fnow, which has fallen during the laf month has 
nearly put a ftop, for the time, to the bufinefs of hufbandry. -The farmer could indeed do 
little elfe than look after his ftock—his ftock, however, required all his attention, and, during 
the feverity of the weather, made him but a trifling remuneration. The turnips were fo 
cold and comfortlefs that they would eat no more than were abfolutely neceflary for 
their fupport. Many farmers fortunately hada great deal of old hay by them, and this they 
were under the necefiity of giving to their bullocks and weathers, with an unfparing hand. 
Ht is probable tisat large graziers muft have loft a great deal of money this feafon. 
The late fown wheats fuffered confiderably from the feverity of the firft froft, and the con- 
fequent tardinefs of their growth expofed them much to the depredation of vermin (crows; 
pidgeons, wire-worms, &c.): that fro, however, enabled the farmers to take time by the 
forelock 3 they top-drefied thofe wheats which had not been mucked at Michaelmas, and ma- 
nured almoft all the layers which were intended for wheat next feafon. Some fortunately 
fill further anticipated the labour of another year; they actually finifhed mucking their 
layers, and made fome progrefs in carting dung on their wheat-ftubbles for a crop of turnips 
in thefummer. The fnow which accompanied this fecond winter, prevented,» however, the 
moft active farmers from proceeding with their bufinefs; they could neither fence nor ditch, 
nor underdrain nor marle, nor make any other ufe of their carts and horfes than bring a few 
rotten turnips to the ftock. . 
The flaii in fome diftri€ts and the thrafhing machines in others have indeed been kept 
pretty brifkly in motion. ‘The blocks in the wood-yards have been riven and ftacked for the 
fire. Thofe who had ploughed their wheat-ftubbles before the frofts fet in, expeét to have 
the land in fine order for turnips, as nothing pulverifes fiff heavy foils fo effetually as 
froft, and it is found that turnips will not flourifh where the earth impedes the expanfion of 
the young plant. From the deftru€tion of the prefent crop, the farmer may perhaps Iook 
forward to a plentiful harveft of fummer corn next year, if the feafon is not particularly un- 
favourable. Our Norfolk reporter fays, that there they never manure for barley or for oats, 
except, as is the cafe at prefent, where they cannot help it. Farmers, continues he, 
therefore, if they be a little deje@ed now, at the lofs of their turnip crop, may, in all pre- 
dability, be in fome meafure repaid by the luxuriance of their fammer corns. 
From fome of the northern diftriéts we are informed, that wheats and clovers, where co- 
vered with fnow, feem to have received no injury from the frofts, &c. but where the fnow 
as been drifted off by the ftrong gales of wind which have prevailed, they fhew a more. 
meagre afpedt. On the whole, however, it is hoped, that they have not fuftained any | 
very great hurt. . z 
The remaining turnips, and particularly thofe of the larger forts, have now many rotten 
ones among them, but not more than might reafonably be expe€ted from the long con- 
tinuance ef the froft at this feafon. 
Turnip ficck have not improved mach during the feverity of the late feafon, either.in the 
field or at the ftall, and that root is now becoming fcarce, and confequently higher in price. 
indeed fodder of all forts is remarkably fearce and now fold very dear. 
During the inclemency of the late feafon there does net appear to have been fuch a morta- 
lity among the lambs as might reafonably have been apprehended: fome few which were dropt 
curing the fevere‘t part of the feaion, perifhed inftantly on their birth; but Providence 
gems to have ordained that the feverity of the feafon fhould retard the period of parturition; 
Cte 
Crt 
dropped their lambs during the interval between the two frofts. 
IN, inthe northern parts of the ifland, feenis to be getting rather lower in. price, 
Fiorses ftill keep iow. At Dumfries fair in Scotland they fold very cheap. 
