AGRICULTURE IN ENGLAND.

Lyttelton Times, Volume LXI, Issue 7222, 23 April 1884, Page 6

AGRICULTURE IN ENGLAND.

[vnOM THE LONDON CORRESPONDENT OP THE “ CANTERBURY TIMES."] London, Feb. 28,1884. TUB WEATHER AND THE CROPS. Tho month of February has been one of unseasonably mild weather, with gales, thunderstorms, and floods. Tho sun is now gaining in power day by day, and this, together with the warm rainfall, has just sot the autumn-sown crops growing. At the end of February I cannot say that tho crops are too forward; I have only seen here and there a piece of wheat, on kind land, which is what is termed “ gay.” But they are just beginning to start into spring growth, and if this weather continues they will grow very fast indeed. As tho wheats stand now I do not think a spell of frost would hurt them much unless very severe, but a fortnight will make all the difference. If there is danger in the position now, it would seemingly be from the fact that unseasonably mild weather during winter induces a softness or tenderness of plant growth which might receive fatal injury from sustained frost. But all that can bo said now is, that the wheats, and indeed all tho other autumn-sown crops look strong as well as healthy,and are of an excellent colour. The season has been favourable for early spring preparation, and a fair amount of seeding has already been done; beans and peas have been got in well, with some oats in tho north and barley in tho south. On tho Continent of Europe the wheat crop is spoken of as looking too*well rather than otherwise, but I have learned to place very little dependence on Continental crop reports; they come either from the trade or from those who know little or nothing about the real facts of the case, so that either way, they are usually very untrustworthy. The latest information, is to. the effect that the wheat crops in India look well, excepting in the Bengal Presidency. In the United States the winter wheats are exposed to great extremes of temperature, whilst unprotected by snow; on the other hand, the wheat crops on the Pacific coast have received a normal amount of rainfall for the season, and are now considered safe. In Southern Russia the young wheats are said to be strong and healthy, and, at the present time, covered with snow. With regard to the wheat crops already harvested, those of Australia and the Argentine Republic are said to be excep-

■ The following are the “ average values ” of foreign imported animals according to the estimates of the Board of Trade:— Average Value per Head. Foreign live animals, £ s. d. Oxen and bulls 21 11 4 Cows 19 14 4 . Calves ... 413 8f Sheep and lambs 2 5 3! Figs 3 8 6 The total value of the imports of foreign live animals in 1883 was .£11,979,000, equal to 7s OJd per head of the population, now estimated at 34,000,000. The Marie Lane Express has made a calculation to the effect that our imports of foreign meat imported alive equal 10j- per cent of the total consumption of the country. I think this estimate is beyond the mark, and am inclined to believe that 7 per cent would he nearer the truth. Another severe blow to the trade in tinned food has been- given by the death of two boys, Robert Miller and John Webster, residing in the southern district of Glasgow, who died suddenly last week after partaking of a portion of tinned mutton. A surgeon who was called after the death of the boy Webster certified that he had died from the effects of poison. Prom inquiry subsequently instituted it was ascertained that 12 or 15 persons had been supplied from the same tin, and that in each case sickness, accompanied by vomiting and purging, had followed on partaking of the meat.. The body of the boy Miller is to be exhumed, and the police are inquiring into the case. - Foot-and-mouth disease is declining rapidly under the suppression of cattle traffic. The official returns for the week ended Feb. 16 show that there were then 3634 animals affected with the tlisease in England and Wales and 54 in Ireland for the week ended Feb. 9, Scotland being free. The Duke of Richmond stated in the House of Lords last week that in 1881 there were 4833 outbreaks of foot-and-mouth disease, the number of animals attacked being 183,046. In 1882 the outbreaks were 1970, and the animals attacked 37,950; hut in 1883 the outbreaks were 18,732, and the animals attacked 461,145. It was a remarkable fact tbat, concurrent with the increase of the disease in this country and of the number of outbreaks was the increase in the number of cargoes imported from abroad. He found that in 1883 the foreign cargoes landed in which foot-and-mouth disease was discovered were 90, and the animals affected 1172. The Government have at last brought in a Bill to amend the .Contagious Diseases (Animals) Act of 1878, and several private Bills are also before Parliament on the same subject. They are none of them of the slightest use. There are only two logical courses open ; one is to shut out foreign animals altogether, and the other is to put foot-and-mouth disease on a cattle plague basis. None of the Bills propose to do either, and therefore, from my point of view, it is not worth while discussing them.

The Marie Lane Express takes up the position that the total exclusion of foreign live stock is “at present regarded as hopeless.” I take this to be an unwarranted assumption. The people—consumers—are only now beginning to understand the real bearings of the question ; hitherto they have listened to special pleading and systematic misrepresentation, and they have not really troubled themselves to enquire into the matter sufficiently to grasp its actual facts. So far as I understand the position I am very decidedly of opinion that at this present moment total prohibition is as easily within the range of practical politics as is such a scheme as that propounded by Mr Chaplin, and even more so, because it will bear the light of practical, scientific, and economical scrutiny, whereas we know full well that nothing short of total prohibition will. I strongly object to the general assumption, as laid down by the Mark Lane Express, that total prohibition is "considered hopeless ” because a few timid leading men are afraid to ask too much. I believe the bolder policy would be the easier to carry out, and I hate all compromises on the score of utility. If a principle is right, fight for it to the bitter end, and accept from time to time all that may bo conceded by the enemy—that is my idea how the battle is to be won. WOOL AND SHEEP. I notice in several Australasian papers a report of Mr Donald Gunn’s experiences in England with regard to Colonial wools. There is one thing in connection with his statements to which I should like to allude, namely, that in respect of sending wool in the grease. For years I was of the opinion that all improvement in the marketing of wool must come in the direction of more perfect washing, but now I have given that idea up. My reasons for changing my opinion are simply these: All washing, I

tionaUy good, and that of Chili quite an average, if not more. THE GRAIN TRADE. The grain trade has been gradually sinking throughout the month to a lower level of values; what the lowest depth may De I cannot protend to say—there is positively nothing on which to base an opinion. Values are now at altogether unprecedented and undreamed-of rates, and, so far as I can see, there is nothing to hinder them from going lower still. New Zealand wheats are anything between 22s and 435, and sound, sweet Persian wheats are as low as 265, Prices of this sort are so unprecedented that there is nothing to judge by. When things are at their worst we know they must mend, but there is now no more confidence in things being at their, worst than there was when values were 5s higher. The fact is, the American flour is crushing the very life out of the trade, and, low as prices arc, millers can with difficulty buy wheat to produce a competing article. White wheats of fine quality are certainly scarce in our market, and there are signs which lead me to think that the English crop is well nigh exhausted. In addition to this, the new crop of Californian white wheats is coming to hand very unsatisfactorily, the quality being indifferent; the off-coast value today is barely 40s. But the Australian crop is large and good, and it will soon be here, so that there seems to be no chance for a rise in values any way. The Black Sea ports are open again from the mild season, and in about two months the whole of the _ 1883 crop of Northern Russia will be coming from Baltic ports in steamers which occupy only a few days in transit. I see no chance for improvement, outside a war ora miracle. LIVE STOCK AND THE MEAT TRADE. Live stock interests in England are not quite so bright as they were. Keep is plentiful and the season getting late, according to the old style—in the new style the winter ends with July—but prices are lower both for fat stock and store stock; store sheep are 7s to 10s per head lower than they were at this time last year. The lambing season has progressed favourably, and the fall is quite an average one. The weather is against I the meat trade. With regard to the trade for frozen I Colonial mutton, the following table, pubi lished by the New Zealand Commercial I Agency, will show what has been done ! since the commencement of the year:—

excepting the elaborate hot-water scouring processes of Australia amount simply to the removal of so much weight which costs money in freightage; the manufacturers have all the work to do over again, and whenever alkalies are used the wool receives an appreciable amount of injury. Some few years ago I had an opportunity of going through the woollen-manufacture districts of Yorkshire and Lancashire, and saw a good deal of the sorting and scouring processes. The manufacturers told me that they would much rather have wool in the grease, excepting the finest qualities of Australian and Tasmanian, which alone —I understood them to say—would be likely to discolour through baling in the grease. Providing the sheep are properly tagged—all the dirt clipped off the breech —and that the wool is fairly clean, I have an idea that shipment in the grease would pay as well as any washed—not scoured—wool. Has any fair test been made of this in New Zealand ?

The Shropshire Down breed of sheep is extending itself very rapidly in England; more so than any other breed. The Koyal Agricultural Society will hold their next meeting at Shrewsbury, and on that occasion a very large amount of prize-money will be offered in the Shropshire classes. Two prizes of 50gs each are offered by Messrs Webb and Son, seedsmen, Wordsley, for the best shearling ram and the best pen of shearling ewes, and the prizes offered for Shropshires amount altogether to .£345, a sum quite unprecedented, and larger than that offered for any breed of horses, cattle, or sheep. There will probably be the finest show the world has ever seen. Shropshires are finding great favour in the United States, and are being sent all over the world.

Date of Arrival. Ship. From. Shipment. Carcases sold to date. Price per lb. Remarks. 1884. Jan. 3 Chimborazo (s) Sydney 4,834 sheep 4,834 4fd arge. Good order >’ Teviotdale (s) Guloo (s) Do 9,163 „ 9,163 4 id to 5id Good condition, well butchered 31 Do. ... '... 2,011 „ 1,800 SdtoSid Do. Do. Melbourne Do 1,825 400 lambs 1,625 400 54d to 6d 6d to 7,d 7 Good order Dunedin Port Chalmers 8,372 sheep ... 6,000 5d to 6|d 1 Excellent order, well Do. Do. 246 lambs 246 6idto7id 5 selected ‘ Deb. 2 Meath (s) Diver Plate ... 7,571 sheep 3,200 4d to 5d Very good condition, but small 9 11 Liguria Tongariro (s)... Do. . Melbourne Port Chalmers Port Lyttelton 4,330 10,606 sheep & lambs 2,060 1,300 } 700 5id to 6d 5idto5id Satisfactory order 'f Good condition but 1 irregular in size