FARM NOTES FROM ENGLAND.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXIII, Issue 10048, 7 February 1896, Page 3

FARM NOTES FROM ENGLAND.

[BY -OUR ENGLISH AGRICULTURAL COBRES-

PONDENT,] London, December 28. AGRICULTURE IN 1895.

This is the seventeenth successive occasion on which it has been my province to review the agriculture of the past year in more or less dolorous terms. Since the disastrous year, 1879, there have been fluctuations in the fortunes of agriculture; but, at least) as far as the corngrowers of the United Kiugdom wore concerned, there have boon only fluctuations in the degree of adversity, During the first part of the period dairy-far-mers suffered little or nothing from the depression which affected other branchoa of agriculture; bat) of late the pressure of increased competition has affected them almost as severely as the growers of wheat Breeders of live stook have had their ups and downs, and with them the period has nob been one of unmitigated depression; bub at one time or other during the depression every branch of agriculture has Buffered heavy losses. For corngrowers the year now about to end is probably the worst of all from a financial point of view. The crops were nob so deficient as they wore in 1879, but pricos were very much lower.

THE CHARACTER OF THE SEASONS.

The yoar began with one of the longest and severest frosts on record, which lasted from the 30th of December until the first) week of March, with no break worth mentioning. The previous autumn had been a wot) one, and moat of the wheat was sown labo, only two or three weeks boforo the frost set in. Consequently it never came up for about three months, and when it did appear it was thin, as might havo been expected. The spring was backward, and there was no chance of any considerable spreading of the plant, which remained thin to tho last, excepting in tho- caso of early-sown wheat, which did well in some parts of the country. Thoro was a favourable season for sowing spring corn, the land working perfectly after the long frost, but just before sowing was finished, at the end of April, drought set in, and lasted until tho end of June, hardly a drop of rain falling in most parts of tho South of England during that period. Mangolds,sown jusb when the drought began, failed to plant properly, and many fields had to bo ploughed • up. Tho sumo may bo said of early Bwedes, and until tho rains of July came thoro was no chanco of getting tho bulk of tho root crops sown. In the South of England tho rain came too late to benefit tho corn crops materially, and they, consequently, turned out extremely deficient, having ripened on straw about half the proper longth. In the backward districts of the North, on tho other hand, where the drought had never boon as severe as in the South, the rainfall camo Boon enough to causa a groat improvement in the outlook, and it is the good crops in the late districts which havo kept tho averages for the country as a whole from being as low as they were expected to bo. Tho first cut of hav was almost as deficient as it was in 1893; but aftor the drought broke up the second prowth became very abundant. At tho same timo the lato root crops flourished beyond all expectation, and stock-keepers woro saved from the danger of a winter famine of food for thoir animate. The harvest began with rainy weather in the early districts, but finished well, and the corn was secured in genorally good condition. Tho first part of the autumn was favourable to tho cultivation of tho stubbles and the ploughing of land for the winter, while it was also fairly advantageous for tho sowing of wheat and other wintor

crops. For stock-keepers it was all that could bo desired; there was no sovere frest up fo Christmas Day, and animals were kepb out iu the pastures to a great extent, instead of being taken into the yards and fed on stored crops of roots and hay. RESULTS OP THE HARVEST. At present wo have tho official returns for wheat, barley, oats, and hops only. The following table shows the yield of the thrco principal cereals for tho ten years ending with 1894, and for 1895

During tho ton years tho yiold of wheat has only onco boon as low as it was estimated for 1895, and barley and oats only twice as low. Tho hop crop turned out well, the average yield being officially estimated at 9 , 39cwts, against a ton years' avorago of 7'7lcwts, Potatoes, it is certain, mil come out as a great crop, but nothing else is likely to bo up to tho average except bops, Certainly beans and peas were much bolow the mark, and the root crops, although they improvod greatly in the autumn, will hardly como up to the standard after all tho disadvantages they have experienced.

THE MARKETS. The year bogan with very low prices for corn—namely, 203 4d per quarter for whoat, 21s 5d for barloy, and 14s 2d for oats. For a time the price of wheat gob even lower than it was ab bho beginning of the yoar, but advanced during May and Jane, when it reached the maximum weekly avtjrago of 26s sd. The range of weekly averages is 19s 9d lio 26s sd, and tho average price for tho whole year works out at 23s per quarter, or 2d more than it was in 1894. For barley tho range was 18s 61 to 25s Bd, and tho average for the year 225, or 2s 6d lower than that of 1894. For oats the weekly extremes were 13s Gd and lGs 7d, and the yearly avorago 14s 6d, or 2s 7d lower than in 1894. The average price of wheat has only once boforo during the century boon as low as it is in the year now ending, namely, in 1893, The average for barloy was as low only in 1822, when it was 21s lOd. The average for oats has never been as low boforo during tbo century, tho lowosb previous average having been lGs 3d in 1887. Of course ib is too early at present to toll at whab average pricos the crops of last harvest will be soil, but if we take the official estimates of yields and tho prices current last week, the principal cereal crops work out as follows, compared with tho figures for 1893, which were considered tho worab on rocord up to bhab dato 1— £ s. d. 1893-Wheat, 25'95 bushels, at 3s lid.. 16 0 1895—Wheat, 20'33 bushels, at 3s lid.. 4 12 Less in 1895 than in 1893 _ .057 1803—Barley, 28*09 bushels, at 3s 7Jd.. 0 3 5 Barley, '69 bushels, at 2s lujd... 411 5 Less la 1895 than in 1893 .. - 0 12 0 1893—Oats, 36*59 bushels, at 29 3|d ,412 1895-Oats, 37'0fl bushels, at Is B|d ..340 Less in 1895 than in 1893 - .. 018 8 It will bo seen that the returns are even less than they were in 1883, a year of still more severe drought than that of last season. Breeding Stock of most kinds, oxcept pigs, have sold well or passably during tho jear; that is to say, sheep have Bold well, and cattle and horses a little hotter than in somo recent years. Pigs have bocome very cheap, and now hardly pay for breeding, after selling well for aboub two years up to tho autumn of 1894. Tho health of animals, excepb for swine-fever, has been remarkably good during the year, no oubbreak of foot-and-mouth disease or pleuro-pneumonia having occurred, so that on the whole breeders navo had a fairly favourable year for the times. Fab cattle sold ab about the same rates on the whole as in 1894, while sheep sold better during the first part of the year and not quite so well during the latter parb as in tho corresponding periods of . the previous yoar. Tho following tabier gives the top London prices for tlio first Monday in each month for 1895 and 1894 respectively vi) Top prices of beef and mutton iu London Live Cattle Market, per 81b, to sink the offal, first Monday in each month.

In the dead meat market, thetop prices of British and Canterbury mutton were as below, per 81b . Brit'h. Can'. Brifh. Can', S S. d. s. d. s. d. «. d. Jan, .d 4 210 July .* 5 4 2 8 Feb. 5 0 10 August -64 2 8 March „ 6 0 2 8 Sept. - 6 4 3 0 April .. 6 4 2 8 October - 6 2 3 4 May .. 6 4 2 0 Not. .. 4 8 8 0 June .. 6 4 2.8 Dec. >. 4 8 210 Dairy produce has sold badly during the year. Last season's winter prices for butter were the worst which living dairymen had experienced, and fchero was no improvement in the summer prices, which have been low for several years past. In the autumn there was great abundance of milk, and butter was cheaper than usual, while the winter prices started badly, but) have improved somewhat, and are now better than they were a year ago. For cheesemakers the year has been the worst experienced since 1879. There was a short make in the early part of the season, and a I great superabundance in the autumn, causing a panic fall in prices, which has only beon partially recovered up to the present | time. The improvement in the price of wool is one of the most satisfactory features of the yoar'e trading. IMPORTS. At present we have the figures for eleven months only. The following table gives the principal agricultural imports for the eleven months, compared with the like periods of the two preceding years

The decrease in cattle is entirely owing to tho falling off* in the exports from the United States, as Canada sent more than evor before, while the Argentina Republic sonb nearly four times as many as in tho eleven months of the preceding year, and more than five times as many as in 1893. Wo received 35,817 cattlo from Argentina, whereas two years before tho total was only 6786. More remarkable still is the doveloprnonb in the Argentine sheep trade—the number of sheep being 290,108, as compared with 21,590 in 1893. The United States and Canada also increased their sheep supplies enormously. Our supplies of fresh beef and mutton both increased considerably. The returns at present available do not give details as to tbo sources of the supply of beef except for tho United States and for other countries lumped together. For mutton the details are as follows for the three years 1893. 1801. 1895. CW't. CV.'t. e\vt. Australasia .. .. 1,151,076 1,348,084 1,573,321 Argentine Republic 470,714 642,7150 002,600 Holland .. .. 168,357 165,763 138,351 Other countries ~ 60,460 07,586 50,271 Out of the total imports of butter and cheese the following quantities came from Australasia 1893. 1894. 1895. cwt. cwt. cwfe. Butter ~ 130,006 ' 237,303 270,781 Cheese .. 37,114 51,047 02,759

PARLIAMENT AND AGRICULTURE. No legislation of special importance to farmers generally took place during the year, the session being broken by a change of Government. For growers of fruit and vegetables, however, a measure of some importance, called the Market Gardeners' Compensation Bill, was passed. The Royal Commission on Tuberculosis issued a report during tho autumn, and the Royal Commission on Agriculture has recently finished taking evidence, and may be expected to report in tho course of a month or two. Tho change of Government has brought) aconsiderable orop of promises for the relief of agriculture. There is no doubt that tho burdens upon land, which are perfectly intolerable at present prices, will bo reduced, and it is believed .that the' Government will arrange for the more economical transportation of agricultural produco to the markets. It is predicted also that a measure will be passed in accordance with the requost of an influential deputation to mako the slaughter of imported cattle, sheep, and pigs at the port of landing a fixed rule. An amendment to the Agricultural Holdings Act is also promised, and it is hoped that something will be done to suppress the fraudulent salo of adulterated goods. Of course, everything will depend upon the manner in which these promises are carried into effect; but they have given landowners and farmers a more hopeful feeling than has been experienced for many years past.

Wlioat. Barley. Oats. Years. ' Bushels;' Bushels, Bu?lmls. 1885 31 31 35-11 38-5 1880 2tt'S9 32-17 37*84 1.-87 „ .. .. 32-117 31-32 34*74 18 v 8 .. .. _ 28"05 32 SI 37-24 188 20"b9 31*78 39-27 1890 m, 80*74 35*112 41*40 1831 31-21) 34-14 S877 1892 .. ... - 2ti*38 34*01 38*80 1S13 .. V. .. 25*95 28*09 35*59 1894 80*69 34*60 41*64 Tan years' averages 29*32 33*02 38*21 1895 .. .. - 2C23 81*69 87*00

Beef. Mutton. •1895. 1891. 1895. 1894. 8. d. s. d. 8. d. s, d January «. 4 0 4 10 0 4 610 .February ... i 6 48 0 4. 60 March ..... 4 8,4 8 « i M April .. ..49 4 G ® ? 58 May .. ,.*48 40 5 8 80 Juno .. .. 4 4 4 0 6 c ' 5 6 July 4 8 4 8 .5 4 610 August.. '.,, 4 10 10 S10 0 0 September .. 49 49 BIO 0 0 October.. - „ 48 48 • 6 0 60 Novouilw u i 8.-4 8 6 10 00 ! December , « i' 8 - 4-8 6 V) - fl. J 6:

1893, 1894. 1895. Wheat, CWfc .. 60,402,665 65,043,618 76,854,855 Flour, „ .. 19,053,885 17,533,438 10,864,720 Barley, „ .. 19,245,759 28,751,635 21,287,037 Oats, „ .. 12,846,501 13,036,395 14,469,010 Maize 29,815,241 83,389,311 30,891,070 Cattle, No. .. 819,334 449,767 384,145 Sheep 61,684 438,821 082,267 Pigs, „ 138 8 321 Beef, fresh, cwt1,602,760 1,968,221 2,017,505 Ditto, salt „ .. 185,295 214,552 108,128 Mutton, „ .. 1,800,0*1 2,125,741 2,450,549 Pork, fresh, „ 160,342 168,682 250,094 Ditto, salt, „ .. 173,010 205,880 201,131 Bacon, „ ... 2,910,760 8,419,482 8,679,621 Hams, „ „ 913,341 1,041,020 1,184,623 Meat, pie" serroa „ - 531,604 490,613 805,462 Ditto, uuenumorated .. 163,505 172,705 217,035 Butter, „ .* 2,128,997 2,340,442 2,680,871 Margarine, „ ... 1,179,713 1,018,830 852,284 ChMse, „ .. 1,060,267 2,093,170 1,998,653 Hops, „ .. 106,302 160,535 177,370 Potatoes „ ... 2,784,505 2,543,509 8,726,560 Wool (thousands of lbs) .. 040,070 070,931 732,710