FARM NOTES FROM ENGLAND.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXIII, Issue 10328, 31 December 1896, Page 6

FARM NOTES FROM ENGLAND.

THE CONTINUED RISE IN WHEAT,

[BY OUR ENGLISH AGRICULTURAL CORRKSPONDKNT.J London, November 13. THE WEATHER AND FARM WORK. During the last three weeks tho weather lias been generally favourable bo farm work for tho first time sinco tho raiddlo of August, and consequently tho heavy arrears havo been pretty well cleared off. Potatoes and root crops hnvo been secured, and nearly all tho wheat has beon sown, while considerable progress has been made in ploughing land for crop: to be sown next spring. Thoro appears lo bo loss disease among potatoes than wni expected as tho result of the prolonged wet period ; bub still tho yield of sound tubers that will keep well i 3 not a great one, and prices will almost cortuinly advance during the winter. The root crops vary a great deal in different parts of the kingdom. In the north of England and in Scotland generally the important swede crop is a heavy 0110; but in many parts of tho southern half of England, and in tho districts of Ireland where tho drought of tho spring and early summer was moss aovcro, tho necessarily late swedes and white turnips did not bulb satisfactorily. Mangolds have turned out well on the whole, except where the plant was dofective. If trio woather— now tolerably mild-romains so till December, the stoics of koep for live stock are likely to bo sufficient for tho winter. Fortunately, in tho southern counties, where tho hay crop was lightest, the corn crops were for tho most part got up in excellent condition, so that the straw will bo most valuable for feeding purposes ; while in the north, where tho stmw was to a great extent spoilt, tho hay crop was generally a fair one. It is supposod that the area of land devoted to wheat this autumn is considerably larger than it was last season, becauso of the rise in prices. It is true that the inducement! to sow an oitra breadth of wheat has been partially counteracted by tho wet weather which prevailed up to the end of the third week ol Octobor; but during the last fortnight a good deal of land which had been previously unworkable has been rendered fie for the harrows and the drill by slight frosts followed by sunshine. On the clays, 100, and on other land rendored too sticky for drilling, wheat line boon eutvii broadcast on the soil as left by the plough, and lightly harrowed in, or it has been sown before ploughing, and ploughed in flatly.

After a brief reaction from tlio extraordinary rise nf lis to 5s a quarter in the price of wheat, which took place in London on the 19th of October, the markets have again been on the up grade, and on Monday last they hurt fully recovered, the top prico having reached 40s a quarter for extra good and heavy grain. This price, however, was paid for wheat weighing 5201b per quarter or more, natural wheat, while the top price for wheat sold at tlio usual weight) of 5041b, on which London quotations are based, was U!k The Imperial average price of wheat in England and Wales last week wan 3ls lid, or 9« 2d more than tlio lowost weokly average of the season, for the week ended on the 22nd of August, Tho average price, however, is computed at per quarter of 4Solb, and this, as well as the comparatively low rates ruling in remote country uiarkots, keeps the average for tho whole country some shillings below the mean of London market quotations. On Wednesday, in London, a further riso of a shilling per quarter took place, and there is evory reason to expect a continuance of the upward movement. Since my remarks on this subject were made, about a month ago, the impression as to the inferiority of the now American crop has boon strengthened, while tho official estimate for Manitoba has been greatly reduced, reports of damage to tho Argentine crop have como in, all idea of an Australian surplus for Europe has been given up, the continued drought in India has romo.vcd all hope of that country being solf-supporting in respect of wheat during the next twelve months, and estimates of tho crops of Russia and Austro-lluugary have been reduced, Again, us items of intelligence affecting markets, the great delay in sowing in Franco inconsequence of wet weather, and still moro serious hindrances to sowing and injury to sown crops in Russia, may be mentioned as moio than counteracting the news of a good sowing season in the United States. Lastly, in spite of heavy deliveries of wheat in America and olsowhere, the world's visible supply-stocks at the ports and quantities on passage from exporting to importing countries—are made smaller than they have been at this period (or soveral years, Returns collected by Beorbohm's Corn Trade List, tho best authority in this country, makes the world's visible supply on November 1 only 18,247,000 quarters, including flour, against 21,304,000 quarters for tho corresponding period of last year, and 24,136,000 quarters for that of 1894, in spite of tho fact that the shipments of the chief exporting countries in the three preceding months amounted to 12,923,000 quarters, against 10,950,000 and 11,775,000 in the like periods of 1895 and 1891. With nearly two million quarters moro shipped, there are more than three millions loss in sight than there were a year ago. This shows that a large quantity of wheat has boon needed to replenish the exhausted stocks of millers and dealers in places apart) from the ports. It is many years since there was such an accumulation of factors tending to send up the price of wheat, and it is almost impossible that anything can occur before next summer to stop tho rise. Even if tho Argentine crop should prove much greater than it is expocted to be, tho surplus from it will be a trifle in comparison with the deficiencies in supplies from other exporting countries, and I confidently expect to see the top prico of wheat up to 50s a quarter, and the imperial average over 40s, before the end of March,

Growers in Florida have beon making up by there tomato crops the looses in former years by their oranges. The profits of the tomato crop for the past winter were something onormous, and it may be judged from the accounts given that thoy have been quite ajj plentiful as tho orange in its pasb day. Christmas has passed as usual without much amusement, as Weymouth is rather quiet, but I am sure were the pleasureseeking public aware of such an interesting little nook, Weymouth would soon be a leading summer resort, as there are many enjoyments to bo indulged in, as fishing, boating, bathing, etc. I certainly prophecy great things for our charming little village in tho future.-[Own Correspondent.] Mr. J. J. Craig notifies he is prepared to supply best quality bricks in any quantity hum this dale,