HARVEST PROSPECTS IN ENGLAND.

Timaru Herald, Volume IX, Issue 342, 5 September 1868, Page 3

HARVEST PROSPECTS IN ENGLAND.

Farmers m the colonies will be interested m the lollowing intelligence with respect to the state of the English markets. It is furnished by a London correspondent of the Sydney Herald, and appears m a late issue of that journal : — " The state pf affairs , is anything but reassuring. We are threatened with one of those severe droughts with which the people of New Soutb Wales are, unfortunately, for themselves but too familiar. This very week, m anticipation of a defective hay crop, the price of linseed has begun to rise. The peas, too, are dying off fbr want of rain, while' the wheat; lands present a suspicious appearance. Yet, m the very face of these indications of danger, our journalists, are sapiently . uttering jubilant exclamations over .what , appears, m their . sight, to be the com? flete certainty of a plentiful harvest, t was the sanie .last year. Our leading journal congratulated lis, m magnificent language, oh ' our splendid harvest? prospects, even at the Very moment when experienced persons., perceived how the last chance of .safety had passed away j how! our garners would, at the best, become 'but ' half filled. A dejficietot harvest' this "year • will prove extremely ; serious. . ' The defective harvests of i80(3 : ah(l 1867 hfive all but etnptiedthe great granaries, both here and-i on the continent;, anil .unless these can be refilled . this year, besides pror viding for immediate consumption, the price'of wheat tnust inevitably rise to a poiiit far higher than "any attained siupe the repeal of the Corn Laws. The subjoined official statement of corn sold m 150 -towns m England and Wales m the wede ebding 30th May, 1868, and the ' corresponding • yreeW m- thie years, 1864 to' 1567, mfarks the steaily increase which has taken place, m prices :—rl^64, 39s 54- per quarter; ;f65,,'41s lid per quarter^ #6 47s 6d per .'quarter ;. '67,. .655" 5d ..per quarter ; 68, 72s 3d per quarter. These figures speak • • Ibr : • themselves^ and show how critical .will become the jpjosftion of bur food' supply should the European tfheat yield pr6ve : deficient/ as— Considering the accounts from France, Italy and Germany— there is too . much reaspn for believipg will ,15e .the case. ; .&or must we look to the united' States fon supplies. Telegrams received this morning persist m maintaining that all United States wheat will be requiredftfr American use. Perhaps these i&pts may lead to 'fresh attempts at'exportifag grain .from the, an tipqdesj," ,..',"..,-.