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[Harvest Yields]

Such being the general aspect of crop prospects at the commencement of the month, what is the appearance to-day, and what kind of a harvest may we expect. The prospects of the wheat crop are less favourable than they were three weeks ago; but on dry and well-farmed land it may yet come up to an average yield. Rust has not extensively appeared on the ears at present, and, although there are reports from some districts of green fly (aphis), this has not done much harm. Red maggot, which is unusually prevalent, has done more mischief, and will considerably diminish the produce of the crops in many districts. In the Lincolnshire fens the crops are almost too luxuriant, leading to fears of lodging. In some parts of Essex, Kent, and Yorkshire, three great wheat growing counties, there are very promising crops of the principal cereal. But, judging from an extended survey, and the balance of evidence contained in a large number of reports from all parts of England, a general crop somewhat under average must be predicted, even if we are blessed with the best of weather up to the end of August. There are reasons for fearing that the yield of wheat will be smaller than the estimates of off-hand observers. The crop has passed through so many trials that it must show some of their effects, and ears well filled with sound and plump grain cannot be the general rule. It is too early to give at all confidently anything like to quantitative estimate; but present appearances point to a yield of from three-fourths to five-sixths of an average, which some years ago—before the late cycle of bad harvests—was put at 29 bushels an acre. To-day it is not easy to determine what an "average" yield of wheat in England is.

Source: The Illustrated London News, No.2256—Vol. LXXXI, Saturday, July 29, 1882, p.119