th all
its unpleasant vicissitudes, passed off very well; and nothing looked
better than the wheat at the time of blooming;--but at that most
critical time of all, a cold, dry east wind, attended with very sharp
frosts, longer and stronger than I recollect at that time of year,
destroyed the flowers, and withered up, in an astonishing manner, the
whole side of the ear next to the wind. At that time I brought to town
some of the ears, for the purpose of showing to my friends the operation
of those unnatural frosts, and according to their extent I predicted a
great scarcity. But such is the pleasure of agreeable prospects, that my
opinion was little regarded.

On threshing, I found things as I expected,--the ears not filled, some
of the capsules quite empty, and several others containing only
withered, hungry grain, inferior to the appearance of rye. My best ears
and grain were not fine; never had I grain of so low a quality: yet I
sold one load for 21_l._ At the same time I bought my seed wheat (it was
excellent) at 23_l._ Since then the price has risen, and I have sold
about two load of the same sort at 23_l._ Such was the state of the
market when I left home last Monday. Little remains in my barn. I hope
some in the rick may be better, since it was earlier sown, as well as I
can recollect. Some of my neighbors have better, some quite as bad, or
even worse. I suspect it will be found, that, wherever the blighting
wind and those frosts at blooming-time have prevailed, the produce of
the wheat crop will turn out very indifferent. Those parts which have
escaped will, I can hardly doubt, have a reasonable produce.

As to the other grains, it is to be observed, as the wheat ripened very
late, (on account, I conceive, of the blights,) the barley got the start
of it, and was ripe first. The crop was with me, and wherever my inquiry
could reach, excellent; in some places far superior to mine.

The clover, which came up with the barley, was the finest I remember to
have seen.

The turnips of this year are generally good.

The clover sown last year, where not totally destroyed, gave two good
crops, or one crop and a plentiful feed; and, bating the loss of the
rye-grass, I do not remember a better produce.

The meadow-grass yielded but a middling crop, and neither of the sown or
natural grass was there in any farmer's possession any remainder from
the year worth taking into account. In most places there was none at
all.