New Year’s Day has never in our generation brought with it to those who live a country life such novel conditions. The necessities of the war have taken from us most, if not all, our able workers on the land; in many cases every man in the district of military age has gone. But the harvest has been got in and good work done during the autumn, old men, women, and boys turning to with a will. The consequence is that I found, in visiting the best farm lands in South Lancashire and Cheshire during the past few days, that the preparation of the land is well forward. A considerable acreage has been sown with autumn wheat, and in many places the blade is well up, and gives good promise for the coming season.
We had an almost unprecedented continuance of genial autumn weather, and it was only in late November that frost - at last warned us that winter would come. All this has done much for the farmer and gardener, as it has been possible, even with restricted labour, to get along with the work. Cattle were out in the fields to a late date, which has been a great saving. The heavy rains that have followed and the recent rapid changes in temperature and weather seem to have been beneficial to the land, and the-pastures during the past few days have looked wonderfully green and fresh. The agricultural outlook is one of good promise; all cattle, sheep, pigs, and horses command a ready sale and satisfactory and advancing prices. The demand for milk is greater than ever, and farmer and gardener were never more likely to have a good sale for all they may be able to market during the coming season.
