Country Life
BY IAN
NIALL
HARVEST continues here in October, as we expected, with wind and rain that make the gathering more difficult. The wind dries out the stooks but it is not easy to fork sheaves In a gale, as some farmers were having to do Yesterday, and rain brings fresh waves of despair. 'Having some fine pigeon pies,' said the door-to-door fishmonger, a keen pigeon shot, the other day. The fattening of pigeons on ruined corn shows a small dividend. The birds are certainly filling their crops on the untidiest of stubbles. In the meantime, the acorns are ripening and rooks as well as Pigeons will shortly be taking advantage of the banquet in the oaks. Blackberries have been slow to ripen, like the bilberries on the niountain. Last year the bilberries were ripe In early August. This year the few I picked in late September were almost tasteless. Swings and roundabouts, remark the cynical few on the state of agriculture.
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