1828.] Monthly Agricultural Report. 439 



much already. The present season hss superabounded with food of all kinds for stock* 

 and much difficulty has been experienced in ridding the lands intended for barley-sowing, 

 of turnips, which were flowering, and the roots rotting. Potatoes are in such vast 

 abundance, as to be very difficult of sale at the lowest price ; and, contrary to our former 

 apprehension as to their probable quality, a sufficiency has been fonnd throughout, pretty 

 equal to those of the most favourable years. Hay is in great plenty, and cheap in propor- 

 tion. Some late experiments have been made of the old proposal of saltpetre, as a manure 

 for wheat. It has had the former success, of equalling animal manure for a single crop, 

 at more than double the expense. Purchasing manures may, in general, be deemed a 

 double error in farming. 



The fall of lambs is generally successful, and where they have chanced to be weak, there 

 is good hope, in the abundance of food enabling the ewes to give plenty of milk. Of wool 

 nothing new has offered, nor can there be any considerable amendment in the price, 

 until the vast speculated stock of foreign wool shall have been worked up. In-calves and 

 milch cows fetch a good price, and pigs have continued at an excess of price so long, that 

 it is surely time for some relaxation, so speedily as that breed may be raised. But many 

 farmers have an aversion to pig-breeding, indeed to breeding generally. It is somewhat 

 of an anomaly, that swine should be at an exorbitant, and bacon at a moderate price ; but 

 Ireland furnishes us with an immensely larger quantity of bacon than of living pigs. 

 Mutton has been very scarce and dear, ,the sheep dying light, and, the South Downs 

 excepted, of inferior quality ; veal also very dear ; in fact, all kinds of live stock at con- 

 siderably remunerating prices to the breeder and feeder. Corn, also, cannot be deemed 

 at a low price, its abundance considered ; but the general immense difference between 

 the superior and inferior kinds of wheat is remarkable. Good horses are said to be in a 

 progress of more and more scarce ; and a German Baron has been publishing throughout 

 the Continent, the degeneration of the English horse, with an earnest dissuasive from their 

 import to the Continent. 



Smithfield.Beef, 3s. 6d. to 4s. lOd Mutton, 4s. to 5s. 8d Veal, 5s. to 6s. 2d. 

 Pork, 4s. 8d. to 6s. 6d Grass Lamb, 6s. to 6s. 6d. Raw fat, 2s. 8d. 



Corn Exchange Wheat, 40s. to 70s Barley, 28s. to 36s Oats, 19s. to 30s. 



Bread, 9d. the fine 4 Ib. loaf. Hay, 70s. to 100s Clover ditto, 80s. to 120s. 



Straw 32s. to 43s Oat Straw, 30s. to 34s. 



Coals in the Pool, 28s. 6d. to 36s. per chaldron. 

 Middlesex, March 24, 1828. 



MONTHLY COMMERCIAL REPORT. 



Sugar. The demand for strong and good Sugar has continued general and extensive 

 during the week ; the average daily sales are 800 hogsheads. The prices of good and fine 

 Muscovadoes are about 2s. per cwt. higher : the inferior are Is. higher. The general 

 demand for refined goods has affected the stocks very .materially. Very few goods are on 

 sale, and a general advance of Is. must be stated. 



Coffee. The public sales brought forward this week have not been extensive. The 

 British Plantation descriptions have gone off steadily, at full prices the few parcels of 

 Foreign rather higher. 



Rum, Brandy, and Hollands. The Rum market is firm, and the holders generally 

 not inclined to press sales ; the purchases this week are about 300 puncheons. Leewards 

 at 4s., and over-proof at 2s. 3d. per gallon. In Brandy or Hollands there is little altera- 

 tion. 



Hemp, Flax, and Tallow. The Tallow market continues subject to great fluctuations 

 the price this week has been generally declining. Hemp and Flax are heavy. 



Indigo East-India Indigo is rather heavy. 



Course of Foreign Exchange Amsterdam, 12. 27 Rotterdam, 12. 3. Antwerp, 



12. 3 Altona, 13. 11 Hamburg, 13. 11 Paris, 25. 65 Bordeaux, 25. 65 



Vienna, 10. 4 Frankfort on the Maine, 150^ Petersburgh, 10 (Rble) Madrid, 



36 Cadiz, 6 Bilboa, 36 Barcelona, 35 Seville, 35 Malaga, 35 Gibraltar, 46. 



Leghorn, 48 Genoa, 25 Venice, 46 Naples, 39 Palermo, 117 Lisbon, 46.. 



Oporto, 46 Bahia, 46 Dublin, 174 Cork > Wk- 



Bullion per Oz Portugal Gold in Coin, 0. Os. Od. In Bars, 3. 17s. 6d New 

 Doubloons, 3. 15s New Dollars, Os. Od Silver in Bars, standard, 0. Os. Od. 



Premiums on Shares and Canals, and Joint Stock Companies, at the Office of 

 WOLFE, Brothers, 23, Change Alley, Cornhill. Birmingham CANAL, 297^- Coven- 

 try, 1,1 50/. Ellesmere and Chester, 11 21. Grand Junction, 308/. Rennet and Avon, 

 29 / Leeds and Liverpool, 393 J Oxford, 6801. Regent's, 257. Trent and Mersey 

 (i sh.), 825/ Warwick and Birmingham, 265/. London DOCKS (Stock), 88/._ IWest 



