r6 On the Malt Tax. Feb^ 



while in the steep or cistern ; and tlie malt is much better, be- 

 cause less substance is extracted bj the steep water, and less 

 injury done by the jhooting of the acrospire where the grain 

 is stronger, and where fewer grains are contained in a given 

 quantity. 



Sfhlj'y There is from the climate, soil, subsoil, and situation^, 

 much more liquor, much better flavoured ale, far more saccha- 

 rine, or extractive matter, a more kindly fermentation, and a 

 greater attenuation of the worts, or vv'ash, from English bar- 

 ley, than from Scotch bear, and consequently a far greater 

 quantity of spirits in the former than in the latter ; although in 

 England much more spirits could be obtained than are usually 

 obtained by the English distillers, who use too strong wash, 

 owing to tlie excise laws. 



6thly, The price of English barley is always much higher, 

 A'ct the price of bear is often enhanced in Scotland, b^^ its be- 

 ing made into meal, in great quantities ; and always a pro- 

 portion of bear is made into meal in Scotland. 



']thly. That, notwithstanding the high price which is fur- 

 tlier increased by the expence of importation, it was, in i See, 

 found to yield the cheapest food, because a quarter of it, when 

 ground, made much more meal than tlie like quantity of Scotch 

 grain of any kind. 



While tJje superiority of English barley to Scotch hear, or 

 big, is so very evident, a regard to truth and to impartial inves- 

 tioation requires t\i?Lt the svperiority of Scotch barley to Scotch 

 hear, or big, fiiould alfo be noticed. 



Here it may be remarked in general, that though Englifti bar- 

 ley is no doubt fuperior to Scotch barley, yet the latter is, at an 

 average of feafons, as much fuperior to Scotch bear, or big. It 

 is weio-htier per bulhel — in general more equal, both in point 



of ripening, and iize of the grain much larger bodied 



, fwells more in the procefs of malting lefs exhaufled in 



that procefs — contains more faccliarine matter — ^fetches a higher 

 price in the market — and, in every view, a different fpecies of 

 grain, and more \ aluable, than either the four or fix rowed bear 

 or big-, can be, in an average of feafons. Thefe are fafts gene- 

 rally known and acknowledged b}^ every impartial man acquaint- 

 ed witli the fubjert. The two following circumilances are not 

 fc i^?neially attended to, if they be known at all, by many prac- 

 tical farmers. 



In the lowland counties of Scotland, fouth of the Forth, barley 

 grows to advantage, in the flat or loofe foils, (except on a high 

 elevation, above the level of the fea) ; while bear, or big, runs to 

 firaw in thcfe more fertile diftri6ls. This fa6l was afcertained 

 1.(1 fuinmer, when the wiiter of this paper fent a quantity of 

 Kildrummy bear to a friend in Eall Lothian, where it did not 



fucceed^ 



