IpS On the Mode cf ^trihhig Eaft Lothian F'lars. May 



ancient praiHiice into execution. The rents of many farms, and 

 the flipends of many clergymen, being paid according to the 

 prices thus afcertained, it becomes an object of general import- 

 ance that they fhould be calculated upon correct and equitable 

 principles. 



At this time, it is only my intention to fiate fome particulars re- 

 fpe£ling the Eall-Lothian pra^^ice ; becaufe, in that county, a more 

 fuperior attention has been paid to method and accuracy than in 

 many others. If I am able to fhow that the rules eflablilhed 

 there, and uniformly adhered to for more than a century paft, 

 mult eventually raile the fiars higher than warranted by a fair 

 average of prices, I profume it will at once be acknowledged, 

 than an alteration of thefe rules is expedient and neceffary. Nay 

 more, that fuch alteration would be doiu^ no more than impartial 

 iuftice to thofe who are obliged to make payments according to 

 the rate of the annual fiars. 



In Eaft-Lothian, the firft ftep of procefs is to take a regular 

 •kvA extenfive proof concerning the quantity of grain bought and 

 fold, and the prices paid and received for it *, all which is done 

 with fmgular precifion and exaftnefs. The prices are next extend- 

 ed, which afcertains the total value of the grain ; the total value is 

 Then divided by the number of bolls deponed to, the quotient 

 giving the fecond fiars, which, in reality, are the fair average of 

 prices during the period included in the proof. A new account 

 is then made up of all tlie bolls fold above that average ; and, di- 

 viding the value thereof by the number of bolls in that clafs, the 

 refult gives the firft or highefl fiars. In like manner, by going 

 to the prices which are below the average, the third fiars are afcer- 

 tained. I ought to have mentioned that two and one half per 

 cent, have, fnice 1678, been regularly added to the prices depon- 

 ed to, though no fatibfaclory reafon can be given for this addi- 

 tion. 



From the above particulars, it \yill at once appear, to any man 

 of bufmefs, that what is generally called the Eaft-Lothian fiars, 

 can only be chara£l:erifed as a correal average of the price of 

 grain for the deareft and fcarceft market days, with the addi- 

 tion of two and one half p^r cent, thereupon, and that thofe, who 

 make payments according to the rates lb fixed, muft unavoidably 

 fuftain a heavy lofs. In faft, even laying the two and one half 

 per cefjt. afide, no larmer^^ who attends market regularly, can fell 

 his grain fo high as the fiars. Were he even to command the befl 

 price of each day, ftill he would be below the fiars, becaufe fuch 

 are formed exclufivcly from the higheft markets, while the re- 

 rnainder is abforbed in the fecond and third rates. When the 

 addition of two and one lialf per cent, is taken into account, \l 



