Agriculiura! Ifit^Uln-cnce, 227 



necelfanly prevails at fiicli times, haflen^ fonvard the rife wlilch c- 

 ventually would happen, thougli at a more diftant period. In fuch 

 cafes, fpecTiIation is no evil ; the pubHc are thereby put upon their 

 guard, and means arc ufed to make up for the exillinjr dt-licicncv. 



The butclier market has continued at.muth the fame rates as flated 

 hi our lall ; but a very conliderable dcclenfion has been cfTetlcd upoti 

 the }5rice of lean il:ock. Tlie great lofTes upon fheep, at the end of lall 

 feafoii; rendered the gra/.iers exceedingly cautious in making their pur- 

 chafes \ and the general failure of young grafles contributed to leffcii 

 the demand conliderably. This lafl circumflance has occafioned a ge- 

 neral rife in the rents of old paftures ; thefe having, in many cafes, ad- 

 vanced fully 7^0 per cent, above ^hat was promifed laft year. The back- 

 wardnefs of vegetation, and the want of tunu'ps, mull be feverely felt 

 upon grazing farms, cfpecially where ewes and lambs, are kept ; upoa 

 iipland farms, the diftrefs mull be dreadful. 



We rejoice to fee the malt tax taken ferioufly under the eonfidcra- 

 tion of Parliament, being fatisfled that a difpaifionate difcuffion muffc 

 prove of material beneiit to Scotilh hufbandry. The Committee ap- 

 pointed to confider this bufmefs, confill of gciitl^men of dillinguiflied a- 

 bilities. Sir John Sinclair is chairman. We learn, that our good friend 

 and intelligent correfpondent, Dr Skene Keith^ has been called to at- 

 tend the Committee, and trull that his evidence will be eminently ufe- 

 ful. Several other perfons have gone from this country upon the fame 

 bufmefs. A feparate Committee is alfo appointed for revifmg the corn 

 laws, and much need they have of a revifal. Thefe things prove the at-* 

 tention fliewn by Mr Addington to the hitherto miich neglecled fub- 

 je6l of rural economy. 



In many counties, little progrefs has been made in fetthng the pro- 

 perty tax, and in fome no Itep has as yet been taken. We are de- 

 cidedly of the fentiments foiTnerly expreiTed, that the principle of the 

 tax, fo far as it affefts tlic tenantry, is formed in error and injuilice. 

 No tenant at rack rent in Scotland enjoys an income equal to one half 

 of his rent, which is the principle affumcd by the a£l in quelHon. In 

 fa£l, we know of tenants, latterly entered t() farms, who are loling a 

 good deal of money, notwithftanding that their gains and profits, accord- 

 ing to tliis rule, are confidered to be extenfive. Setting aiide tiie princi- 

 ple, which, cannot be defended, except upon niotives of conveniencyj wt? 

 are clear that the cliufes need material amendment ; as, for inftance, thf? 

 year's rent, upon which the tax is to be calculated, is not afceiiained \\\ 

 any part of the aft, at leail it has been difl'erently interpreted. A plain 

 raan would think that the current rent or value of a farm muil be meant ; 

 but fome of the fage ex])ounders eiitcrtain a dilferent opinion. They, 

 have declared that it is the rent of the preceding year that mull be 

 alfefled ; and mriny counties have proceeded by this rule. At firll fight, 

 it may be imagined, that it is ail one thing which year is taken, if the 

 tax is to be levied according to the real value ; bui. a flight couHdera- 

 tion will difplay the fubject in a different view; Suppofc A. B. pof- 

 fefled land at a very high rent for i8c2 and 1S03, which he gave up 

 at the feparation of the lall mentioned crop from the ground, h.^ may, 



P 2 according 



