J 304 • Ag>'uuhu;\il hUclligcncc — ^, Aland, 23 j 



Ahcrdccnfnrc ^artcrly Report. 



Field-work of every kind was far advaiu'cd in tlu* autumn, an J did 

 not meet with the iifual obflvuclions, through the winter months, fronv 

 ilorms, or lon;:^ continued frofls ; of courfe, plougliiiig, in general, 

 was flnifhod early. Since the beginning of Marcli, till about a week 

 ago, feed-work was much impeded by heavy falls of fnow and rain, 

 with froll conllantly at night. As a greater ftrength could be 

 J-aid to harrowing than is common when the ploughing is farther back, 

 the good days lately fent have been fo well employed, that moft of the 

 pats, and all the peas, are fown in pretty good order. The fowing of 

 bear is not yet begun ; indeed, with ma.iy, this will not be a tedious 

 operation, as, under prefent circumflances, a crop of this grain will 

 not indemnify the growers. The prices of grain have fallen duriiig the 

 >vinter ; and it was with difficulty that fales were rhade. Bear, 15s. to 

 i8s. per boll of 136 Stirling jugs, equal' to 6^ Winchclter bufhels ; 

 Oat-meal, i6s, to 17s. ; Bear-meal, tos, to lis. per boll of 128 hb. 

 Amfterdam ; very few oats or peas bought for the fupply of other dif- 

 tricls. Fat cattle have mainUiined their value, being from 8s. 6d. to 

 I OS. 6d. per Itone, fink; retail prices, 6d. to 8d. per lib. The mar- 

 kets for lean cattle and llicep are not yet commenced, nor can they de- 

 termine prices much till the grafs feafon come on. Tiie ftack-yards, 

 with many, are entirely fmifhed ; and few people N\'ill have grain over 

 the fummer. 



The price of every kind of work has incrcafed liere as high as in any 

 county of the kingdom. Indeed, from the very exteniive works car- 

 rying on in the city of Aberdeen avid its vicinity, as alfo from the dif- 

 ferent lijies of turnpike road nov/ making through the county, a great 

 rife in the price of labour might have been expected. But add to this,- 

 the immenfe drain of men for the Navy, the Militia, the Army of Rc- 

 ferve, independent of the companies of Volunteers, and it will not ex* 

 cite furprife, that fuch numbers of ufeful hands taken from their ordi- 

 nary avocations, fliould very much increafe the value of thofe that re- 

 main. Even high duties, and tlrc increafed value of every article of 

 wearing apparel, mult render higher wages neceflary for the comfort of 

 labouring people than thoi'e formerly paid them. It is obvious, how- 

 ever, that thtfe things muil deprefs agriculture; mull prevent many 

 ufeful improvements from being undertaken, and bear hai'd on farming 

 capital. Such evils mull, however, be borne with patience. Whilll the 

 Almighty permits the tyrant of a neighbouring country to fcourge the 

 human race, all muil feel the preflure. Holding the plough in one 

 hand to provide fubfiftence, and in the other a gun, a pike, or fpcar, to 

 be i-eady to meet the foe, we mull acquit ourfelves like men, till Pro- 

 vidence clear up the clouded ficy, and remove tyranny and threatening 

 from our borders, leaving us in the full pollellion of our orlgluil 

 rights, liberties and immunities. "^Phen will things frnd their natural 

 level ; Income will exceed expenditure ; and a furplv.s be left for new 

 improvements, 



With 



