2^6 Agricultural Intelligefice — Scotland. May 



With regard to the property tax, the bufinefs is not fo far dlfcuffed 

 £S to enable me to fay how it will be executed in this didrid. The 

 comtniflioners have fent papers to be filled up ; fonie are returned, and 

 feme are not. They arc only calling them in ; and 1 have heard of no 

 inftance as yet of frcfli valuations having been made. Indeed, if fchooi- 

 mallers are fent as valuators or affiltants, as authorifed by the bill, it 

 would be a mod ludicrous procedure. You have ftigmatized many 

 parts of the bill ; but there is none more ridiculous than the claufe here 

 alluded to. jpril i8. 



Letter from Invernefsy April 20th. 



< We have hitherto had the coldeft fpring ever remembered ; during 

 the lall month ploughing was frequently ftopped, owing to the feverity 

 of the froft, and on the morning of the 6th inilant, we had a heavy 

 fall of fnow, and flill have frequent fhowers of it, with pretty fmart 

 frofts. From all thefe caufes, vegetation is exceedingly backward, 

 while provender of all kinds is very fcarce. The ftraw in mo(t places 

 is all confumed, and liay to be got only in few. It is difficult to fay 

 how the fpring work is to be executed in many Highland diltrids, ^s 

 they arc already giving the oats to their cattle that were intended for 

 feed, otherwife they would ftarve. lu the low diftrid here, oat feed is 

 over, and feveral fields are already brairded. We are now engaged in 

 fovving barley, but are impeded much by froft. 



* Owing to extenfivc importations from the fouthern counties, the 

 price of grain has been kept moderate. Barley 22s. to 24s., and oats 

 24s. and 25s, ; the laft per boll of 5 firlots, which is a trifle Icfs than 

 8 Winchefter bufhcls. Beef and mutton are fcarce ; prices 7d. to yd. 

 per lib. Hay 2s. per ftone tron weight. It is now afcertained that the 

 crop of this county in I 803 was not equal to four months confumption 

 of its inhabitants, 



* A great many working people are now employed at the Culedonian 

 canal ; and the bafons here and at Fort-William are already begun. 

 The cattle drovers are ranging the county ; but offer prices very much 

 below what was formerly given. ' 



BerivickJJjire ^tarterly Report. 



The fame variable weather which marked the progrtfs of the winter 

 months, has continued to retard the operations of agriculture during 

 this quarter, February and March prefcnted only twenty-four days 

 {rtQ of rain, fnow or fleet, and feldora three days fair in fucceirion ; fo 

 that very little fpring wheat has been got fown, as it could only be at- 

 tempted upon the dried foils, and at chance intervals. Winter wheat 

 experienced a fevere check from the i roils in February ; but has nov^' a 

 promifing appearance, though the weather all along has continued un- 

 feafonably cold. 



Oats fowing did not become general till the fii fl week of Aj^ril ; peas 

 4t5d beans dill later j whiic the Sequent rtcurrtncc of rain and fnow hjs 



caufed 



