47^ Agricultural hit 'AU genet, Na^.. 



tliough tlis ^xAw 13, in few inflances, fo p>ump and well colour- 

 ed ns lad: fcafon, yet the return per acre is much nearer to 

 the ordinary produce, than among our fouthern neighbours ; for, 

 in Scotland, the rains were later, not ib heavy, nor of fo long 

 continuation as with them. Had they happened earlier, when 

 the j:;rain was in an embryo (late, it is very probable, that qua- 

 lities would not have been better than they were in 1799. At 

 one period, the like apprehenfions were entertained, as were 

 realized in that fatal year -, but thefe were foon remove d, by 

 (he uncommon fnie weather that followed, by which the quality 

 was eminently improved. 



Barley, fo far as cultivated, may be regarded as an average 

 •crop ; but then the brcadtxi of ground occupied by this grain was 

 much narrowed this feafon. The prices of lafl year, owing to 

 tlie exorbitant tax impofed upon malt, were fo low that the grower 

 was difcouraged from raifing it. This was conftantly preditfted 

 by us •, and indeed the fpirit of prophecy was not required to 

 form fuch a prediftion. Barley is an article rarely imported ; 

 perhaps it is not raifed extenfively on the Continent, therefore a 

 ihort crop of it will be more difficult to remedy than that of any- 

 other grain. 



Oats, according to our infonnatlon, promife to be as plentiful 

 as laft year, though, no doubt, the deficiency of barley will throw 

 a greater demand for them into the market. Laft year, much 

 barley was ufed for horfe feed ; a pra61:ice hardly to be expected 

 under prefent circumftances, therefore the demand for oats muft 

 be proportionably increafed. 



Per^.s and beans, this year, are by mofl: people confidered at 

 fuperior to any crops got fmce 179S. This is rather remarkable 

 when the adverfe weather in fpring is remembered, and can only 

 be accounted for from the fine weather in the blooming and ri- 

 pening feafons, both being remarkably favourable. 



Thus we have given a concife view of the feveral corn crops, col- 

 kcled from an extenfive correfpondence over the whole ifland. In 

 fome diftricfls, the fcale may be lower or higher than we have , 

 marked it ; but, taking matters as a whole, we have reafon to be- 

 lieve that our account, in fubftance, is not materially wide of the 

 truth. In former times, a confiderablc period elapfed before the 

 general fituation of the crop could be afcertained ; but nov/, when 

 agriculturifts maintain a correfpondence nearly as regular as that 

 carried on by mercantile people, the profperity and adverfity of 

 iural concerns can be cllimated with facility. 



From the foregoing flatement, the late advance upon the prices 

 of grain may be fatlsfa<florily explained. Indeed the rife has been 

 general over the whole ifiand, though full as ^r:at iii the "metro- 

 polis 



