THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. 



205 



to incur considerable expense in order to procure them ; whilst, 

 on the other hand, the purcbase of a measure would be a very 

 trifling affair in comparison. The existing law having been 

 enacted so recently, he did not think that any resolution 

 which this Club might come to would induce the Legislature 

 to alter it. In fact, he had arrived at the conviction, after 

 maturely considering the question, that there was no necessity 

 for an alteration, or any reason why the imperial bushel should 

 not be the standard by which all weights and measures of corn 

 should be adjusted (Hear, hear). 



Mr. Skelton (of Sutton Bridge, Wisbeach) said, having 

 had considerable experience with regard to this subject, both 

 as a farmer and as a corn-merchaut— an experience extending 

 over more than 30 years — he was desirous of malciug a few 

 remarks. The necessity of having a unilorm system was no 

 longer disputed ; they all felt that the crude aud manifold 

 modes of selling corn, which had hitherto prevailed in various 

 parts of the kingdom, required immediate alteration. As re- 

 garded the practicability of attaining uniformity, he really saw 

 no insuperable difBculties, though he must admit that penalties 

 were not agreeable either to farmers or to the public at large 

 (Hear, hear). What was spoken of on the card was " a uniform 

 system for England and Wales." He could not understand 

 why Scotland was omitted ; in his opinion there ought to be 

 uniformity throughout the kingdom (Hear, hear). Moreover, 

 he thought the principle of uniformity should be applied not 

 only to all the corn grown in the United Kingdom, but also to 

 all the corn imported from abroad, so that the comparative 

 value of the two might be ascertained through the same 

 medium. Mr. Wallis had alluded to the local prejudices 

 which were opposed to any change of the existing state of 

 things. Having a very extensive circle of acquaintance con- 

 nected with the corn-trade, he had been in correspondence 

 with several gentlemen on the question under consideration, and 

 the result was that persons who bad been in the trade many years 

 had pronounced the object almost impracticable. They referred 

 to France, in support of their view, and remarked that in that 

 country the government, notwithstanding all its arbitrary 

 power, had hitherto failed to establish a uniform system. In 

 the opinion of those gentlemen as to the impracticability of 

 the object he did not concur, believing as be did that if the 

 matter were duly discussed, were talked over at market ordina- 

 ries, and well considered in private, they would be enabled to 

 arrive at a practical result. He could not help here remarking 

 on the importance of having an amended system of taking the 

 corn averages (Hear, hear). A friend of his, Mr. S. Sandars, 

 who had had a very long and extensive experience in the corn 

 trade, and well up to all the bearings of this subject 

 had suggested that no buyer should be required to make a re. 

 turn of any corn except that which he had purchased from the 

 grower ; the reason given by him for this suggestion being 

 that the same corn had frequently been sold two or three times 

 over, on a market diy, the charges upon it being thus cou- 

 siderably iucreased. Under the existing law, the buyer was 

 compelled to make a return of all the corn bought by him, with- 

 out reference to the place where it came from, or the expenses 

 which might have been added to it; and this was an important 

 mdtter for those who had to pay the tithe rent-charge, or corn 

 rents. He trusted that whenever a uniform system of selling 

 corn was established, the subjectof the mode of taking the ave- 

 rages would not be overlooked. As regarded the question more 

 immediately before them, it should be borne in mind that the 

 tithe rent-charge was based on returns made by measure, that 

 the corn-rents were based on measure, and that import duties 

 and freights were also founded on the same principle. With 

 respect to weights, he thought it would be very difficult to ar- 



rive at a sound conclusion as to what should be the fixed 

 weight for all seasons, for all soils, and for all districts (Hear, 

 hear). They all knew very well that the seasons made a great 

 difference (Hear, hear). In the year 1852, his shipments were 

 generally made at from 57lb3. to SSlbs. per bushel ; while in the 

 year 1844, they were made at from 63 lbs. to 64 lbs. Such 

 was the effect of the difference of seasons. Then, again, 

 they all knew that different soils gave different weights ; and 

 hence he concurred in the remark of Mr. Baker, that weight 

 did not always represent quality. It was well known that 

 some soils yielded a thin-skinned wheat, which though supe- 

 rior in quality to the coarser wheat of other soils, was not 

 equal to it in weight. He fully agreed with Mr. Baker in 

 reference to the amount of ability and skill displayed by 

 many persons who were engaged in the corn trade as 

 millers aud merchants ; but he maintained that as it 

 was an object with the seller and buyer to carry on 

 their business to mutual advantage, in order that they 

 might come together a second time, it was necessary when 

 wheat was not in good condition that the seller should name a 

 given weight; otherwise how could the buyer form a correct 

 judgment? It was impossible that he could do so from a 

 sample shown in the market, when the corn was out of con- 

 dition ; and it was but fair, therefore, that in such cases the 

 seller should name a weight. Mr. Wallis had spoken of the 

 double expense of weights and measure. lu Norfolk, also 

 around Wisbech, &c., it was the common practice, after the 

 corn was dressed, to order the men to measure four bushels ; 

 and the weight of these having been ascertained, no further 

 measuring was required ; the farmer went to market, 

 staling that he had so much corn to sell of that 

 given weight. Now, he had received various sugges- 

 tions with reference to this subject; some to the effect, 

 that corn should be sold by the cwt., others in favour 

 of the imperial measure, and others of a different nature. He 

 should be very glad to see a uniform system, more intelligible 

 and convenient than the present state of things ; but the great 

 question was to what it should be. The words on the card were 

 " a uniform system of weight or measure." He should greatly 

 object to the re-opening of the question of the tithe rent-charge, 

 which had been settled to the satisfaction of all parties ; and if 

 it were re-opened, there could be no doubt that the clergy 

 would, and he must say very properly, come forward to defend 

 their rights; while many landlords would also become alarmed. 

 His own opinion was that the imperial measure should be re- 

 tained ; but its use should be enforced universally, not only 

 throughout England and Wales, but also in Scotland and 

 Ireland, and that all foreign corn should be included in the 

 operation of the law. 



Mr. Tata Ji observed that foreign corn already paid duty by 

 measure. 



Mr. Skelton continued: His own observation and ex- 

 perience were in favour of adherence to measure; and he 

 would recommend that Parliament should be petitioned to 

 enforce uniformity by the Imperial quarter of 8 bushels. 



Mr. G. Smytihes (Marlow, Leintwardine) said he entirely 

 concurred in the able address of Mr. Wallis ; he did not recollect 

 a single word in it from which he dissented. In his own 

 county he was in the habit of attending three markets, and at 

 those three markets he was obliged to sell by different weights. 

 It was all weight, not measure ; and from his experience on the 

 subject he was quite sure that in those districts where weight 

 was already established, no legislative enactment for carrying 

 out the principle of measure could be enforced. Weight was 

 so muce preferred to measure by those who had tried it, 

 that he felt certain that the imposition of penalties could 



