C 34<5 ) Au 



BRANCH III. 



Agricultural Intelligence. 



^• 



The weather, clurlng tlie funimer quarter, lias been ct an anc- 

 malous delcrlption, and rather unfavourable to the growth of 

 corn and grafs ; particularly in the eallern diilrids of tlie ifland. 

 The month of May was exceedingly cold \ a fevere drought pre- 

 vailed, accompanied with ftormy winds, which, in a manner, ex- 

 tracted every particle of moiflure from the foil. In the firft and 

 fecond weeks of June, fome genial rains were received, which 

 revived the fields very much •, but, fmce the middle of that month, 

 the weather has been generally dry, latterly very warm^ confe- 

 quently aufpicious to the wheat crop during the blooming pro- 

 cefs, but unfavourable to the late barleys, to the vegetating of 

 turnips, and to the growth of grafs. Under thefe circumitances, 

 the current crop does not promife to be bulky ; though, from the 

 tenor of our information, it may, on the whole, be regarded as 

 equal to that of common feafons. No doubt, much depends 

 upon the fucceeding month of Augull ; therefore opinions, at 

 this period, muft not be too ftritlly applied. It is fufHciently un- 

 derftood, by practical agriculturifts, that not only the quality, but 

 alfo the quantity, of grain is regulated by the warmnefs and tem- 

 perature of the weather in the two lail weeks of July, and two 

 firft weeks of Augull -, for the bell-founded expe6lations of the 

 hufbandman are often difappointed by rains, fogs, and winds, at 

 that critical period. 



The grain markets have (hewn a difpofitlon to advance through 

 this quarter ; but perhaps tlie fall of llocks, and contraction of 

 credit, may ferve to occafion a temporary declenfion. From all 

 the accounts tranfmltted to us, it appears that there is no want 

 of grain, efpecially of barley, in the country, which, at leaft in 

 North Britain, remains undifpof^d to i confiderable extent. It 

 deferves notice, that, when .'. rife or fall of markets is men- 

 tioned, reference is ufually made to the prices of former times, 

 without attending that the rate of rents, the value of labour, and 

 the enormous increafe of pub';: burdens, render it impracticable 

 for the farmer to fell his commodities upon the fame terms as he 

 did even a fev/ years ago. In our remembrance, and we do not 

 allude to a diftant period, more money was made by felling oats 

 at twelve lliiilings per boll, than can now be gained when they 

 are at eighteen ^hiUings In fa6>^ at the laft price, they are lower 

 to gener.ii con.iair'-rs . for t'l'- w^gc- of labourers and artifans 

 are incrcafed in a greater device tJiian the prices of grain have 



advancedt 



