2^^ Agricultural hitelUgence — Scotland. Aug. 



The new husbandry being only in its infancy in this diftricl, our ftaple 

 crop may be faid to be oats, with a fmall proportion of wheat, and fome 

 bear and barley. The oats being in a Hate to feci the effefts of the* 

 cold ftormy weather, are in many places rather thin, and at leaft a fort- 

 night behind the ufual time of Ihooting. The almod total want of 

 fnow during winter, and expofure to fevere nsked froft, has alfo rendered 

 the wheat generally thin, which is the cafe too with the fown grafs in 

 all heavy lands, efpecially if they are any way high lying or expofed. 

 The bear appears to be the moft vigorous ajid prolific crop ; but which, 

 from the operation of the new malt a6t, will probably turn out of leaft 

 account to the farmer. Indeed, except for family ufes, it is doubtful 

 if there will be any fale for it whatever. It is not to be fuppofed that 

 a public brewer or diftiller will choofe to pay 26s. 2d. of duty for 8 

 bufhels of Carrick bear, when he can have the fame qnantity of the 

 belt EngliiTi barley for only 5s. 4d. more. We muft of neccifity have 

 public burdens, but they fhould be laid on wifely and impartially. The 

 weather, fince the latter end o^ May, has been uncon:>monly fine. A- 

 great deal of thunder happened about that time, which purified the at- 

 mofphere ; and being fucceeded by heat, and kindly refrefiiing fliowers, 

 recovered the crop more than could have been expected.* The llalks, 

 though rather thin, appear to be in a ftrong and healthy itate ; ancj 

 fuch of them as have fhot, the heads fecm to be fufficiently large and' 

 full eared ; which is all that can he known of them in their prefcut 

 ftate. Much deT'Cndc upon the weather during the enfuing five or fix 

 weeks. If it continue favourable till the ear is coxnt to mtfturity, we 

 will, notwithftanding of its ihinnefs, have nearly an average crop. 



* The grain markets, during winter and fpring, remained pretty fieady. 

 The oat meal fold from 17s. 4d. to 18s. 8d., which is now advanced 

 to 20s. the boll of 8 ilones Dutch weight ; barley meal was at about 

 IS. the peck ; oats from i6s. to i8s. 6d. the Ayrfhire boll, confilling 

 of 8 buHicls, now 20s. and 21s, ; bear fold at about 25s. ; and the 

 barley about 2s. 6d. and 3s. more. 



* Sheep and black cattle have gone on increaiing in price fince laft 

 year, and are out of all proportion high. A reduction muti unavoid- 

 ably take place, otherwife the lu^^ury of butcher meat will be confined 

 folely to the higher ranks ; and thofe, of couiTe, whofe hard labour re- 

 quires ftren^^thening aliment moft, mud be utterly deprived of it. As 4 

 counterpoife, however, to this, the price of farm labour has kept pace 

 with the price of every thing elfe. It is a moft happy circumftance, 

 that, in the phyfical, as well as moral and political world?, things often 

 operate their own remedy, without any forefight or efforts of ours. 

 There is a ne plus ultra in human affairs, which fets bounds to the ava- 

 rice and ambition of man, as well as to his phyfical powers. 



* The potato oats are coming very much into ufe, and in general 

 fucceed remaikably well. They are both more prolific, and yield more 

 meal, while one half feed nearly anfwevs to fow the fame extent of 

 ground which it takes of the common oats fown in the country. Their 



liablcnefa 



