1^03' ( 473 ) 



B R A N C H III. 



Agricultural Intelligence. 



The fevove drought, wliich prevailed through the fummev and 

 TiUtumn months, occafioned crops on the eaflern coaft of the 

 iflnnd to be defective in bulk ; and ftack yards may be ftated as 

 fully one third lefs in fize than thofe of the preceding year. 

 Through the weftern, and many of the midland diftri<Sts, accord- 

 ing to our information, the drought has not been attended with 

 evil coniequences •, and from all accounts, the vv^heat crop may 

 be confidered as equalling, if not exceeding, an average, ex- 

 cept in a few Engliih counties which were vilited with mildew. 

 The weight of the grain alfo exceeds that of ordinary years ; 

 and, from the tvarmhefs of the ripening feafon, the flour will 

 abforb a greater quantity of water than cuflomarily. We ftated 

 in our lalt, that the quantity and quality of wheat were regu- 

 l.ited by the degree of heat which prevailed in the latter part 

 of July and firft vveeks of Augull ; the truth of which has, this 

 year, been ftrikingly exemplilied. 



■ Oats, Vv^hich are cultivated to a great extent in Scotland, may, 

 however, be regarded aS an inferior crop in almoft every diftrict. 

 An excefd of heat always proves injurious to this grain, making 

 it fmali and fhrivelied, with a greater proportion of hu(k or offal 

 than liappehs in feafons of more moillure. Indeed, it iS an af- 

 certai ned point, that weather favourable to wheat and barley, 

 is adverfe to onts. A finer appearance was fcarcely ever feen than 

 what the oat-helds univerfally difplayed in the latter part of June ; 

 but the continuance of drought rapidly changed the agreeable pic- 

 ture, and myriads of black infe6ls or caterpillars, which, in feveral 

 diftrids, lodged upon the ftalk and ear, contributed to make mat- 

 ters ftill v/orfe; It may rcafonably b^ believed, that thefe infecls 

 \t ere the confequence, not the caufe of a failure, and that their 

 attacks would have been unfuccefsful, had the plant not been pre- 

 vioully in a difeafed ftate. Fat horles are feldom or never troubled 

 with the fcab i, whereas, nothing is more common than for poor 

 ones, to be attacked with that diforder. We noticed feveral oat- 

 fields, in particular fituations, nay, even contiguous to infected 

 fields, which, in a great meafure, efcaped the ravages of the 

 caterpillar, owing to tlie ftalks being in a thriving condition, and 

 perfpiration going regularly forward. 



VOL. IV. NO. i6. ' S f f • Beans, 



