21 3 Agrict4Jtural Ititelligence — Scotland. April 



I confider that the comfortable, if not the neceflary fupply 

 of the people of Scotland, for this year, depends upon two 

 things : ijl, The ftoppage of the Englifh diftilleries : zdly. 

 The mixture of barley meal with oat meal or flour. 



Tt is much to be apprehended, that bad feed will be ufed by 

 many farmers, partly from ignorance, and partly from necef- 

 fity. The danger is, 1 fufpeft, not fufBciently underftood. In 

 1782, a fcvere froll on the 3d Auguft was very hurtful to the 

 earlieft and beft oats, which were then in flower, or in the 

 milky ftate ; it rendered them unfit for the purpofe of feed, 

 though it did not flop their vegetation. The later oats, which 

 were of much lefs value for meal, were incomparably better 

 for feed, becaufe they were not in flower when the fevere froft 

 happened in Auguft. But this year we had fevere frofts at 

 different periods of the harveft, and efpecially in September, 

 when the late oats were in the flower, or in the milky ftate ; 

 and 1 apprehend, that nothing but aftual trials can juftify the 

 farmer for fovving one parcel of oats in preference to another. 

 The experience of 1782, may tend to miflead thofe who do 

 not confider the difference of circumftances ; and the apparent 

 frefhnefs of grain is no criterion for its being fit for the pur- 

 pofe of feed. 



Oats no doubt are a hardy kind of grain, as nature has fur- 

 niflied it with a great coat to defend it from the inclemency of 

 the weather ; but it is when the plant is in flower, and before 

 this great coat can be buttoned clofely, if 1 may ufe the ex- 

 preffion, that its powers of vegetation are moft eafily and moft 

 deeply wounded. 



ExtraEl of another Letter from Aberdeen/hire^ March 18. 



■- Our county is really in a deplorable ftate ; for the fields 



are this day covered with a deep fnow^, and the ftraw for our 

 cattle is almoft confumed. Bear, with fodder, has given 4I. 

 per boll, and oats, not fit for feed, 2I. ics. per ditto, Aber- 

 deenfliire mcafure. Hay fells at 2s. per ftone of 20 lib. Am- 

 fterdam ; but, what is worft of all, it is dlfHcult now to get it 

 in this corner at any price. I rent a farm at 50I. ; and this 

 day there is not more ploughed than 10 bolls of oats will fow. 

 Many of my neighbours have lefs in proportion, and few of 

 them more. The poor have been fuppHed with meal on lower 

 terms than with you, and yet they are run of money, and cre- 

 dit is ill to be had. Beft oat meal is. ic^d., and bear meal 

 is. 4d. per peck of 9 lib. We arc getting feed oats from the 



Gariocby 



