l8oo. jigrlcultural Intelligence — Scotland. 223 



oat and bean feed is nearly finifhed. Some barley upon the 

 dry foils, after turnips, is fov.^n ; and a few fields of potatoes 

 are alfo planted. Some of the coaft-fide farmers have already 

 concluded their feed work for this feafon ; and almoft in 

 every fituation the land has harrowed well, being completely 

 mellowed by the repeated black frofts, which have brought 

 the ftrongeft foils into a reducible Itate, as fall as they were 

 ploughed up. 



The markets for grain, with the exception of wheat, have 

 continued rapidly to advance, though, perhaps, the demand 

 from the higher diftrifts for feed corn has occaiioned a tem» 

 porary rife. Wheat, which is now dry, and in a condition for 

 keeping, fells from 36s. to 51s.; barley, 35s. to 46s. ; oats, 34s. 

 to 46s. ; beans, 30s. to 50s. ; peas, 45s. to 52s. ; and tares at 

 the enormous prices of 603. and 80s. per boll ; all Linlithgow 

 meafure. Oat-meal, 3s. per peck in retail ; and common 

 potatoes for feed, 30s. per boll, of 24 ftone Dutch weight. 

 Some of the early varieties have fold as high as 4s. per peck. 

 Vegetables of all kinds are fcarce j and, in fome places, can 

 only with difficulty be procured. 



The Turnip crop, which was much injured by the late frofts, 

 is now nearly confumed ; owing to which, it will be difficult 

 to carry on the fmall portion of fat flock on hand. Barley, in 

 fome inftances, has been boiled and given to cattle; which is 

 found to anfwer well, though the expence is very great. The 

 early ewes are lambing faft ; and every exertion has been made 

 to bring flock of every defcription into condition for an early 

 market. 



Grafs land has this year met with a moft extraordinary rife, 

 which does not afford room to fuppofe that butcher markets 

 will foon be reduced to their ufual rates. Perhaps, the prices 

 of grain have occafioned a number of fields, commonly kept iff 

 pallurage, to be broke up by the plough ; but whatever has 

 "been the caufe, the rife has been general, and, in fome inftances, 

 gone the length of 50 per cent, above laft year's rates. 



The higher dillridl of the county is in a mofl diltrefied flate, 

 as very little ploughing is yet performed, and hardly any of 

 the lafl crop can with fafety be ufed for feed. Fodder is very 

 fcarce ; and a confiderable mortality has taken place among the 

 hogs, or young fheep. Great ewes may be flated, as felling 

 from 6d. to iSd. higher than lafl year. At Gilford Spring 

 Fair, a pretty large fhow was prefented, which in general'were 

 fold, 



Y 4 H<i^ 



