34* Agricultural Intelligence — Scotland. July 



ceffary for their growth, and hardened the furface fo much as to 

 prevent their future progrefs. 



The potatoe fields never looked better; and promife llubftantial 

 relief to the poor, during the following year. Much the fime ex- 

 tent as ufaal is planted in this country •, but the (how being univer- 

 fiiUy good, a double crop to that of the laft may be fafely expeft- 

 ed. N'^twithftanding the apparent badncfs of the feed, fcarce a 

 iingle blank is feen, anH the cur/ U only in a few inftances difcern- 

 ible Perhaps the abfence of this fatal and common difeafe may 

 be attributed to the unripenefs of the plant when taken up l^ft 

 Autumn, which is the only probable caufe that can be affigned. 

 Jn the high diftri£t of this county, where the climate feldom per- 

 mits them to arrive at maturity, the cur/ is scarcely known ; 

 ■whereas, in the low diftrifts, it is never mifled after an early har. 

 vefl, unlefs frefh feed is brought from late fituations. 



Though the coldnefs of the weather has been injurious to the 

 growing crops, it has proved very advantageous in the working of 

 the turnip and naked fallows,, which have this feafon received com- 

 plete juftice. The repeated dry furrows gi^^'en, will, in a great 

 jneafure, counteraft the bad effefts of the laft Winter, and remove 

 the degree of acidity thereby lodged in the ground. Without 

 moifture, however, the heavy lands will be all to force with the 

 brake and roller j for they are fo hard, that, without thcfe auxili- 

 aries, it will be impoflible to reduce them to a proper tilth. Per- 

 haps this is the manner in which the moft of farmers incline to 

 work their fallow, though it is fevere upon the labouring Hock, 

 and increafes the expence of this neceffary operation. 



The quantity of land fown with turnip, is this year greatly In- 

 creafed ; but, if fufficient moift;ure does not foon fall, one half of 

 them will not vegetate. Seed has been exceedingly fcarce, and, in 

 fome places, could with difRculty be procured. The early fown 

 fields promife well, and fome are already thinned and fet out ; but 

 the greateft number are either fpringing imperfeftly, or making no 

 appearance. Much lofs was fuftained upon the foft foils, from the 

 drills being blown by the high wefterly wind on Friday the 20th 

 current. 



The grain markets have fluftuated much In the couife of this 

 quarter, efpecially for wheat and oats. Wheat hfl'^, for a month 

 paft, fteadily advanced, in the face of a large importaion j which is 

 a fure proof that the quantity on hand, of laft year's crop, Is not 

 great. Current prices are from 50s. to 60s. per boll of 4 firlots, 

 the firlot being about 3 per cent, larger than the Winphefter bufhel. 

 Beans, per fame mtafure, from 46s. to 53s. Barley, per boll of 

 nearly Winchefter buftiels, from 505, to j6s, And oats, which 



at 



