4J0 /Agricultural InicU'igeticC'— Scotland, 06t..- 



Extras of a Letter from a Gentleman near Perth ^ September 1 1. 



Our wlieats are very thin, though, in general, the ear is clofe 

 fet, and the giain of good quality. Oats are, in moft places, a 

 poor crop ; and the quality very inferior to an ordinary average. 

 This may be attributed, in part, to the wet feed-time, the weak- 

 ly feed fown, and the fevere drought following, which, in many 

 places, bound the ground, fo that the plant could not forage as 

 ufual. Alfo, all round this quarter, the oat-crop, in particular, has 

 been, for many weeks paft, infefted with fmall blackifh vermin, 

 which, I am perfuaded, muft tend greatly to retard the nourifliing 

 quality from rifing up the llalk, to mature the grain ; and, in my 

 humble opinion, this laft mentioned caufe has not been the leaft 

 powerful in reducing the quality of the oats of this feafon. Bar- 

 ley, in moft places is far fliort of its ordinary bulk ; in fome thin 

 fandy foils, it was almoft parched up. However, on the whole, 

 the grain is of a fine quality, from its having the benefit of fuch 

 an uncommon degree of funlhine in the courfe of the Summer. 

 This remark, however, refpefling the barley-crop, muft be receiv- 

 ed with fome little exception ; and, indeed, all remarks of an a- 

 gricultural nature, this feafon, muft be cautioufly made ; otherwife 

 moft erroneous conclufions would be drawn, the crop being fo va- 

 rious, at leaft in this quarter. On fome of my fields, the variety 

 of crops, from good, down to mere nothing, never appeared fo as this 

 year. In this neighbourhood, few peas are fown ; what little there 

 is this feafon, are what is called pretty corny, but little ftraw. 

 Turnips, wherever they brairded fairly, have ilood out much better 

 than could have been expefted, confidering the drynefs of the 

 weather ; and now, with the refrefiiing weather, promife a moft 

 luxuriant crop. I need fay nothing about the ftate of the pafture 

 grounds. They are here, as in moft other places, much baret^ 

 than ever I faw them, I hope the fine rains we have had, will, 

 even late as the feafon is, produce fome frefli vegetation, which 

 would indeed be moft acceptable, when fodder of all forts will be 

 fo very fcanty for the Winter fupply. Potatoes were, early in the 

 feafon, moft promifing ; but I am forry to find the roots are not 

 like the tops in that refped. I hope they will ftill improve in fize^ 

 though I have fome little doubts on this head, from the appearance 

 of frefii vegetation from fome of the firft formed potatoes at the 

 roots of many of the plants. The (haws, however, in many places, 

 arc ftill vigorous, though, in hollows, and by the river fide, they 

 are quite gone, from the effedls of hoar-froft, which we had here a- 

 bout ten days ago. Live ftock, of all defcriptions, in our markets, 

 are a mere drug. Butcher-meat is much reduced — beft beef, 5d. ; 

 mutton 4d. ; and it is thought will ftill he lower — Inferior forts 



' much 



