l8oo. AgvicuHural Intelligence — Scotland. 473 



pefted, and even before the ear, in many inflances, was properly 

 rilled, particularly on all dry and gravelly foils, which, of courfe, 

 from this premature ripening, have produced a fhrunk grain and 

 fcanty return. This has been the cafe, more or lefs, with grain of 

 every defcription, wheat alone excepted, which not only flood out 

 the extreme drynefs and heat of the fe:ifon on every foil, but even 

 profpered under it, producing now as fine a fample as has perhaps 

 been known for many years. Straw, as well as hay, having been 

 greatly Hinted in the growth, fodder of all kinds is, of courfe, un- 

 commonly fcarce. Potatoes, which continued to profper till about 

 Lammas, tb.en fell off much ; fo that if it had not been for the re- 

 viving rains in the beginning of September, they would not have 

 turned out above one fourth of an ordinary crop ; and, even after 

 all, will hardly amount to one third. Turnip has alfo failed great- 

 ly. On the whole, the prefent crop does not appear, by any m.eans, 

 to be fuch as will make up for the very great deficiency in the crop 

 of the year i 799, 



The harvell, which commenced early in Auguft, is now nearly 

 finiflied. Reapers have been had in great abundance, and, of courfe, 

 at m.oderate wages. Preparations tor the next crop are going on 

 with alacrity ; and what wheat has already been fown, whether en 

 fallow or from ftubble land, has been accomplifhed under very fa- 

 vourable circumftances. 



Prices have continued high, (oat-meal excepted, which being 

 now at 2s. the peck, is more in proportion to the rate of labour), 

 and ftill have little appearance of declining, notwithftanding of the 

 immenfe quantity of grain imported into the different harbours of 

 the kingdom. The true reafon of this (the wretched return of 

 crop 1799, and the doubtful afpeft of crop i8co), has been alto- 

 gether overlooked, and the whole imputed to machinations of mid- 

 dle-men, forellalltrs, and regraters, thofe 



Gorgons and Hydras, and Chinvras dire ! 



Milton. 



For, at no period has there been fnch an univerfal cry of plenty, 

 in the miOUths of the newfmongers and public declaimers, as in the 

 prefent, (except perhaps in the year [782, of llarvation memoty), 

 accompanieo with grievous imprecations, warm from the heart, a- 

 gainll corn factors and all dealers in grain, with many a fide-glance 

 curie alio at farmers and meal-men. Thefe people, like to the 

 falfe prophets of old, continually call out. Peace ! peace! (in the 

 pielent u.llance, a^/'^ff of bread), while there is no peace. But 

 perhaps, after all, this may arife from their own inward convidlion ; 

 like to tiie man who fabricated a ftory zhoutfai/ino over tlie yllpSy 

 and told it fo often, that at length he believed it himielf. On the 



other 



