cm 
328 Monthly Agricultural Report. [ Marcu, 
A considerable decline in the price of Wheat has taken place at the Corn Exchange, 
though the home supply has been on a very narrow scale throughout, and the quantity of 
the last crop is now estimated lower than before. But the foreign supply has been much 
more plentiful than was expected, and it is now ascertained, will continue sufficiently 
ample, both from the north, the Mediterranean, and, in all probability, from America. 
Barley is much lower, even the best samples ; the maltsters haying been, for some time, 
large purchasers, and the malting season being far advanced. There can be now no ex- 
pectation of much advance in the price of wheat; but there may well be of its further 
decline, for various reasons. It may be presumed that, the large cultivators of our best 
lands have held their wheats on the speculation of great spring demands. Those 
wheats must come to market, and they are in considerable quantities, and the best of 
the year. A promising crop on the ground will have its effect. 
We have already remarked on the extremely gloomy tone of the letters received from 
various parts of the country, and several such are now open before us. They assert, in a 
mood of irritation and despair, that their tradesmen’s bills and taxes are in arrear, and 
that they have not wherewith to pay, their funds, in produce and cattle, being nearly, or 
entirely exhausted; that tithes are exorbitant, and that the money squandered in building 
new churches ought to have been applied to the support of their pauper labourers ; and 
that the diatress and criminal conduct of these last are entirely owing to the intolerable 
weight of taxation. They deprecate violently the importation of untaxed and untithed 
wheat, and even of wheat and provisions from Ireland, and of Irish labourers ; complain 
bitterly of the export of our currency, yet acknowledge the necessity of our poor haying 
bread at a moderate price. 
Letters also, of a directly opposite tendency, are in,our hands from the best corn countries. 
With respect to the farmers of poor lands in these days, we can sensibly feel for 
them, having ourselves farmed poor land, in much better times, with sometimes at a 
little, and at others with no profit. But this account, in the gross, cannot be balanced 
without serious and various considerations. If rents be too high, the tenantry cannot 
in reason expect to be excused their share of the blame, since it is well known the com- 
petition for farms is at present as eager as in the most prosperous times, and even 
among those already holders of land, and with respect to the weight of taxation, the 
interest of the national debt must be paid ; and also, it seems, other heavy public charges, 
which have notso fair aclaim. Now, it is a material question, what particular class or 
description of the people was it who were most urgently instrumental in forwarding those 
measures, in pursuance of which our enormous and unpayable debt originated? and 
who have since been most opposed to all attempts at investigation and reform ? Surely 
a shilling for a loaf of bread, and perhaps that is cheaper than the inferior bread, is full 
as much as our best paid labourers are able to afford. But, without an ample import of 
wheat and flour, what might have been the advance? As we neither grow wheat, nor 
various other provisions sufficient for the national supply, can there be aught of common 
sense or justice in this everlasting declamation against import? Of this also Ireland, a 
part of ourselves, has its share; but we are not aware of what could be done in this 
country, independently of Irish provisions and Irish labour. 
Smithfield.— Beef, 3s. 6d. to 4s. 10d.—Mutton, 4s. 4d.to 5s. 10d.—Veal, 4s. 6d.— 
Pork, 4s. 0d. to 5s. 8d. to 6s.—Raw fat, 2s. 7d. 
Corn Eachange.—Wheat, 60s. to 75s.—Barley, 20s. to 34s.—Oats, 18s. to 32s. 
—Bread, London 4b. fine loaf, 1s.—Hay, 45s.—Clover, ditto, 50s. to 105s,— 
Straw, 30s. to 38s. 
Coals in the Pool, 26s. 7d. to 35s. 3d, per chaldron. 
Middlesex, February 23d. 
Corrigenda in the last Report.— For “ Flaminica” read “ U. §. America.”—For “are 
yet” read “ yield.” 
