APPENDIX to the CHRONICLE. 



131 



from grain harvested before the 

 rains has been, for the most part, 

 abundant ; yet that great quantities 

 of corn were damaged by the rains, 

 and, in consequence thereof, fur- 

 nished a deficient return of flour ; 

 and that, on the other hand, the 

 yield of grain from straw has been 

 generally deficient. They have the 

 satisfaction, however, of being able 

 to inform your lordships, that the 

 crops of barley may, upon the whole, 

 be considered as approaching nearer 

 to an average crop, and the crop 

 of oats as equal, on the whole, to 

 an average; but it is necessary to 

 state, that in many parts of the 

 kingdom these crops have also been 

 much damaged by the rains ; al- 

 though in others they have been 

 ■well harvested, and the flour from 

 the barley of the present year so 

 harvested is stated to be of the 

 £nest quality ever remembered. 



The committee have likewise the 

 satisfaction to add, that the crops of 

 pease are, in general, good ; and 

 that those of potatoes, although in- 

 ferior in produce by the acre to the 

 crops of former years, and although 

 the quality of that root is lessnutri- 

 tious, from its having sprouted in 

 consequence of the rains succeeding 

 the hot weather; yet, from the ad- 

 ditional number of acres planted, 

 the lords' committees think them- 

 selves justified in stating the whole 

 quantity produced not to be much 

 less than the usual average; but they 

 think it necessary to subjoin, that it 

 has been found, from the above 

 cause, that the potatoes of this year 

 are more liable than usual to spoil 

 in the keeping. 



The committee think it proper to 

 make some observations relating to 

 Scotland in particular ; and are 

 happy to observe, the grain whicli 



is principally deficient in England, 

 is not that which is most necessary 

 for the support of the labouring 

 classes in Scotland. 



The result of the information re- 

 ceived represents the western side 

 (for every part of Scotland, front 

 its narrowness, speaking generally, 

 may be considered as belonging to 

 the eastern or western division of 

 the island) as having had nearly an 

 average crop of all sorts of grain ; 

 but the eastern side, from England 

 to Edinburgh, has not produced 

 more than two-thirds of the ordinary 

 quantity of wheat, or more than 

 three fourths of oats and barley. 

 From Edinburgh to Caithness in- 

 clusive,notwithstanding the produc- 

 tiveness of that country this season, 

 the committee cannot estimate the 

 crops of wheat, oats, and barley, 

 at more than two-thirds of an usual 

 produce, though the last-mentioned 

 grain must be understood as rather 

 more productive than oats, north 

 from Dundee. 



The committee, in summing up 

 what they think it necessary to state 

 concerning Scotland, are sorry to 

 observe, taking the whole of the 

 country, that the crops of hay and 

 straw must be considered as consi- 

 derably defective. 



The lords' committees have been 

 informed^ with scarcely an excep- 

 tion, that the stock of old corn 

 was very nearly exhausted at the 

 period of the late harvest; and, in- 

 stead of the usual stock in the pos- 

 session of the farmers, millers, and 

 bakers, at that time, which is al- 

 most universally stated to be from 

 two to thi'ee months consumption, 

 and even sometimes more, they have 

 been invariably informed, that the 

 stock of this year was not in any 

 place more than the consumption 



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