. 
e792. -on grinding oat meal, 207 
sumpt, if the superfluity be carried coastwise, it must be 
fhipped to great disadvantage. 
In the north of Scotland meal is ground small at the 
mill, in the south it is grinded round. 
‘ The consequences which ensue are, 
1st. If the north countries have mealto supply the south, 
the meal is sold two or three fhillings per boll cheaper 
than it would do if round ground. 
2d. The meal contracts a more musty smell in the thip, 
than if ground larger. ; 
3d. The fraud in mixing oat and bear meal is not so 
easily detected when the meal is ground small, as when 
round, 
- This fraud has been always practised; but since the 
year 1782, when necefsity was the excuse, it has made a- 
larming progrefs, to the great discredit of the farmer and 
merchant. In Aberdeen the magistrates have of late, ve- 
‘ry ‘properly, checked the fraud, by appointing two markets, 
one for pure, and the other for mixed. meal, and by pu- 
nifhing those who attempt to sell the last for the first. In 
the district of Buchan, resolutions have been made to 
check a practice which gives a bad character to the com- 
modity ; but I imagine nothing would more effectually 
detect the imposition, than by grinding the meal round 
universally. Probably the practice of grinding meal 
small, was first introduced from its making a detection of 
mixture more difficult ; and it is certainly time to check 
a custom which hurts the fair dealer, and gives an oppor- 
tunity for practising a fraud, that is daily i apaaenainess sige 
avarice knows no bounds. 
J cannot help thinking, that round ground meal, is better 
than small meal, in most of the ways in which it is 
wsed, and the palate of the commonalty will soon be re- 
scouciled to this alteration in their food; for we are nota 
NMOL, ix, PP t 
