4OO ON THE PRICES OF FARM PRODUCE. 



will be commented on. Generally, however, these articles are 

 either implements or materials. 



Lastly, I have included eggs, which should perhaps have been 

 reckoned among stock, with other farm produce. Evidence as 

 to the value of eggs is abundant, and generally continuous. 

 Poultry were most likely kept by all classes, and, as it seems, 

 the eggs were collected and purchased in large quantities, in 

 the same way perhaps, all differences considered, as they are 

 to this day in France. 



HIDES. The evidence collected for the purpose of arriving 

 at an average value of the several kinds of hides is occasionally 

 large during the first part of the period, but in the later years 

 of the enquiry is scanty and interrupted. The decennial 

 averages are gathered from the sale of 396 ox-hides and 238 

 cow-hides, all of which, with the exception of two, are quoted 

 in the table of prices contained in the second volume. In 

 striking these averages I have, as usual, omitted such entries 

 as, being given at very low prices, seem to suggest that the 

 quality of the article was very inferior; and I have dis- 

 tinguished this kind of produce under five heads, four of which 

 ara raw, (unless indeed the later entries of horse-hides repre- 

 sent, after all, dressed skins,) the other tawed horse-hide, 

 called generally aWum correum^ and used extensively among 

 our forefathers for cart harness. The annual table gives the 

 highest price only, as it appeared more suggestive to exhibit 

 under each year the best article which was produced. 



The general inference as to the price of hides is the same as 

 that gathered from the price of wool, namely, that it fell very 

 considerably after the Plague. After wool, hides formed the 

 most important article in the export trade of this country 

 during the period before us, and there can be no doubt that 

 the epidemic disease seriously and permanently reduced the 

 value of this article. As a rule, too, the price of the hide 

 follows closely on that of the clove of wool, there being very 

 little difference between the general average value of the one 

 and the other, though there is not the same uniformity in 



