l86 ON THE PRICE OF GRAIN. 



is quite up to the highest corn rents. The average from Oxford is 

 33 s - 5*d' The price of wheat-flour, 42$. *j\d., follows the rise of the 

 year, which is slight. I have found only one price of barley, which is 

 low. Malt is cheaper than it was the year before (15^-. o\d. at Cam- 

 bridge, iSs. 4</. at Eton, ifs. ^\d. at Oxford) in all these important 

 localities. Oats are also cheaper, in every locality except Cambridge. 

 Beans at Oxford, and peas at Cambridge, are very much cheaper. 

 The rise in wheat over the previous year, 4,$-. id. the quarter, while 

 other kinds of grain are cheaper, suggests that the autumn sowings 

 had not had as satisfactory results as the spring sowings had. 



1607-8. The price of wheat rises almost continuously from 

 Michaelmas to Lammas. The later prices of the King's College rents 

 are higher than anything recorded at S. John's. Taken together, the 

 Cambridge corn rents show an average of 34^. Sd. This year is the 

 first of those for which the accounts of the S. John's College bakehouse 

 have been preserved. From this year these accounts are regular. The 

 College bought 272 qrs. 6 bshs. 3 pks., at a cost of 401 2s. ^d., and 

 the average is 33^. o\d. Now these purchases represent ordinary 

 consumption prices, supplies being obtained as convenience and 

 cheapness dictated in distant markets as well as at home, and therefore 

 being valuable correctives to maximum prices. They are it will be 

 seen only a little lower than the maxima, and I conclude that the 

 quality of the crop was generally uniform, and fairly good. Of course 

 the rise at the end of the period is due to anticipations as to the 

 coming harvest. At Eton the price is 39^. 4</., at Oxford it is 

 39-f- 5i^-> the average being heightened by the Midsummer price at 

 New College and the second All Souls rent, and the cause being that 

 given above. The price of barley is found at Theydon Gernon alone, 

 and the rate in March seems to imply that good seed was dear. Malt, 

 which gradually rises as wheat does, is iSs. 6\d. at Cambridge, 

 igs. Sd. at Eton, 20*. $\d. at Oxford, iSs. iQ\d. at Theydon. It will 

 be seen that malt rises as wheat does, though not so considerably. 

 Oats are not very dear, but then stable purchases were made in the 

 winter. Beans and peas are cheap. Had it not been for the antici- 

 pations of the next harvest, this year would have been like that which 

 preceded it. 



1608-9. The harvest is a decided failure. At first prices are very 

 high, but they slowly decline through the year. The rate at the two 

 Colleges is 44*. zd. The wheat bought for the bakehouse is 253 qrs. 

 7 bshs. 2 pks., at a cost of 507 17,$-., the average being 40^. The 

 average at Eton is 62,?., at Oxford 55.?. o\d. } the second All Souls 



