ON THE PRICE OF GRAIN. 253 



1701-2. Houghton's year contains fifty entries. Wheat suffers a 

 further fall of 5^., the general average being 2$s. The greatest fall, as 

 may be anticipated, is in the South-west and Northern districts, the 

 least in the others. Still the South-west and North are above the 

 general average, as is also the Home district, the lowest prices being 

 in the Midland region. Among the fifty localities which furnish 

 evidence, the highest price is at Plymouth, which gives an average of 

 39 s. 6d. ; the next, Liverpool, with 30*. The next price is 29*. 4</., the 

 average at Brentford, Monmouth, Newcastle, and Warrington. The 

 London average is 26s. ^d. The lowest price is at Melton Mow- 

 bray, iSs. Sd., the only place where the price falls below 2os. The 

 rates are generally uniform, for the prospect of the coming harvest 

 was good in the summer, and the price at the end of the agricultural 

 year being rather depressed than raised. 



Barley is a little depressed in price, malt not at all. The principal 

 fall of the former is in the East, South, South-west and North, there 

 being hardly a change in the other two districts. The highest price 

 for both barley and malt is Brecon, where the prices are 24^. 4f </. and 

 3oj. The next highest price of barley is at Abingdon and Andover, in 

 each of which it stands at 2is. g\d., the price of malt being the same 

 at both. The second highest price of malt is at Falmouth, 26s. 4$d. 

 It is 24*. g$d. at Guildford, 24^. at Hereford. In London, barley is 

 at 17^. 2f</., and malt at 22j. io^d. There are only five places in 

 which barley is cheaper than in London. 



Oats are cheaper than in the year 1 700 in all the districts except 

 the Home, where they are a few pence dearer. The highest price is 

 at Guildford, where they are 17*. ; the next at Pembroke, where they are 

 usually cheapest, 1 6s. Sd. ; and next at Reigate, 1 6 s. 6d. In London 

 the average is 12s. The lowest price is at Exeter, 7*. 2\d. ; the 

 next at Ripon, Ss. 2\d.; next at Rugby, Ss. Sd.; and next at 

 Melton Mowbray, 9*. +d. These are the only prices below IQS. 

 The most considerable fall is in the South-west district. Rye falls 

 proportionately to wheat, the general average being 19*. 6$d. The 

 highest price is at Richmond, 32^-., where something exceptional is at 

 \vork, for wheat in the same market is only 24*., for the same price is 

 given every quarter of the year. No less than five localities have the 

 same price, 2 4 j., Brecon, Monmouth, Newcastle-on-Tyne, Warrington, 

 and Wycombe. The price in London is very low, i6s. i\d. t one of 

 the lowest recorded, though rye is 131. +d. at Hereford and i$s. $d. 

 at Exeter. 



Beans, grey peas, and white peas have all fallen in price, beans 2s. 6<t., 



