ON THE PRICE OF HAY AND STRAW. 307 



They are numerous : 24 for the first of his twelve years, 28 for 

 the second, 30 for the third, 35 for the fourth, 32 for the 

 fifth, 29 for the sixth, 34 for the seventh, 38 for the eighth, 

 40 for the ninth, 35 for the tenth, 37 for the eleventh, and 34 for 

 the twelfth. In these entries London is always represented, 

 the Thames valley and the Home district more copiously than 

 other districts. Now here we should expect to find the highest 

 prices. This is illustrated by the London prices, which are 

 not indeed always the highest, but which are on an average far 

 in excess of any of my centres. Besides, it will be remembered 

 that Houghton's are the highest market prices, or as he says, 

 topping. Now the average of the last ten years is 335-. 5^., as 

 compared with that derived from my authorities, 28.?. 3i*/., 

 the general average in every year being in excess of that 

 derived from the localities which have furnished me with 

 original information. In 1699 began a series of hot and dry 

 summers, favourable to the corn crops but injurious to the hay. 

 Still in no district would hot and dry weather affect the hay 

 harvest less than in the alluvial and low-lying districts of 

 Cambridge, Oxford, and Eton. And indeed the averages 

 would have been lower had it nt been for the fact that in four 

 years I have London entries among my own evidence. This 

 is further illustrated by the fact that in his collections 

 Houghton gives the Cambridge return for hay for eleven 

 consecutive years, the average of these years being 23^. $\d.> 

 or little more than half the amount of the London average. 

 I am disposed therefore to conclude that during the whole 

 period, had prices like Houghton's been forthcoming, the 

 general price of hay in England would have been twelve to 

 fourteen per cent, higher than is contained in the averages 

 which I have been able to draw. 



Four stacks of hay at j los. each are sold at Black wall 

 in 1678. They must have been small, and should have con- 

 tained, to judge from the average of the year, from seven 

 to eight loads. 



On three occasions, in 1610, 1621, and 1648, three of the 



X 2 



