HAY AND STRAW. 



IN the following pages the prices for hay or straw are given without 

 a break, except in the cases of 1739, 1743, 1782, 1787-90 inclusive, 

 1792, 1793. The two Universities supply the greater part of the 

 information until 1759, when the London newspapers begin to supply 

 the prices of hay and straw in the two markets in Westminster and 

 WhitechapeL From June 8, 1767*, quotations from the Haymarket at 

 Charing Cross cease to be given regularly in the newspapers, though the 

 market still continued to the present century. The Whitechapel hay- 

 market continues at the present day. 



The measure is usually the load or ton. In many cases, however, 

 the prices are given by the hundredweight, as in the case of hay the 

 number of hundredweights that go to the ton varies according as the 

 article is classed as new or old. In the case of London, where no 

 measure is given, the prices are calculated by the load. Hay is bought 

 by the stone on one occasion at Brandsby, and in 1710 by the stack 

 at Harting. 



Straw is usually bought by the load, but in Brandsby it is invariably 

 bought by the threaf, which is a measure of size, and not a weight. 



Where the entry has no distinguishing title it is that of hay ; straw is 

 marked by the prefix of the letter S. 



1703 



1707 



1 That is, of course, 1767, according to the ordinary method of calculation. In the 

 register of prices given below it appears under 1766. 



