86 Additional Information. 



lands under grass-seeds ; and consequently diminishing, to an alarming degree, the 

 corn produce of the kingdom. It may be said, by way of argument, the less barley 

 the more wheat ; not so. Barley is the only crop that can be sown after turnips, 

 which are fed off in the spring of the year; the diminution of barley is therefore, 

 in effect, a diminution of turnips, which precede it, and of clover and wheat, which 

 follow it. In fact, the present rage for laying lands down under grass, deranges the 

 turnip system; the best system that ever was introduced into this country, and the 

 parent of its present exalted and envied husbandry. 



If some 'speedy remedy be not applied to stop what is now going forward to dis- 

 courage the growth of barley, I fear I am too well warranted in thinking that we 

 shall soon experience a recurrence of the calamities which so severely afflicted these 

 kingdoms in 1799 and 1800; and which it cost government such immense sums in 

 endeavouring (though too late in their application) to relieve. 



I shall beg leave to mention one circumstance which gives the smuggler a de- 

 cided advantage over the fair malster, as to the quality of his malt. The excise- 

 officers will not allow the malster to sprinkle or moisten his malt in the flooring 

 state, by which a considerable portion of the barley does not become fairly and 

 sufficiently malted; and thereby the whole mass of malt is of weaker quality than 

 it would be if the malster was not so restricted. The smuggler, on the contrary, 

 feels no such constraint ; his malt is better, it makes better beer, and consequently 

 obtains a preference. I have no conception that the revenue could be injured if 

 the Excise Board would direct their officers to allow the malster to sprinkle his 

 floorings. In truth, it would eventually benefit the revenue, by enabling the fair 

 trader to make and vend (at least) as good malt as the smuggler, and would, in some 

 degree, lessen the motives for purchasing smuggled malt. 



Another circumstance (for which I fear no immediate remedy can be devised) 

 operates against the growers of barley in Britain, viz. the bounty of 16 per cent, 

 ad valorem allowed in Ireland upon all spirits drawn from stills of a certain size. This 

 bounty in favour of the Irish distiller enables him to undersell the Englishman in 

 the British market ; and it is pretended that no remedy can be applied to this par- 

 tial evil, without infringing die Act of Union. 



I hope and trust, however, that some effectual method will be devised by the 

 wise deliberations of the Honourable Committee, now sitting, to support the droop- 

 ing agriculture of the country; otherwise one or two scanty seasons and defective 



