107 



deraWc, and which would thus be cut off. It also appears, that the cul- 

 ture of barley is essential to the turnip husbandry, as there practised with 

 so much success. It is however generally admitted, that there are many 

 parts of England to which these objections do not apply ; and where the 

 cultivation of oats, supposing the price to rise, might be substituted for 

 that of barley without any loss to the farmer. 



With regard to the southern part of Scotland, and the districts in the 

 north into which the improved husbandry has been introduced, it appears 

 that spring wheat has been much and very advantageously cultivated there 

 of late years ; and that the quantity of barley grown has proportionably 

 diminished. It appears, moreover, that oats are not there deemed so ex- 

 hausting a crop as they are in the south. It is thought, however, that any 

 impediment to the growth of barley might be detrimental to the landholder* 

 by lowering the price of grain. 



In the Highlands, and those parts of the North Lowlands into which the 

 improved system has not been introduced, or which, from the nature of 

 their soil or climate, are under peculiar disadvantages, the case is different.; 

 very little two-rowed barley is grown there* but the four-rowed barley 

 called bere. * In some parts of those districts, no wheat is grown, and the 

 proportion of oats does not amount nearly to that of bere. It is stated, that 

 any measure of discouragement to the culture of bere would be detrimental, 

 *s it would be difficult to find a substitute for it ; a considerable portion of 

 -it is said to be consumed in distillation, though what the proportionate 

 amount of that is to the quantity grown could not be learned. It ought 

 here to be again remarked, that illicit distillation prevails considerably in 

 the Highlands, and North of Scotland, and that doubtless a great part of 

 the bere is consumed in that way. 



It appears to your Committee, that considerable quantities of wheat, 

 flour, and oats, have been annually imported into Great Britain for some 

 years past, while the export of those articles has been very trifling. The 

 annual import and export of barley is very small. This furnishes a suffi- 

 cient proof that we have ef late year's depended, in some degree, upon our 

 foreign connections for a supply of food for the inhabitants of this country; 

 and your Committee are not informed of any circumstances attendant OB 

 the late crop that can diminish the importance of that resource. 



Your Committee, taking into their most serious consideration the state 

 of our foreign relations, and the consequent probability that our usual sup- 

 ply of grain from foreign countries may fail us, are naturally led to suggest 

 measures of precaution, which may eventually ward off so great an evil. 



It appears, that about 470,000 quarters of grain are annually consumed 

 t>y the British distillers, and 672,075 barrels, or about 420,000 quarters in 

 Ireland ; and that the annual importation of corn into Great Britain from 

 foreign parts, exclusive of that from Ireland, has for five years past amount- 

 ed to about 770,000 quarters. Under the pressure of an actual scarcity, 

 there would be no hesitation in having recourse to a stoppage of the distil- 

 leries. Your Committee therefore submit, that the restriction of that trade 

 to the use of sugar for a limited time in Great Britain only, (if the measure 

 should be deemed inadmissible as to Ireland,) would be a wise precaution 

 under our present prospects. It would leave for the food of the people 

 470,000 quarters of grain, a quantity greater than the importation of oat? 

 in the last year. 



