sect. IV. THE COUNTY OF FIF^. 1 65 



from the barn-yard, it might be adviseable to 

 rick oats and other kinds of corn in the field. 

 By this method the farmer could watch the op- 

 portunity of a favourable day, and put them 

 speedily out of danger, which he could not so 

 easily accomplish, if he should carry them in 

 the first instance to the barn yard. After it is 

 thus secured, he can cart it home when he finds 

 it convenient. 



7/, Thrashing. Oats and every other kind 

 of grain are thrashed, partly by the Hail, and 

 partly by the lately invented thrashing mills. 



8//>, produce. On rich land in .high order, 

 the produce will be twelve bolls per acre and 

 upwards. It is often ten, and from that down 

 to four bolls, according to the quality and con- 

 dition of the land. The medium cannot be 

 estimated above six bolls per acre, which will 

 bring the whole quantity raised in the county 

 to 180,000 bolls. The oats will weigh from 

 12 to 14 stone Dutch weight per boll. Some- 

 times they will exceed that ; but I suspect they 

 oftener fall below it, especially on the high cold 

 grounds. A boll of good dry oats will yield a 

 boll of meal, and pay the multures, which gene- 

 rally amount to a thirteenth part of the whole. 

 But in most cases the proportion of meal to oats 

 is 13 or 13^ pecks of the former to 16 pecks of 

 the latter, besides paying the multures. 



9/>6, Consumption. Of the above estimated 

 produce, 36,000 bolls may be allowed for seed ; 

 40,000 bolls for feeding horses and other ani- 

 mals ; and the remaining 104,000 bolls is ma- 

 nufactured into meal, producing about 90,000 

 bolls. Oat-meal still constitutes a principle ar- 



