84 New Oat called the Sparrow Bill. 



three beasts, and four thousand eight hnndredi 

 and fifty-three horses, were landed here ; their 

 estimated value exceeded three hundred and 

 fifty thousand pounds. The numerous and 

 heavy tolls between Port Patrick and Carlisle 

 induce the drovers to take many of their cattle 

 in the coal ships to White Haven, or Working- 

 ton, which has reduced the trade of the place. 

 The distance across to Donaghadee is scarcely 

 twenty-four miles ; the usual time of the passage 

 about four or five hours* The facility with 

 which the passage is made, in some degree 

 accounts for the inns being so indifferent. 

 Whatever might be wanting, in point of com- 

 fort, at the Downshire Arms, nothing could 

 exceed the civility and attention of the land- 

 lord, Mr. Gordon, who is besides a farmer 

 on a small scale. He showed me a field of oats, 

 sown the latter end of April, and now nearly 

 ready for cutting ; the oats are of a new sort, 

 called the " sparrow bill," and are supposed to 

 have been brought from America. Mr. Gordon 

 grew some of them last year which weighed 

 forty-six pounds the Winchester bushel; and 

 as they ripen early, even when sown late, I 

 conceive they may be a valuable acquisition to 

 the agriculture of Scotland, and the northern 

 parts of England. A field of his barley had 

 been cut, and was safe in the stack. The po- 



