322 TRANSACTIONS OF THE 



provisions at moderate rates. Have we so degenerated in common 

 sense that we compel people to buy all they eat at second or third 

 hands instead of first hands ? 



PRICE OF PROVISIONS ESTABLISHED BY LAW. 



The Market-laws and Ordinances also established the prices of 

 provisions, on many of the articles brought to the markets, and 

 were otherwise rigid and rigidly enforced on any person who dis- 

 obeyed them. Part of an "Ordinance" dated May 1744, reads : 

 That from and after the 1st day of April next, no beef, pork, 

 veal, mutton and lamb shall be sold in any of the public markets 

 in this City, by any butcher, country people or others, in any 

 other manner than by the pound, under the penalty of ten shil- 

 lings for every offense. Tlie price of each article was established 

 by law, on the 24t]i of May, 1763. The price "for beef from and 

 including the 1st day of March to and including the last day of 

 August, a price not exceeding four pence by the pound weight,'' 

 and from 1st of September to the last day of February, three 

 pence by the pound weight, &c. A cock-turkey, 4s. ; a hen-turkey, 

 2s. 6d.; a duck. Is.; a heath-hen. Is. 3d.; a quail, l^d.; a teal, 

 6d.; a wild goose, 2s.; a brandt, Is. 3d.; a snipe. Id.; butter, 

 per lb., 9d.; sea bass, 3 coppers per lb.; lobster, 6d. per lb.; 

 milk per quart, 4 coppers; clams, 9d. per 100." 



A butcher who disobeyed this ordinance and sold his meat too 

 high was turned out of market as an extortioner. Bad meat, one 

 hundred years ago, was seized and burnt. Tliat is the present 

 law in some places of England, and it is done at the expense of 

 the seller, besides fining him for offering unwholesome provi- 

 sions. If that law was enforced here, we should have a great 

 deal of burnt meat. There would be a roasting of two days old 

 calves. 



Mr. 0. Judd asked whether a farmer had any right to sell pro- 

 duce of any kind in the City streets. No; it is $25 penalty for a 

 farmer to drive his wagon through the streets and sell any kind 

 of farm produce. 



EARLY TURNIPS. 



Mr. Bucklin of the N. A. Phalanx, said that his success in 

 growing early turnips was owing to good manuring. He used 

 compost and also guano, at the rate of a table spoonful to a row 

 of three feet in length. He stated that the retail price of early 

 turnips in this market was equal to one hundred and twenty-five 

 dollars a barrel. 



