92 



Agriculture of Scotland. 



energy in many places^ generally most felt in those districts where 

 operations had been carried on to such perfection as to induce a 

 freer recourse to corn-crops than was consistent with the ultimate 

 preservation of the soil in good heart. In East Lothian, for ex- 

 ample^ at this time^ much distress prevailed, until the high rents 

 prevalent there were adjusted according to a principle having refer- 

 ence to the comparative value of grain at this time with that 

 which existed at the entry to the farms. In other cases, leases en- 

 tered upon during the prevalence of high rents were fast lapsing ; 

 and under a more equitable adjustment of rents a fresh spirit of 

 enterprise ensued, which, favoured by the very difficulties which 

 now presented themselves, excited to new exertions, and gave rise 

 to new modes of management, which proved successful in mitigat- 

 ing the threatened distress, and ultimately tended to the advan- 

 tage of both the occupier and the land. We allude to a more 

 extensive system of grazing, which now became prevalent in some 

 of those districts hitherto entirely, and perhaps, under any circum- 

 stances, too exclusively devoted to the production of corn-crops. 



The agriculturists of Scotland partook also in the depression 

 which characterised the state of the other industrial classes of the 

 kingdom in 1824-5 ; but since that period, though certainly not at 

 all times in a flourishing condition as respects their finances, they 

 have gone on in a steady progressive state of improvement, and 

 have added by their economy, ingenuity, and intelligence 

 greatly to the increased resources of the country. It is by this 

 greater productiveness that they have been enabled so well, in spite 

 of a much lower range of price compared with rents, to bear up 

 against a course of circumstances which otherwise must have over- 

 whelmed them ; and we need no other proof of the further im- 

 provement in Scotch agriculture, since the period of the war, than 

 a comparison of the rents during the war and subsequently, with 

 the now decreased value of agricultural produce. It is to be re- 

 gretted we have no means with perfect precision accurately to know 

 the comparative amount of these rents, but it seems very generally 

 to be allowed that the decline which took place in the first ten 

 3'ears of this period has been very materially made up by the rise 

 which has since occurred ; so that the rental of Scotland, it is con- 

 fidently assumed, may now be held equal to what it was in 1810.* 

 The rents being, then, the same in 1810 and 1837, we find the ave- 

 rage price of wheat and barley for ten years previous to these 

 years respectively to stand thus : — 



Wheat. Barley. ' 



From 1800 to 1810 8U, 2c/. per qr 41^. 5(i. per qr. 



1826 1837 bbs.Sd. 31.5.4c/. 



* M'Culloch's Statistical Account, vol. 1. p. 539. 



