Oats with me were not in a quantity more considerable than in commonly
good seasons; but I have never known them heavier than they were in
other places. The oat was not only an heavy, but an uncommonly abundant
crop.

My ground under pease did not exceed an acre or thereabouts, but the
crop was great indeed. I believe it is throughout the country exuberant.
It is, however, to be remarked, as generally of all the grains, so
particularly of the pease, that there was not the smallest quantity in
reserve.

The demand of the year must depend solely on its own produce; and the
price of the spring corn is not to be expected to fall very soon, or at
any time very low.

Uxbridge is a great corn market. As I came through that town, I found
that at the last market-day barley was at forty shillings a quarter.
Oats there were literally none; and the inn-keeper was obliged to send
for them to London. I forgot to ask about pease. Potatoes were 5_s_. the
bushel.

In the debate on this subject in the House, I am told that a leading
member of great ability, _little conversant in these matters_, observed,
that the general uniform dearness of butcher's meat, butter, and cheese
could not be owing to a defective produce of wheat; and on this ground
insinuated a suspicion of some unfair practice on the subject, that
called for inquiry.

Unquestionably, the mere deficiency of wheat could not cause the
dearness of the other articles, which extends not only to the provisions
he mentioned, but to every other without exception.

The cause is, indeed, so very plain and obvious that the wonder is the
other way. When a properly directed inquiry is made, the gentlemen who
are amazed at the price of these commodities will find, that, when hay
is at six pound a load, as they must know it is, herbage, and for more
than one year, must be scanty; and they will conclude, that, if grass be
scarce, beef, veal, mutton, butter, milk, and cheese _must_ be dear.

But to take up the matter somewhat more in detail.--If the wheat harvest
in 1794, excellent in quality, was defective in quantity, the barley
harvest was in quality ordinary enough, and in quantity deficient. This
was soon felt in the price of malt.

Another article of produce (beans) was not at all plentiful. The crop of
pease was wholly destroyed, so that several farmers pretty early gave up
all hopes on that head, and cut the green haulm as fodder for the
cattle, then perishing for want of f