256

ON THU RURAL EC0N03IY

particularly in Zetland, they use a preparation from whey,called bland*, which keeps many months, and is an excellentbeverage, where fish, and often salt fish, is the principal food.Potatoes too form a considerable part of their food ; andthey have a considerable quantity of the Aberdeen red cab-bage, or a sort much resembling it.

It has already been observed, that throughout the whole ofScotland , (some of the Highland districts excepted), reapersin harvest always have their victuals from the farmer duringthat season, which in general consist of porridge and milkfor breakfast and supper, with bread and beer for dinner.A Scotch pint of porridge is the ordinary allowance for aman’s breakfast; and a peck of oatmeal, is generally allowedto make nine of these pints. The bread for dinner is madeeither wholly of wheaten flour, or flour and oatmeal, andeach loaf weighs about a pound, after being taken out of theoven, and costs from 3d. to 4£d., according to the quality,and the price of grain at the time. The quality of the beeris rarely so good as it ought to be, from the demand beingfar greater during harvest, than what the country brewersare accustomed to have: they are often ill accommodatedwith the necessary utensils to supply the increased demandof that season. Influenced by these considerations, many ofthe large farmers now brew such a quantity of beer as is ne-cessary for supplying their reapers in harvest. Each indi-vidual receives a Scotch chopin, (nearly two English pints),of this beverage, as his allowance for dinner. The price tothe farmer varies from Is. 9d. to 2s. 3d .per gallon.

From the ready communication between all the differentparts of the country, the prices of most of the necessaries oflife are pretty uniform through the whole, at least those ofmeal, butcher-meat, butter and cheese, which articles can be,and actually are, sent from one part of the kingdom to an-

* Brand is made by fermenting whey. It has an agreeable acid taste, andmakes good punch, mixed with sugar and spirits.