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The following was the current price of Articles of Food, in the year
1809:--Wheat 12s. per bushel; maize 5s. per bushel; barley 5s. per
bushel; oats 4s. 6d. per bushel; potatoes 10s. per cwt.; turnips 4d.
per bunch; carrots 6d. per bunch; cabbages 3d. each; lemons 6d. per
dozen; peaches 2d. per dozen; apples 2s. per dozen; pears 3s. per
dozen; strawberries 1s. per quart; quinces 2s. per dozen; water
melons 9d. each; musk and other melons 1s. each; apricots 1s. per
dozen; mulberries 1s. per quart; Cape gooseberries 8d. per quart;
native currants 8d. per quart; oranges, raspberries, grapes, plums,
almonds, pomegranates, limes, shaddocks, citrons, pine-apples,
nectarines, and guavas, are to be procured; but their prices are
variable, some of them being more scarce than others. Cucumbers 1d.
each, mushrooms 8d. per quart, French beans 4d. per quart, onions
20s. per cwt. peas 1s. per quart, beans 9d. per quart, asparagus 2s.
per hundred, artichokes 6d. each, spinach 1s. per dish, pumpkins 6d.
each, cauliflowers 6d. each, broccoli 6d. per dish, figs 3d. per
dozen. Beet-root, lettuces, radishes, salad of all kinds,
horse-radish, samphire, watercresses, celery, endive, and herbs of
every description, are extremely plentiful, and to be purchased at
reasonable rates.
Animal food is to be procured at the following prices:--Beef 1s. 3d.
per lb.; mutton 1s. 3d. per lb.; pork 1s. per lb.; lamb 1s. 3d. per
lb.; kangaroo 8d. per lb. (the flesh of this animal is somewhat
similar in taste to English beef, but rather inferior, owing to the
want of fat); goat mutton 1s. per lb.; turkeys 10s. each; geese 8s.
each; ducks 4s. each; Muscovy ducks 5s. each; fowls 2s. 6d. each;
wild ducks 2s. each; teal 1s. 3d. each; rabbits 4s. each; roasting
pigs 5s. each; pigeons 1s. 3d. each; kids 5s. each; eggs 1s. 6d. per
dozen; butter 6s. per lb.; milk 1s. per quart; cheese 2s. 6d. per
lb.; oysters 1s. per quart; and lobsters 1s. each.
Fish is exceedingly numerous of every description, and is very good
as well as moderate in charge. A turtle was caught recently in
Broken Bay, with a hook, weighing seven hundred weight, which was
retailed to the inhabitants at 4d. per lb.
The following is to be considered as a full weekly Ration, which is
issued from the stores whenever there is a sufficiency without a
prospect of want, to those who are in the employ of
government:--Seven pounds of salt beef, or four pounds of salt pork;
eight pounds of flour or meal, or an addition of a quarter of a
pound of wheat to each pound, if it cannot be ground; peas or other
pulse, three pounds; six ounces of sugar in lieu of butter. The same
quantity is to be given by their employer to those who are indented
to settlers, &c.; but as frequent alterations are necessarily made,
according to the pressure of circumstances, the deficiency is
generally made up with maize.
The Present Picture Of New South Wales, 1811 |
