Fish.—
Abundant, and considered by strangers remarkably cheap. That generally seen in the market in the greatest abundance are: turbot, brill, whiff, megrim, sole, lemonsole, plaice, dab, marysole, dorey, mullet, surmulet, mackerel, red gurnard, basse, wrasse, bream, gilt-head, herring, pilchard, horse-mackerel, gar-fish, common cod, pollock, ling, atherine, conger, ray, sand-eel, with numerous others. Lobsters, crabs, shrimps and cray-fish are equally abundant, and may be obtained at the following reasonable prices: Lobsters[A] 9d. crabs, (exceedingly large) 2d. to 8d., shrimps 3d. per pint, turbot 6d. per lb., soles 1s. per pair, dorey 1s. bream 2d., whiting (exceedingly large) 6d. The ormer, a very delicate fish, scarcely known in England, represents a veal cutlet, and is rather common with us.
[A] Lobsters would be much cheaper were they not taken in considerable quantities to Jersey, France, Portsmouth, Weymouth and Southampton; hence it has been remarked that early in the morning the market is glutted with lobsters, whereas immediately on the arrival of the steamers they are all gone.
Fish Market, the—
Is a beautiful structure and has been erected of late years. The interior is light and airy, and the slabs, which are handsomely cut and groved are of black and variegated marble, being well supplied with abundance of fresh water from pipes, which by means of cocks is brought over the slabs at a moment's notice, thereby washing them immediately. The Arcade is a spacious area, upwards of a hundred and ninety feet in length, and proportionably broad, having two lines of sittings extending the length of the building. The exterior towards the vegetable market, or facing the Assembly Rooms, is handsomely occupied in shops, the Mechanics' Library, and other offices. By an ordinance of the Royal Court every person selling fish is obliged to do it in this arcade, for the use of which they pay one penny a day. The whole arrangements, as well as variety, abundance, and excellency of fish, at once impress the stranger with high notions of the public spiritedness of the people, who have taken so much pains to provide a fit receptacle for one single article of human sustenance.
Farms—
Are hardly ever beyond fifty or sixty vergées, and in their arrangements are contrary to every thing English. The yard is simply a few out-houses, consisting of a stable, hay-loft, cart-house, and cyder-factory, which latter apparatus is a set of large groved stones set in a circle, around which passes a stone wheel guided by a wooden machine, and drawn by a horse or ox. The apples being thus mashed in the trough or grove are turned out, pressed, and racked off secundum artem. The corn is thrashed in an out-house on the ground floor, and afterwards winnowed in the air with a sheet and sieve.
Farm.