28 Dr. Balfouk's Botanical Excursion. 



vated in many places. We could not detect any ergot in it. Bero 

 or Big (Hordeum hexastichon,) is also cultivated for the use of the 

 distilleries, which aro numerous in this part of the country. Potatoes 

 were excellent in the sandy and peaty soil. 



Much might be douo to improve the agriculture of the country by 

 proper drainage, the use of the new manures, and the introduction of 

 somo good grasses. Arrhenatherum avenaceum, or oat grass, is a 

 common weed in Cantyre, and might be advantageously sown on waste 

 lands, as a grass of which horses and cows are fond. Timothy grass 

 (Phleum pratense) thrives well, and might be sown with benefit as a 

 late grass, while Alopecurus pratensis might serve as an early one. 

 These two last-named grasses are not common in Cantyre. Holcus 

 lanatus or Yorkshire fog, is very common. It is a poor grass, and 

 might be replaced by others of a more nutritious quality. Festuca 

 elatior would do well in boggy places. Avena flavescens was not met 

 with, but it is well fitted for dry lands. Italian Rye grass might be 

 sown with advantage, as it thrives in a mild climate. We did not see 

 this grass during our walk. Catabrosa aquatica is a very nutritious sac- 

 charine grass, which does well in wet lands where draining cannot be 

 carried on easily. In Belgium, Dr. Parnell informed us, it is much 

 used for fodder, and the cows there are said to give excellent milk and 

 butter. Near Taynlone this grass occupies a great extent of the sea 

 shore, and the seeds might easily be collected in large quantity. The 

 poisonous Darnel-grass was met with among the crops in several 

 places, although it did not occur in such quantity as to give rise to 

 injurious effects so far as we could ascertain. It ought, however, to 

 be extirpated, as cases of poisoning have occurred from using it in the 

 preparation of bread. 



Besides the part of Cantyre to which I have alluded, on our return 

 from Islay, we also examined part of the shore of Loch Tarbet, near 

 its northern extremity, and the neck of land between West and East 

 Tarbet, which is not much more than a mile broad. Boats are some- 

 times carried across from one sea to the other, and there is a curious 

 fable mentioned by Pennant, that Donald Bane ceded the Western 

 Isles to Magnus on the condition of his receiving the aid of Norway 

 against the family of Malcolm. By the contract Magnus was to have 

 all the islands — the definition of an island being whatever could be 

 circumnavigated. The Norwegian, it is said, caused his boat to be 

 drawn across the isthmus between the two Lochs Tarbet, and thus 

 included Cantyre in the bargain. This story is considered a more 

 fable by Macculloch. 



The shores of Loch Tarbet are beautiful and picturesque, and the 

 sail up the Loch in a fine day is very interesting. The country around 

 has an undulated surface, with here and there some fine woods com- 

 ing down to the water's edge, and surrounding cultivated spots of 



