ON THE AGRICULTURE OF THE COUNTY OF FIFE. 39 



10,470 acres. A few years ago a considerable quantity of wheat 

 was sown in spring, but now it is almost wholly put into the 

 ground as soon as practicable after the harvest. In autumn and 

 early winter from 2 to 4 bushels of seed are given to the Scots 

 acre, and in spring sometimes as much as five bushels. The 

 yield along the coast ranges from 4 to 6 J quarters per imperial 

 acre, and inland from oh to 5^ quarters. The weight varies from 

 60 lbs. to 63 lbs. per bushel, while the quality is invariably good. 

 Wheat is the third crop in the rotation, and is grown either after 

 potatoes or beans, principally the former. The soil and climate 

 of Fife suit wheat admirably, and as fine samples of white wheat 

 are grown in the county as could be produced anywhere else in 

 the kingdom. The roots of wheat are of a piercing character, 

 and the plant requires the very best of nourishment, and coming, 

 as it invariably does, after potatoes — another greedy crop — the 

 land is generally in a low manurial state by the time it is cleared 

 for the fourth or turnip crop. The favourite variety is white 

 wheat, the red variety being now grown a little less extensively 

 than some years ago. 



Barley. — Taking the average of a number of years, barley is per- 

 haps of all varieties of grain the most remunerative to the farmer. 

 It is not by any means an expensive crop, and usually produces a 

 large return, while in the market it invariably finds a ready sale. 

 No wonder then that its cultivation has of late been gradually 

 on the increase. The acreage under barley in Fifeshire was in — 



The counties of Fife and Forfar stand on a level with respect 

 to the annual breadth under barley. There is generally less 

 than 100 acres of difference between the two, Fife being highest 

 the one year, and perhaps Forfar the next. These two stand a 

 long way a-head of all the other Scotch counties, Berwick and 

 Perth, the two next highest being upwards of 6000 acres behind. 

 Large, however, as has been the increase in the cultivation of 

 barley in Fifeshire, it is scarcely equal to one-half the decrease 

 in the acreage of wheat. Barley, the fifth crop in the rotation, 

 is grown on the field after turnips, and of course has the Ijenefit 

 of the manure unexhausted by the roots. A fine friable medium 

 loam, such as exists in many parts of Fifeshire, is best adapted 

 for the growth of barley; and, though to produce a good crop land 

 must be in a high manurial state, it is not nearly so trying on 

 the soil as wheat. Its roots are very unlike those of wheat. 

 Instead of piercing they spread laterally, and absorb nourishment 

 from the surface. A good many farmers eat off part of their 



