46 



ox THE AGEICULTUKE OF THE COUNTY OF FIFE. 



sowing of tlie grain seed, and is lifted immediately on the con- 

 clusion of the harvesting operations. The lifting process is a 

 tedious and precarious one, and necessitates a considerable out- 

 lay, so many labourers being required. 



Other Ch^ecn Crops. — Between twenty and thirty acres of man- 

 gold is grown every year, while carrots occupy a similar breadth. 

 Both these varieties of roots grow well, and would pay more ex- 

 tensive cultivation. Mr Bethune of Blebo had a return of close 

 on L.40 per acre for a small field of caiTots in 1874. The crop 

 is somewhat risky. It sometimes gi'ows exceedingly well one 

 year and fails almost entirely the next. This, however, may be 

 partly owing to the limited acquaintance which most farmers 

 have of the best modes of cultivating it. About 100 acres are 

 generally put under cabbage, kohl-rabi, and rape, and upwards 

 of 1000 acres under vetches. Vetches grow luxuriantly, and 

 are very valuable as a commencement to cattle intended for 

 feeding. 



The county of Fife stands second in Scotland with respect to 

 the percentage of its acreage under green crops. T]ie total 

 number of acres under root crops and fallow was in — 



1856, 

 1869, 



46,129 

 48,051 



1875, . 



Increase, 



47,460 

 1,341 



Live Stock. 



Cattle. — As already stated, a most marvellously small number 

 of cattle are reared in the county of Fife, though a good many 

 are prepared for the butcher. The number of cattle in the county 

 was in — 



These figures show very little variance during the past twenty 

 years. The number returned this year (1875) is slightly less 

 than in 1856, but last year the figures given exceed those of any 

 previous year since the first issue of the Board of Trade Eeturns 

 from which our statistics are selected. Were the Board of Trade 

 Eeturns taken up in summer instead of in spring, the number of 

 cattle in Fife would be found to be less at least by two-thirds ; 

 and, on the other hand, if they were taken up in January or 

 February, the return would be considerably larger than it usually 

 is. A very large number of cattle are kept in the county during 

 winter, and of these a good many are disposed of in the months 

 of January, February, and March, and thus not included in the 

 returns. But in the summer months the stock of cattle is very 



