ON THE AGRICULTURE OF THE COUNTY OF FIFE. 19 



turist of great enthusiasm, untiring energy, and considerable 

 experience. Mr Bethune works the home farm himself, and 

 pursues a most advanced system of farming. The soil is partly 

 strong heavy clay, and partly deep able black loam. He culti- 

 vates at a great depth, chiefly by steam, and manures well, 

 raising magnificent crops of all kinds, especially barley. He 

 believes in Mr Lawes' system of continuous barley growing, 

 and intends giving it a trial. The climate here is exceedingly 

 mild and genial, and with such fertile soil and good seed 

 almost every grain of seed that is sown germinates and produces 

 a rich return. In 1873 he sowed one field with only one and 

 a-half bushels of barley, and had a very heavy crop yielding 

 seven quarters per acre, while last spring he sowed another with 

 two bushels, the crop of which happened to be in process of being 

 €ut when we visited Blebo. It was extremely heavy, all laid, 

 as thick on the ground as it could well stand, and had the 

 appearance of yielding from seven and a-half to eight quarters per 

 acre. Very fine crops of turnips and beans are also grown here, 

 while last year Mr Bethune had a small field of carrots which 

 yielded about six tons per acre, the price obtained for the ton 

 being L.6. Another small field was put under carrots last spring, 

 but they have not done quite so well, though they will yet afford 

 a fair return. The finely sheltered situation and the picturesque 

 wooded policies of Blebo fit it specially well for the rearing of 

 stock, and Mr Bethune has been well known for a number 

 of years as a breeder of shorthorns, while he breeds a few sheep 

 and also rears or buys and feeds a large lot of excellent cross 

 cattle. The herd of shorthorns merits more than a mere passing 

 notice ; but this will be done when speaking of stock generally. 

 The scenery around Blebo is magnificent, the view from the 

 handsome mansion-house being one of the finest to be had in the 

 county. The Mains of Blebo, which adjoins the home farm, is 

 leased and very carefully cultivated by Mr Eintoul. The farm- 

 steading is large, commodious, and very convenient, and has 

 admirably well- constructed close courts. At the farm of Todhall, 

 occupied by Mr Bell, and situated about four miles east from 

 Cupar, one of the finest farm-steadings, not only in Fife but even 

 in Scotland, is to be seen. It was erected some ten years 

 ago by the proprietor, Mr Cheape, and when it is mentioned 

 that the cost was about L. 8000, some idea wiU be had of its 

 character. At the farm of Eumgally, belonging to Mr Welch, 

 and also in this neighbourhood, there is another very superior 

 steading with roofed courts, though it is not quite such an 

 extensive one as that at Todhall. Leaving Cupar and retracing 

 our steps a short distance by train, we find ourselves next in 

 the parish at Kettle. The farms at Eamornie and Balmalcolm, 

 extending to 435 acres and rented at L.1084, form the principal 



