AND METEOROLOGY OF THE YEAR RELATIVE THERETO. 347 



and the quality fair ; the average yield is not much over 20 cwts. No 

 meadow hay. Potato crop was very good as regards both quantity and 

 quality, Ijut very little breadth is groT\Ti in the district ; the quantity per 

 acre was from 7 to 9 tons ; there was no disease to speak of in the district. 

 The turnip crop is much under an average. The unprecedented heat during 

 the later half of May, with sharp frosts at night, blighted the earlier sown 

 swedes ; and after resowing the fly attacked the plant, so that there are 

 almost no swedes in the district ; second sowing was almost universal, 

 and, in the majority of cases, a third sowing was required. Yellow turnips 

 are a fair crop in some localities, but the average weight per acre will not 

 be much over 18 cwts. Unless the fly which attacked the turnip crop, there 

 was no unusual destniction to the crop by insects. No unusual injury to 

 crops by weeds. Pastures were generally very bare all through the season ; 

 the cattle having to be turned out earlier than usual, owing to the scarcity 

 of winter keep ; j^astures never got to be a full bite. Cattle did not make 

 much progress on the grass, partly owing to having been fed a good deal 

 during the spring on artificial food, and partly owing to the scarcity of grass. 

 Cattle and sheep have been free from disease. The quality of clip of wool 

 was fair, but the quantity was under the average. 



BxiNFFSHiRE (Lower District). — No wheat grown. Barley average yield 

 — 32 bushels ; qualitv generally inferior, owing to wet weather in harvest. 

 Oats, 33 bushels ; quality for the most part good, but grain 1^ lb. lighter 

 per bushel. Harvest a fortnight later. Hay crop light — 18 cwts. — owing 

 to the exceptionally hot weather in May ; clover very deficient. No 

 meadow hay. Potato crop 3-Hons ; cpiality excellent, but crop considerably 

 lighter than last year ; in this district potatoes are not grown as a crop, 

 but for home use. " Turnip crop — 12 cwts. — much inferior to last year, both 

 in quantity and quality. Turnips did not braird at all well, and the young 

 plants having been destroyed by frost, the land for turnips had almost 

 wholly to be sown three times. Damage by frost very great ; little destruc- 

 tion by insects. No injury by weeds. Grass was generally scarce in the 

 early part of the season ; and cattle did not thrive so well on the grass as 

 they did last year. Cattle and sheep were quite free from disease. Few 

 sheep kept in this district. 



Banffshire (Upper District). — No wheat gro^'^^l. Barley grain dark 

 coloured, and under an average, both in quantity and quality, the ripening 

 being in many — I may say most — cases deficient ; weight of grain 3 lbs. 

 under an average ; straw a fair bulk, but soft. Oats under an average both 

 in grain and straw ; on some early farms the deficiency less felt, but in 

 the late districts, and on north-lying farms over 700 feet above sea-level, the 

 crop never thoroughly ripened ; the crop was well harvested, and although 

 one-fifth under an average bulk, the straw is good quality and fresh ; grain 

 2 lbs. ])erbushel underan avenige weight. The harvest was alxjut three weeks 

 later than an avenge season. Hay generally ]H)or, not exceeding an average 

 of IG cwts. ; clover generally deficient, and rye-grass thinly planted ; crop 

 generally saved in fair condition. No meadow hay grown. Potatoes a full 

 cro]), and fine ([uality, the tubers being invariably well sized and numerous ; 

 no (lisiiase ; this crop is not extensively grown for the market in Bantfsliire. 

 Turnips unik-r tlin-e-lburths of a full crop, or about 15 cwts. ; tliere was no 

 fly, but owing to the frosts in the end of May, swedes were in most cases a 

 failure, the land U'ing resown with yellows ; where this was delayed too 

 long, the turnii)S are small, but the cro]) is generally ht-althy and the quality 

 good. No insects of any kind all'etited the crops during the ye*ir. Weeds 

 were not specially numerous or injurious to any of the crops. Pastures were 

 under an average growth, caused ])artly by the coldness of the season, and 

 also by stock being too soon put on them. Owing to the cold wet season. 



