AND METEOROLOGY OF THE YEAR RELATIVE THERETO. 335 



troublesome ; scrub greater than usuaL Owing to the "wet season there 

 was plenty of grass, but in consequence of the prevailing low temperature 

 of the most important months of the year for vegetation, quality inferior, 

 and stock generally did not fatten well. Cattle and sheep very free from 

 disease of all kinds. Cows slipping calves in some dairies are reported. 

 Clip of wool average quantity ; quality under average. 



Wigtownshire. — Wheat about 18 bushels, of poor quality ; average 

 about 52 lbs.; both quality and quantity inferior to last year ; straw pretty 

 good ; 3 bushels of seed. Barley, quantity about 32 bushels, the same as last 

 year, but the weight hardly 50 lbs. per bushel ; seed 3| bushels. Oats about 



35 bushels, 3 more than last year, but weight only 40 lbs, 2 lbs. less ; 

 seed 4| bushels. Harvest was three to four weeks later. Hay crop not 

 quite so good as last year, which was stated at 1 ton. Meadow hay less 

 productive. Potato crop about 8 tons, the same as last year ; disease 

 hardly one-tenth, commenced in September. Turnip crop 12 to 15 tons, 

 25 per cent, less than last year ; quality good ; brairded very ill, some not 

 at all. Early sowing had to be resown, owing to drought and fly. Only 

 turnips injured by insects. Xo injury from weeds. Pastures hardly equal 

 to last year ; suffered from want of sunshine and heat. Stock throve fairly. 

 Cattle and sheep were free from disease. Clip of wool only moderate, rather 

 under average. 



Ayrshire.— Wheat, 38 to 40 bushels in 1880 ; 24 to 26 bushels in 1881 ; 

 quality very inferior in 1881 ; seed about 3 bushels ; straw of all the crops 

 generally inferior on account of unfavourable harvest weather. Barley, 40 

 to 48 bushels in 1880 ; 26 to 30 bushels in 1881 ; weight and quality inferior 

 in 1881. Oats about 50 bushels in 1880 ; 42 to 44 bushels in 1881 ; crop 

 very bulky on uplands of Kyle and Cunningham. Harvest three weeks later 

 than average. Hay 30 to 35 cwts. ; unfavourable weather caused general 

 inferiority of quality. Meadow hay rather under average both in quan- 

 tity and quality. The early crop of potatoes yielded 4 to 6 tons ; when not 

 raiijed till August one-fourth to one-third, and latterly more than one-half, 

 became diseased ; crop on light coast land was better in 1881 than in 

 1880, but worse on heavier inland soils. Late crop 6 to 7 tons on good 

 land ; champions not much diseased ; finer sorts nearly one-half. Turnip 

 crop about 12 tons, or one-half the weight of crop in 1880 ; very much re- 

 sowing ; improved greatly in autumn and winter. Mangold was damaged 

 by caterpillars ; the damage to mangold in that way seems to be on the 

 increase. There was the additional trouT)le from weeds which is usual in 

 moist seasons. Pastures ftiir growth and quality. Stock did moderately 

 well. The make of cheese was inferior in some districts, but on whole 

 was not much under average. Nothing unusual of disease among stock. 

 Clip of wool under average both in quantity and quality. 



Bute. — Wheat, 3^ quarters ; of an inferior quality to last year ; 24 bushels, 

 58 lbs. in weight ; straw well got and of e(|ual value to wheat ; very 

 little wheat sown in Bute now ; about 4 bushels sown to the acre. Barley, 



36 bushels average to acre, of inferior quality to last year, only 51 lbs. per 

 bushel instead of 55 lbs. ; a large acreage sown of barley in Bute ; about 

 4 bushels sown to acre. Oats, 38 bushels average, of fiiir quality, but 

 not so good as last year in either oats or straw ; weight about 40 lbs. ; 

 about 6 bushels sown. Harvest about two weeks later than usual. Hay a 

 small crop, about 1| tons ; pretty well got, but neither rye-grass or clover 

 so good or bulky us last year. Meadow hay greatly less productive. 

 Potatoes small crop, in many early soils 3 to 4 tons, and poor compared 

 with last year ; a good deal of disease in all finer varieties. Champions 

 keep well, and a fair crop above 7 tons. Turnip crop about 10 tons an acre, 

 a small crop compared with last year. The crop brairdeil ])reLty well on 



