AND METEOROLOGY OF THE YEAR RELATIVE THERETO. 345 



eaten with fly, and had to be resown, in some cases a third sowing was 

 necessary. No damage done by insects except in the case of the turnips ; 

 no damage from weeds. Pastures not equal to last year. Stock did not 

 thrive well, but were free from disease. Clip of wool about an average. 



Aberdeenshire (Buchan District.) — Little or no wheat grown, the 

 principal grain crops being barley, here, and oats, three-fourths of the land 

 under crop being the last-mentioned cereal. Barley this year would be 

 about equal to last as regards quantity, but not the same weight, and bring- 

 ing from 4s. to 6s. less per quarter. Straw very fair quaUty. Oats the 

 staple crop. On early and rocky or open bottomed soils there is not more 

 than 3 to 4 bushels under last year, whereas on other soils the difference 

 woukl be from 5 to 6 bushels, and 1 to 2 lbs. less weight. Rather more 

 straw than last year, of good quality. Harvest commenced about tlie middle 

 of September, and was some fifteen days later than last year. Hay crop 

 about the same as to bulk as last year. Although somewhat thin in early 

 part of the season, both the rye grass and clover closed up very much. Very 

 little meadow hay grown. Potatoes not so large a crop as last year, but are 

 keeping much better, being free from disease, of which there was scarcely 

 any. The yellow fleshed turnips are a little more than half the crop of last 

 year, whereas the swedes on most farms would not be over a fourth part ; 

 all these sown before Whitsunday as a rule brairded well in from three to 

 five days, and went off again and had to be resowntwo, three, and in some 

 cases four times. The damage caused by insects during the first part of the 

 season was very great. Owing to so much resowing having been resorted 

 to there were not many weeds during the summer, although in some cases 

 the turnip breaks appear now somewhat tinged ^\•ith weeds. Pastures were 

 nearly of average growth, but not of so good quality as last year. Stock 

 throve remarkably well during the latter end of May and beginning of June 

 owing to the very warm weather, but did not afterwards make the progress 

 they should have done ; they were entirely free from disease. Clip of 

 wool under average. 



Aberdeenshire (Formartine.) — Wheat not grown to any extent. Barley 

 and here, or bigg, much cultivated ; was a good crop as regards both grain 

 and straw. This yeai-'s crop would be about equal to last year's in straw and 

 grain, 36 bushels, but tlie grain not so heavy ; last year, 54 to 56 lbs., this 

 year 52 to 53 lbs. per bushel. Grain not nearly so plum}) and well filled, 

 and not well coloured ; quantity sown 4 Ijushels barley and 3 bushels here 

 or bigg. Oats after lea or grass land had received a check in its early stage 

 of growth, and was not such a full or bulky crop as oats after cleaned land 

 or green crop, which is generally sown later. The straw of this year's crop 

 not 80 abundant as last year, and the grain not so heavy ; last year, 38 to 

 40 bushels, grain weighing 42 to 45 lbs. ])er bushel ; this year, 32 to 38 

 bushels, grain weighing 41 to 42 11)S. i)er busliel. Along the coast side 

 during harvest tlie weather was drier and the crop secured in much better 

 condition than in the interior of this district, wliere the harvest was wet 

 and very protracted, and a good deal of heating took place in the stack ; 

 quality of grain and straw in the uplands not S(^ good as last year ; quantity 

 sown G bushels ])er acre. Harvest commenced latit year about 20lh August, 

 this year about Uth September. Hay crop not so heavy as last year, about 

 1^ tons per acre. No meadow hay. Potato crop good and generally free 

 from disease, the quality very superior, about 6 to 8 tons. The turnip crop 

 this year has been one of great anxiety to farmers. Along the coast side the 

 crop l»raird»'d and remained, coming to tlie hoe in regular succession as 

 sown, no second sowing being required, while in the ui»j)er district the seed 

 brairded and disap})eared in many ca.ses tliree times ; the Swedish variety 

 being altogether lost, as it was deemed too late to bow that kind after so 



