348 THE CEREAL AND OTHER CROPS OF SCOTLAND FOR 1881, 



stock did not thrive well even where pastures were a full bite. Cattle never 

 rest well when the ground is cold and damp. There was no disease during 

 the past season. Wool was deficient in quantity, quality, and price. 



Morayshire. — The wheat crop was considerably under that of last year 

 in every respect ; the quantity per acre ranged from 1 to 5 quarters ; the 

 quantity of straw would be one-fourth under last year ; grain dark in 

 colour, and 2 lbs. per bushel under last year ; straw weak and not well 

 ripened ; the causes were the extreme severity of the winter, destroying a 

 large portion of the plants, and the low temperature, and dark sunless 

 character of the summer throughout ; the quantity of seed used per acre 

 generally is— with the drill 3 bushels, and broadcast 4 bushels. Barley was 

 the best crop of the season ; the average quantity of grain would be 32 

 bushels ; quality not so good as last year ; colour of grain very dark, un- 

 fitting it for brewers, which greatly affected its value ; the weight of grain 

 from 54 to 56 lbs. per bushel ; the quantity of straw fully an average, and 

 rather above last year ; and the quality of both grain and straw greatly 

 injured by the extremely wet weather prevailing during the month of 

 August and beginning of September, and the dark sunless character of the 

 season ; seed used, 3 to 4| bushels. Oats were under an average as to bulk 

 of straw, but rather over last year's bulk ; there was an unusual large 

 quantity of black or blasted heads in general, but in cases where a change 

 of seed was used from a later district, there were almost none ; the yield 

 of grain would be from 3 to 6 qrs. ; grain 1 lb. per bushel less than last 

 year ; the quality of the straw good. Harvest was general in the last week 

 of August, and two weeks later than last year, which was earlier than usual ; 

 at the commencement the weather was extremely wet, which made the 

 harvest long, and caused a good deal of the crop to be secured in bad condi- 

 tion. With few exceptions the hay crop was rather light, but heavier than 

 last year ; was well mixed with clover, but on account of the low tempera- 

 ture of the summer did not fill up well ; the quality was good ; average, 

 30 cvvts. Little or no meadow hay in the county. The potato crop was 

 quite free from disease ; the yield would be about 5 tons, and 1 ton less 

 than last year. Tlie turnip crop would, with few exceiDtions, be about one- 

 third below the weight of last year, which was considerably above the 

 average ; the brairding of the crop was perhaps the worst in the history of 

 the plant ; a large portion of the crop was sown a second, and part a third, 

 time ; most of the swedes Avere resown with yellows, and on account of 

 the extremely mild autumn weather, the crop has turned out beyond expecta- 

 tion. With the excejDt^on of the turnip crops, none of the other crops were 

 injured by insects ; with few exceptions, the whole of the turnip braird 

 was more or less injured by insects ; many farmers were of opinion that the 

 extreme heat of the last week of jSIay and the first week of June, which gave 

 all kinds of crop a start, which brought up the turnip braird very quickly, 

 while strong frost prevailed at night, was to a large extent the cause of the 

 failure of the turnip braird ; the great heat might also have been the cause 

 of producing an unusual number of the turnip-fly. The crop did not suffer 

 injury from weeds to a greater extent than usual, with the exception of the 

 wheat crop, where it was much thinned by the severe winter ; in such 

 cases it was much injured by winds. Cultivation will only be perfect where 

 nothing grows in the land but what is sown in it. The pastures were at 

 least one-third below the average growth, the result undoubtedly of the low- 

 ness of the temperature ; the growth was less, and the quality much inferior, 

 to last year. Stock of all kinds made exceedingly small progress in the 

 pastures, the result, no doubt, of low temperature, more especially during the 

 night. Cattle and sheep were almost free from disease, with the exception 

 of one case, where a large number of very good calves died from quarter ill ; 

 in this case no cake was given to the calves ; many are of opinion that a 



