REPORT OF THE AGRICULTURE OF AYRSHIRE. 35 



fore and aft the green crop — no wheat being grown ; but latterly 

 he has begun to put his light land into the 5-shift, and sowing 

 down the clay fields after two white crops, to lie always 6 years 

 in grass, or more as may be expedient. The green crop break at 

 Torcross is composed nearly as follows : — Fully \ acre mangold, 

 fully 1 acre cabbage, about 4 acres drilled beans, 30 inches wide, 

 with 30 carts dung per acre, fully 6 acres potatoes, half " earlies " 

 and half " rocks," planted about end of March, and manured 

 with 40 carts dung (about 28 tons) and 4 cwt. peruvian guano, per 

 acre (scots) ; the rest is in turnips, manured with 30 carts 

 dung, and 6 cwt. bones and guano per acre (scots). " Tam Finlay " 

 oats only sown, and about the middle of March time preferred 

 for sowing. About 20 milch cows kept, the produce turned into 

 cheese, and 10 calves reared. 6 or 7 swine fattened annually — 

 fed on whey, turnips, potatoes, and ground corn. No sheep 

 stock kept. 



Mr. Keid — as well as his brother lately in Scoutts, now in 

 Largs farm, beyond Ayr — is well known as a rearer of good 

 Ayrshire cattle ; and, indeed, there are several around Tarbolton 

 rather famous in this respect, — such as Mr. Meikle, Brownhill ; 

 the Messrs. Meikle, Clockstone, and Mr. Hugh Wilson, Out- 

 mains, &c. To the east and south-east of Tarbolton, by Mauch- 

 line, Sorn, Stair, Ochiltree, &c, the Fairlie system greatly pre- 

 dominates. 



Shields — possessed by Mr. R M. Cuninghame, and the 

 property of A. H. Oswald of Auchincruive — extends to 275 

 imp. acres arable, and lies from 2 to 3 miles inland in the low 

 and fertile parish of St. Quivox in Kyle. This farm has been 

 long noted as being always forward in high agricultural practice, 

 under old Mr. Tennant of Girvan Mains from 60 to 70 years 

 ago, as well as under his son, the late John Tennant of Creoch, 

 and the present holder's late father, Mr. Win. Cuninghame. 

 The soil is all what is commonly termed light land ; a large por- 

 tion being a weakish grey sandy-loam, and the remainder good 

 red-coloured mould, with a gravelly sub-soil chiefly. The prin- 

 cipal defects of Shields are, that it is easily affected by summer 

 droughts and frosts, and ill to keep clear of " couch" and other 

 creeping roots. It is under the 5-year rotation. Barley occupies 

 about one-third of the break after green crop (say 18 ac), some- 

 times " chevalier," and sometimes the " common" or "Scotch," the 

 latter being most thought of by Mr. Cuninghame. The wheat 

 sown now is nearly all " Hunter's," as the finer-sampled varie- 

 ties were diseasing greatly, and one-half is usually drilled in 

 with a machine at the rate of 2 bushels per imp. acre, the rest 

 being sown from hand at 3 bushels per acre. The drilling is 

 preferred by Mr. Cuninghame, and will be extended for the 

 future where practicable, as it not only saves seed, but the 



