36 REPORT OF THE AGRICULTURE OF AYRSHIRE. 



plants keep the ground better during late frosts in spring. Only 

 about one acre of carrots are now grown, mostly of the " white" 

 variety, as the " worm" has become rather destructive at Shields, 

 and affects the red kinds more. If present prices of grain continue, 

 Mr. Cuningham means — we believe has already begun — to allow 

 10 acres of the oat-break to lie a year longer in pasture, taking- 

 potatoes after the oats, and sowing out with barley, which will 

 be easier for the land, and require less manure (a 6-shift, with 3 

 years grazed.) Presently one-half the first year's seeds is cut 

 for hay, and the other half grazed. 



Sixteen milch cows are kept at Shields, and as many calves 

 reared, which consume a good portion of the milk during the first 

 two months, as they are brought up for feeding purposes, and there- 

 fore better attended to. This season (1865), Mr. Cuningham in- 

 tends substituting linseed-meal and oatmeal for part of their 

 milk diet, which, with present prices, should prove a prudent 

 course. The bulk of the dairy produce is turned into " cream- 

 butter," and the skimmed-milk either converted into "skim- 

 cheese" or given to the pigs, of which about a dozen are annu- 

 ally fattened. Off or on 40 head of cattle are annually fed for 

 the butcher. About 150 lambs (principally " crosses" — Leicester 

 ram and black-faced ewe) are purchased every year in the month 

 of August — put upon the hay-foggage first, also getting a few 

 weeks picking on the young grasses when the crops are removed 

 — fed during winter on pulped-turnips and draff, together with a 

 few oats, and as much hay as they can consume ; and, finally, 

 they are washed and clipped in the month of May, and sold fat 

 during June and July. Mr. Cuningham means to increase the 

 number of hoggets, and give additional feeding, so as to do away 

 with the necessity, of light manures to the oat crop. 



Balsaggart Farm (Sir James Fergusson, Bart., M.P., of Kil- 

 kerran), is in the occupancy of Mr. John M'Clymont, and lies on 

 the east side of the Girvan river, .south of Crossbill village in 

 Carrick, 8 miles inland ami about 11 miles up from Girvan. 

 Extent in whole 350 imp. acres ; but 50 of which, after drain- 

 ing, were sown down permanently, and are now in grass. The 

 soil is all of a light nature, but moist, although all drained. The 

 300 acres are worked partly in a 5-shift, and partly in a 6-shift 

 — that is, when a hay-crop is taken, other two years following 

 are pasture, but when the first year from seeds is grazed, only 

 another year's pasturage ensues, and then broke up with oats. 

 Green-crop all turnips, saving 7 or 8 acres in potatoes. No 

 barley is sown so far inland, and wheat usually follows the 

 green-crop ; but wheat in the Crossbill district, from the bad 

 seasons of late, is fast going out and oats being sowed instead. 

 "Wheat used to average with Mr. M'Clymont about 4 quarters per 

 Scots acre, but for many years bygone it has not averaged above 3 



