40 EEPOET OF THE AGEICULTUEE OF AYRSHIKE. 



which is increased gradually, till for the last 5 or 6 weeks they, 

 are receiving about 6 lbs. each daily. The meal is diluted with boil- 

 ing water about 24 hours ere using, and is given in the form of 

 a ball to each. If turnips seem short in spring, one feed daily 

 of these along with cut straw or hay and chaff, and a little meal, 

 cooked together, is allowed. This saves roots, and the cattle 

 are very fond of it, but it costs a trifle more for coals, &c. 



On the hill pasture Mr. Cunningham keeps about 15 score 

 black^aced ewes, crossing with Leicester rams. The lambs, 

 about 320, are kept on, well harvested on foggage, and then put 

 on turnips with a few oats. They get a portion of the young- 

 grass and the other pasture next year, are dipt, and two-thirds 

 or more (the " tops ") are generally sold fat in June and July. 

 The others ('' shots "j are again put on turnips and oats, and sold 

 in January or February following. Certain extents of foggage 

 and turnips to aid in harvesting and wintering some of the 

 young sheep, have to be taken by Mr. Cunningham on smaller 

 farms in his vicinity on which no sheep are kept. Like Trees, very 

 many of the Carrick farmers have more or less of green hill 

 pasture attached to their arable holdings, and which, particularly 

 in these times, is of £reat advantage to them. 



We should have liked to have noticed somewhat in detail 

 the general management of Mr. Bryce Wright at Dowhill, a few 

 miles north of Girvan, but space will not allow more than a 

 glance. The shoreland on Dowhill is wrought on the 4-year 

 rotation, early potatoes alone forming the green crop, and this 

 applies generally to the whole Kirkosw aid and Girvan shores. 

 Further inland in these parishes the 5-shift greatly obtains, and 

 in Girvan parish, as also in that of Colmonel to the south, most 

 of the farmers hold hill lands adjoining. Mr. Wright is 

 decidedly the most successful raiser of potatoes in Ayrshire, and 

 is generally first in the Glasgow early market, which is a great 

 point gained. Kind cultivated, "Dalmahoy." Manure applied, 

 30 cart-loads well- pulverized farm-yard dung (ecpual to 21 tons 

 or fully), 3| cwt. Peruvian guano, and 3i cwt. dissolved bones, 

 per imp. acre. 13 cwt. of seed planted per imp. acre. Width of 

 drills, 26 inches. Of course Mr. Wright uses " sea-wrack," but 

 what of that he obtains only serves for a small part, from the 

 large acreage grown, often 60 acres and upwards. Mr Wright, 

 like his neighbour Mr. M'Tier in Girvan-mains, and one or two 

 others (Mr. Q. Bone, Greenan ; Mr. J. Meikle, Nether Mains, 

 Kilwinning, &c), is exclusively in the feeding and cropping 

 line, keeping only one milch cow for home use, and rearing no 

 calves. He spares no cost in procuring the most approved 

 stock for putting up, — pure shorthorn oxen and heifers, largely, 

 and half-bred sheep, — and enjoys considerable celebrity as a 

 feeder. Part of his cattle are fed in boxes and open sheds. 



