REPORT OF THE AGRICULTURE OF AYRSHIRE. 63 



are very small in amount opposed to those carried off by the 

 seeds. The loss per acre from this cause must only be a guess, 

 but the value of a quarter of oats is probably much too little. 

 Would a hay-stubble field which had been seeded yield as good 

 a crop of oats by 8 bushels, as otherwise it would had it been 

 early green-cut? Why do so many of the seed-raisers top-dress 

 their seeded-hay-stubbles at the rate of 15 to 20 carts per acre 

 of towns dung, but none of them ever think of top-dressing any 

 portion that may have been green-cut ? We further debit seed 

 with 16s. for deterioration of soil. 



It has now been pretty conclusively shewn, that the farmer, 

 instead of being a gainer, suffers an actual loss of 9s. per acre, by 

 sowing nearly rye-grass only, and seeding the hay ; and the cal- 

 culations are rather partial to the seed-raiser if anything. But 

 by far the most serious resulting-evil of this practice to the 

 dairy farmer is yet to come, and that is, the miserable state of 

 the pasture during the first and second years, and in a less 

 degree for so long indeed as it rests. 



From a continuity of culture and yearly seeding almost since 

 their introduction, rye-grass seeds have more than doubled 

 themselves in weight per bushel, and as a natural consequence 

 of so long a course of cultivation for its seeds, the plant in Ayr- 

 shire has been brought into a state, in its duration and manner 

 of growth, nearly identical with that of the cereals, though, of 

 course, very inferior yet economically. It produces now almost 

 no root-leaves, only stalks and seeds, and even though grazed 

 the first year or green cut for hay, a large proportion of the roots 

 die out ere the end of two years from the time of sowing, whilst 

 when seeded the first year as in Ayrshire, at least nine-tenths of the 

 roots die out very shortly after the seed hay crop is cut. When Mr. 

 Fairlie bound the Eglinton tenants, about 1780, to sow out with 

 3 bushels ryegrass and 12 lbs. clover per acre, the grass seed 

 would not weigh probably above 12 lbs. per bushel, and quite a 

 different pasture plant then, in perennity, &c, to what it is now 

 — much the same in fact to meadow fescue at the present time ; 

 and we venture to say, that Mr. F. had no idea of, and did not 

 allow, the tenants seeding more of their hay than required for 

 self-use : — 



By the present " Rules and regulations to be observed by the tenants on 

 the Duke of Portland's estate," they are bound to a 10-year rotation on 

 their clay lands (including 6 years under grass, but with liberty to cut the 

 grass of the first of said six years for " green food or hay," if so inclined) ; 

 and are also bound to "use not less than one firlot of good perennial rye- 

 grass, and 12 lbs. weight of good white clover, for each acre, and such other 

 seeds as may be necessary, for sowing out with under the said 10-year rota- 

 tion." The above rotation, as already mentioned, is pretty common on ail 

 the clay soils belonging to His Grace, although it is not strictly enforced, 

 but the stipulation for the 12 lbs. of white clover per acre, is mere waste 

 paper, as it is in no case acted up to ; in fact, excepting a very few of the 



