172 REPORT ON THE AGRICULTURE OF PERTHSHIRE. 



this class of land to turn their attention to that branch of stock 

 keeping, and it has done them more good where it has been 

 adopted, both in direct profit to their pockets, and in the less 

 direct but equally important profit of improving their farms, 

 than anything else that has happened during the last twenty 

 years. It had at least one good result, in leading many of them 

 to pasture their young grass, instead of cutting it for hay. Ten 

 years ago there was scarcely a sheep to be seen within ten miles 

 of Perth, except those from the Highlands, sent down for winter- 

 ing ; while now, on farms up to the very suburbs of the town, 

 every farmer must have his proportion of sheep. Some buy 

 lambs, cross-bred, half-bred, or pure, as they can get them, or 

 as the price suits their funds, and sell them fat as hogs ; others 

 buy ewes, take a cross of lambs, and fatten them after the lambs 

 are weaned, and sell the lambs fat, or keep them on for hogs. 

 Another indication of the progress of stock growing is afforded 

 in the sale of young short-horn bulls. Ten and fifteen years ago, 

 the few noblemen and gentlemen who had stocks of good blood 

 could not sell the young stock in the county at prices at all in 

 proportion to their value ; but now there is a yearly sale of 

 young short-horn bulls, which are bought up by the farmers of 

 the county at from L.20 to L.30 ; not that the stock to be bred 

 from them is pure short-horn, in all or most cases, but the 

 tenants are aware of the value of a good sire on the quality of 

 calves from cross-bred cows, and are willing to pay something 

 for the advantage. Breeding, however, in the better districts 

 had been but little attended to, but it has now begun, in con- 

 sequence of the difficulty of getting good stock in the markets, 

 and the high prices paid for it. A great deal of the stock grazed 

 and fed in the county has been Irish, and as these have been 

 improving in quality, many farmers have been contented with 

 them. Cattle of pure short-horn breed, or those approaching to 

 pure, have been preferred ; but next to them the Ochil doddie 

 (a deep-barrelled animal) is much liked by feeders. 



The railways in this county have given, no doubt, a large 

 assistance to agricultural improvement and farming, in the car- 

 riage of tiles for draining, lime for the land, and all building 

 materials, also in the transport of fat cattle and sheep, grain 

 and potatoes, to the Edinburgh and Glasgow markets ; and these 

 advantages are permanent and progressive in their character. 



Guano, and light manures which have been introduced since 

 guano rose in price, have also had their share in pushing for- 

 ward the improvement of the lighter lands in the county. Where 

 they have been judiciously used, where they have been added 

 as assistants to farm-yard manure for growing turnips, or where 

 applied alone, the turnips have been chiefly eaten off with sheep, 

 the crops grown, and manure made from them, have been greatly 



