REPORT ON THE AGRICULTURE OF DUMFRIESSHIRE. 273 



cultural value of the soils of Dumfriesshire. As remarked in a 

 subsequent part of this paper, the soil on different parts of the 

 same farm often varies very much both in its nature and value. 

 A large number of farms are rented at from L.l to L.1, 10s. per 

 acre ; but many are let at lower rates, and many at higher. 



2. Climate. — In treating of the agriculture of any county or 

 district, the thing next in importance to the nature of the soil 

 is the character of the climate. Virgil, in the first book of his 

 Georgics, remarks, that " before we cut an unknown plain with 

 the coulter we should be careful to learn previously, not only 

 the genius and habits of the soil, but also the winds and the 

 various quality of the climate." This is specially important in 

 describing the agriculture of Dumfriesshire, because it not only, 

 as a whole, differs materially from other parts of Scotland, but 

 there is also considerable variety in this respect between the 

 different parts of itself. 



The exposure of Dumfriesshire is generally good. The greater 

 part of the three dales of which it is composed have a southern 

 exposure, and thus lie full to the meridian sun. It lies on the 

 Solway Frith, and therefore a considerable portion of it is low 

 and warm. It is protected from the north and east winds by 

 the high mountainous ranges which encircle it on the north and 

 east. Most of the rain which falls in the county is accompanied 

 by mild winds from the south and west. Hence these are very 

 different from the bitter piercing winds which are felt all along 

 the east coast. But, though the rainfall is in general mild, it is 

 at the same time very plentiful. From the vast Atlantic heavier 

 and more extensive clouds are borne on the wind, and discharge 

 themselves over the western coast, than the German Ocean emits 

 on the east. Tables will be subjoined from which may be 

 ascertained the comparative rainfall in this county and in 

 several other parts of Scotland, including the east coast. It will 

 be observed that, whereas the average rainfall in middle and 

 upper Nithsdale was 33'82 inches, of middle and upper Annan- 

 dale 34'56 inches, and of Eskdale 38 - 51 inches in 1855, the 

 total rainfall during the same year at Auchterarder House, 

 Strathearn, Perthshire, was only 19 - 20 inches, and at Inveresk, 

 Musselburgh, Mid-Lothian, 2143 inches. The comparatively 

 small rainfall in these districts accounts for the vast superiority 

 in the quality of the grain which they produce compared with 

 the grain grown in such a moist climate as Dumfriesshire. 



But though the climate as a whole is so very moist, yet there 

 is a considerable variety in this respect between the different 

 districts into which the county is by natural characteristics 

 divided. This, which was for many years matter of conjecture, 

 has at length been established beyond dispute. In the begin- 

 ning of 1854, Mr Charles Stewart instituted a system of meteor- 



