REPORT ON THE AGRICULTURE OF DUMFRIESS HIRE. 291 



" Berlie " is also grown a good deal ; and in elevated and poor 

 localities Barbaclilaw or "Tarn Finlay" is much used, and found 

 to answer well. 



Much of the seed is brought from the Lothians, but it is 

 commonly preferred after having been grown in the district for 

 a season, as it has become acclimatised. The seed for the higher 

 districts is often procured in the lower. 



In a county where there is so much variety, both in respect 

 of soil and climate, it would be rash to attempt an estimate of 

 the average number of bushels per acre and the average weight 

 per bushel. Dumfriesshire is, on account of the quantity of 

 moisture which yearly falls, not a first-class grain county. This 

 is especially true of the higher districts, where, as we saw in a 

 previous section, the rainfall, especially during the summer and 

 autumn, is very great. In the parishes towards the Solway the 

 climate is drier and warmer, and therefore the quantity and 

 quality of the grain produced exceed that grown in the inland 

 parts. The largest single tract of good grain land is that stretch- 

 ing from Mouswald Church until a little north of Tinwald 

 Church, extending to about eight miles in length, by an average 

 of one and a-half mile in breadth. Oats until recently were 

 universally sown broad-cast from the hand. Latterly, however, 

 sowing machines are getting into favour and becoming more 

 generally used. They are so highly advantageous in every 

 respect, both as regards speed and regularity, that they are 

 certain to become much more common. Their advantage is 

 especially manifest in the sowing of grass and clover seeds, which 

 are difficult to sow from the hand unless in the most favourable 

 circumstances, and it is quite impossible to sow them satis- 

 factorily in this way in windy weather. Oats are usually sown 

 on the better class of land at the rate of five and a-half to six 

 bushels per Scots acre, and on the poorer soils fully six bushels 

 are given. A few farmers begin to sow about the middle of 

 March if the weather permits, but a very common period to 

 commence is the 20th of that month. Much, however, depends 

 on the state of the weather and on the character of the season. 



Grass and clover seeds are sown along with the corn after the 

 green crops. About two bushels of ryegrass seed is usually 

 sown on each Scots acre, though some farmers, especially if 

 neither the land nor the seed is very good, give a bushel or half 

 a bushel more. The quantity and kinds of clover seeds sown 

 vary a good deal. The practice is so various that it would be 

 impossible to state the different quantities within reasonable 

 limits. We are persuaded, however, and we know it is the 

 opinion of many good judges, that as a rule too small a quantity 

 of clover seeds is given. 



The quantity of wheat and of barley or bere grown in Dum- 



