298 REPORT ON THE AGRICULTURE OF DUMFRIESSHIRE. 



than thirteen tons per Scotch acre. One of the gentlemen (the 

 late Mr William Currie, Pumplaburn), who " took " large quan- 

 tities of turnips to be consumed by sheep, mentions in his reply 

 that the turnips he took (and for which he paid an average 

 price of fourpence per week for each sheep), would yield their 

 owners from 30s. to L.3 per Scotch acre, and that there was 

 only one instance in which they yielded L.5. These facts will 

 give the reader some idea of the backward state of turnip 

 cultivation at the commencement of the period over which this 

 report extends. Immediately after that time, guano, bones, and 

 other artificial manures, became used more generally and in 

 larger quantities. This increase has steadily continued, as its 

 advantage has become more manifest, until now a considerable 

 quantity of artificial manure is applied by almost all farmers, 

 and a very large quantity is given by some. This is in addition 

 to the farm-yard manure, which, it ought to be mentioned, is 

 much better in quality than formerly, in consequence of the 

 feeding stuffs and turnips which are given to all kinds of cattle. 

 It is difficult to say how much the produce has been increased 

 on land of the quality specified above, in consequence of the 

 more liberal application of artificial manures ; but we think we 

 are not far from the mark when we estimate that increase at 

 from five to six tons (or nearly one-half more) per Scotch acre. 

 The immediate profit of this is easy of calculation ; but there is 

 a further profit, inasmuch as these additional turnips will do 

 much to enrich the land, whether they be consumed upon the 

 field by sheep or at the farm steading by cattle. 



The drills vary in width from 26 to 30 inches, the most 

 common width being from 27 to 29 inches. From 1840 to 1850 

 the great majority of farmers hoed their turnips at a distance of 

 from 7 to 8 inches apart and even less. Mr Elliot, Hard- 

 grave, was the first to hoe at the distance of 12 to 13 inches, 

 and the very heavy crops which he produced by this system 

 did much to., convince turnip cultivators of the advantage of 

 wide hoeing. The reporter has found, from an examination of 

 the tables of weights published by the " Lockerbie Farmers' 

 Club," that whereas in 1849 the ordinary width was 7 to 8 

 inches, it increased in one year to 10 to 12 inches, and it is not 

 too much to say that this is to be accounted for by a publication 

 of the success of Mr Elliot's plan. Latterly, however, they are 

 being generally hoed slightly closer than was customary ten 

 years ago, the reason being that moderately-sized turnips are 

 found to keep better during winter than very large ones. The 

 sowing of swedes is usually proceeded with about the middle of 

 May, if the weather permits ; and the time of sowing his turnips 

 is really a very busy and anxious one w r ith the Dumfriesshire 

 arable farmer. He has learned by experience that the growth 



