310 REPORT ON THE AGRICULTURE OF DUMFRIESSHIRE. 



the younger grass on land which is under regular rotation 

 generally becomes very bare. About one imperial acre of grow- 

 ing turnips is allowed for every ten cows from about the 1st 

 October until the 1st January, at the latter of which periods the 

 cows generally become dry. About November, turnips, at the 

 rate of about one ton per cow, are stored for spring consumption. 

 These with the addition of from six to ten stones of bean-meal, or 

 an equivalent of oats, which are given in a mashed condition, 

 are allowed to the cows from about the 20th March, when they 

 begin to calve, until they are turned out to the grass about the 

 15th May. Sometimes half an acre of potatoes is allowed to 

 the dairyman for the use of his family, and to enable him to 

 fatten his pigs. We may here explain also, that the dairyman 

 generally fattens one pig for every two cows. The most of these, 

 as explained in the section on pork feeding, are sold to be con- 

 sumed as fresh pork in the summer and autumn, and the re- 

 mainder are disposed of for curing purposes in November and 

 December. 



As remarked above, the dairymen sometimes pay their rent 

 in kind — that is, they pay to the farmer so much weight of 

 cheese per cow ; indeed, this is the most common plan. The 

 amount of money paid per cow varies in the same dairies from year 

 to year, according as the price of cheese fluctuates in the market ; 

 and the rent, whether paid in money or cheese, varies on different 

 dairies according to the extent and the quality of the pasture 

 and the quantity of turnips and artificial food allowed. From 

 L.9 to L.ll may be quoted as an average amount when the rent 

 is in money, while from 3 cwt. to 3J cwt. is a common quantity 

 when the payment is in kind. Three-fifths of the cheese rent is 

 generally weighed and handed over to the owner of the cows 

 about the beginning of October, and the remaining two-fifths is 

 handed over at Martinmas. It is generally made a condition of 

 the dairyman's lease that he rears one quey calf for every six 

 cows. These calves have new milk given them until they are 

 eight weeks old, when they are fed upon whey for another month, 

 and then delivered to the farmer, who rears them to replace the 

 old cows which are periodically taken from the dairy. The 

 plentifulness of turnips in Dumfriesshire induces most dairy 

 farmers to prepare their old cows for the fat market. In only a 

 very few instances are they sold as " back-calvers," as is com- 

 monly the case in Ayrshire. 



The " Dunlop " system of cheese-making was universally pur- 

 sued in the dairies in the county until about six years ago, when 

 the " Cheddar " system began to be adopted, and grew gradually 

 into favour, until now it is practised in at least three-fourths of 

 tire dairies. 



Cheese is made from the time the cows are put upon the 



