REPORT OX THE AGRICULTURE OF DUMFRIESSHIRE. 329 



there are any sheep, as they take the finest of the grass from 

 the cows. Where sheep are kept, the general plan pursued Toy 

 arable farmers is to purchase lambs, be they half-bred or Cheviot, 

 at some of the lamb fairs in August or September, allowing 

 them to run on the pastures and stubble until the beginning of 

 November, when they are put into turnips, which are cut for 

 them in spring ; and, if liberally fed with corn and oilcake up to 

 April, they are sent direct to the fat market, but if not prime, 

 are sold to go into England, to be finished on some of the rich 

 pastures during summer. On most arable farms sufficient cattle 

 are wintered to convert the straw into manure, and a few usually 

 stall fed, which are sold so soon as circumstances warrant. It is 

 generally calculated, that for every 75 acres there are in one arable 

 farm, a pair of horses are required the year round to get work done 

 in due season. On many arable farms in Dumfriesshire large 

 numbers of pigs are reared and fed ; but this species of stock is 

 not often very profitable, unless pork is commanding a high 

 price, and grain and potatoes cheap, which sometimes happens. 

 Harvest is generally earlier in certain districts of the county 

 than in any other in Scotland, but the difference between the 

 time the grain ripens in the early and late localities is from a 

 month to six weeks. Thus the land around Dumfries, and in 

 the parishes of Gretna, Kirkmahoe, and Tinwald, is very early, 

 harvest generally commencing before the middle of August ; 

 while that in the parishes of Sanquhar, Kirkonnel, parts of 

 Middlebie, Tundergarth, Kirkpatrick-Fleming, Half-Morton, and 

 Canobie, is late, and harvest not general until the middle of 

 September, most of these lands being cold and clay, and some 

 undrained. The implements used in the cultivation of the soil 

 are generally of good and approved construction. The reaping 

 machine is becoming very common on large and medium-sized 

 farms, and thrashing-mills, driven either by steam, water, or 

 horse power, are upon every farm above fifty acres ; but, so far, 

 no steam plough has found its way into the county, although 

 there are many farms on which one might be worked to advan- 

 tage ; but, generally speaking, the land is not favourable for 

 steam cultivation, being too hard and stony. So far as regards 

 arable farming, Dumfriesshire cannot certainly be said to rank 

 among the foremost counties in Scotland ; the Lothians, Berwick- 

 shire, Eoxburghshire, Forfarshire, Stirlingshire, Perthshire, and 

 Wigtownshire being decidedly in advance, although it must 

 be admitted that there are many arable farmers in Dumfriesshire 

 not to be excelled as practical and enlightened men, upon whom 

 the management of their farms reflect the highest credit ; and 

 if distinctions were not odious in this paper, numerous instances 

 of land as well farmed as any in the kingdom could be adduced. 

 The next system is pastoral farming, and if Dumfriesshire 



