38 ON THE AGRICULTURE OF 



Southend, in getting manure brought into the island — the farm- 

 3"ard manure being insufficient to green-crop the whole arable land, 

 even with the addition of sea -weed, which is extensively collected 

 and spread on the shore farms. A last and by no means unimportant 

 hindrance to the carrying on of farming on aggressive principles 

 is the amount of damage done to farm produce, especially in the 

 hill districts, by the deer, rabbits, &c., preserved in the island 

 with most anxious care. It would be no benefit — it would be a 

 distinct disadvantacje — to the Arran tenant to reclaim waste land 

 now, considering the low price of agricultural produce, the de- 

 struction perpetrated by game, and his distance from the markets. 

 On one farm, it has been calculated that the produce forty years 

 ago was one-third an acre more than it is now, labour is so much, 

 more expensive ; and when the land requires liming a second time,, 

 instead of giving it a substantial coat of say fifty barrels per acre, 

 many of the farmers seem to think that they may spare the lime, 

 and yet expecit the same productiveness as after the first liming. 



Arran Farmers' Society. 



Next to the energy displayed by the Arran farmers in the re-^ 

 clamation of waste lands, and the liming and draining of their 

 holdings, nothing has so much contributed to the advancement of 

 agriculture as the Arran Farmers' Society. As far as can now 

 be ascertained this Society was instituted in 1830, and its 

 objects w^ere the improvement of the breed of cattle, horses, and 

 sheep in the island, by giving prizes, and encouraging the impor- 

 tation of well-bred sires of the different breeds ; the advancement 

 of agriculture by the offering of prizes for the best managed green 

 crops, and the holding of an annual ploughing match, at which 

 prizes were offered for the best ploughing, and the newest and 

 most improved ploughs, &c. 



The membership in 1860 consisted of 95 persons ; at present 

 it numbers 150 individuals. This increase is p>artly accounted 

 for by the fact, that four or five years ago a sej)arate class was 

 opened at the show^, in which prizes are given for Ayrshire cattle 

 and horses, the competition being limited to tenants paying rents 

 of £60 and under. This has induced many of the smaller 

 farmers to join the Society, and, by stimulating a friendly rivalry,, 

 will no doubt in the end tend to the improvement of their 

 stocks. 



Eotatio7i of Cro])s, 



Although in 1816 there was established, and still exists, a 

 stated rule of rotation in crops, Arran farmers, small and great,. 

 do very much as seems right in their own eyes. An attempt is 

 made to keep up a six-years' shift, that is, two years under 

 pasture ; third year, oats ; fourth year, green crop ; fifth year,.. 



