BUTE AND AKEAN. 39 



sown-down oats ; sixth year, rye-grass and clover ; but many 

 of the smaller farmers have little compunction in taking two 

 white crops in succession off one patch, and in leaving bare and 

 ill-conditioned spots untouched by the plough for years. Accord- 

 ing to the conditions of one of the most recent leases granted by 

 the Duke of Hamilton, the tenant is bound not to take " two 

 white crops in succession without having a green hoed crop 

 betw^een, manured with at least 25 cubic yards of stable manure 

 or other approved manure to each imperial acre, unless by per- 

 mission from the proprietor or factor." And, after land is laid 

 down to grass, " the tenant shall not break up the same sooner 

 than four years thereafter if a crop of hay be taken, or sooner than 

 three years if no hay be taken." This constitutes a seven years' 

 rotation,* but the larger farmers do not as a rule follow it, but 

 allow the land to lie in grass for from four to ten years, and in 

 some cases for a longer period. 



The crops previously named, with the addition of beans, which 

 are largely grown in the south end of the island, form the prin- 

 cipal farm produce of Arran, and for the sake of order, it will be 

 well to take them in their rotation, and treat of each separately 



Corn Crops — Oats, Barley, and Beans, 



Oats are very generally sown throughout the length and 

 breadth of Arran. The greater part of the land under white crops 

 is sown with " sandy " oats, but in Shiskan a few acres are under 

 the variety known as " Tam Findlay " ; and on Glenree and the 

 new land in Brodick, Swiss oats have been used. These last are 

 about two weeks earlier than the common oats, but they give 

 less bulk of straw and less weight of grain, and do not grind so 

 well as the home seed, Fierce gales sweep the island from side 

 to side during autumn, and " sandy " oats are found to be least 

 shaken by the blast. The best corn growing districts are 

 Shiskan and the Southend. Crops are raised in these places 

 which fairly astonish the stranger by their abundance, and the 

 well-built and neatly-thatched stacks which fill the yards com- 

 pare very favourably with the miserable-looking thatched houses 

 which furni many of the steadings. Indeed, a more pleasing- 

 drive could not be taken by any one interested in agriculture, 

 than that round bv Shiskan and the Southend of Arran. The 

 soil generally is deep heavy loam, and in some places sharj) 

 shingle resting on a subsoil of clay ; the fields lie, many of them, 

 very level, and farming is prosecuted with much vigour. Of 

 course some farmers work better than others — there are drones 

 ill every hive — but, taken all in all, the medium-sized farms 

 around the Southend of Arran only need good steadings to make 



* This is exceptional, the usual rotation being six course — Editoi'. 



