392 THE CEREAL AND OTHEK CEOPS OF SCOTLAND FOE 1880, 



There lias been no contacjious or infectious disease for some considerable 

 time, and the stock generally have been very healthy. The clip of wool 

 was over last year by nearly 1 lb. per sheep. 



Aberdeen (Garioch District). — Scarcely any wheat gro^vn. Barley — 38 

 bushels as against 20 bushels last year ; grain much superior to last year ; 

 straw same as last year; quantity sown, 4^ bushes. Oats — 36 bushels, last 

 year 24 bushels ; grain superior, but straw scarcely so nutritous as last 

 year ; quantity sown 6 bushels. Harv^est was commenced about the usual 

 time, from 22d to 26th August. Hay crop not so heavy as last year, but 

 quality good and well mixed with rye-grass and clover ; quantity about 

 1 ton 8 cwt. No meadow hay. The yield of potatoes much greater than 

 last year ; very little disease, but it is to be feared that they have been 

 much injured by the severe frost in January ; weight 5 tons. The weight 

 of turnips was 7 tons above that of last year, and quality similar ; crop 

 brairded well, and only one sowing required ; weight 22^ tons. The 

 damage done to the remaining part of the crop by the frosts in January is 

 beyond calculation. No damage done by insects. The land is generally 

 well cleaned, and no injury from weeds. The pasture grass was not equal 

 to the previous year in quantity, but the quality appeared good ; stock 

 rested and throve well, and were generally fi'ee from disease. The quality 

 of the wool clip was good, but weight under the average. 



Aberdeenshire (Strathbogie District). — Little or no wheat grown, the 

 principal grain crops being barley, bere, and oats, three-fourths of the 

 breadth sown being the last mentioned cereal. With respect to the barley 

 crop, the Imlk of straw was fully equal to last year, and the quality very 

 good ; the yield of grain, although good, did not come up to the expecta- 

 tion which the bulk of the straw warranted. On the finer soils as much as 48 

 bushels has l)een threshed, but the general average would be from 36 to 38 

 bushels, and the weight from 53 to 58 lbs. Notwithstanding the fine dry 

 summer samples are very dark in colour. The oat crop as a rule was the 

 best that has been harvested for many years as regards quality and 

 quantity of both grain and straw, the greater part of the crop being 

 secured in excellent condition ; the yield on fine deep land being as 

 high as 64 bushels, but the general average would be about 46 bushels ; 

 the weight varies from 40 to 46 lbs., the average weight being about 

 42 lbs. ; the quantity of seed generally sown is from 4 to 6 bushels, 

 but as doubts existed last spring as to the vitality of some of the seed 

 which was exposed to the frost the previous harvest, as much as 8 bushels 

 was in some instances sown, and after all the crop was not too thick. 

 Harvest was general on the 1st of September, fully five weeks earlier than 

 in 1879, and about ten days earlier than in average years. The hay crop 

 was, generally speaking, lighter than last year, but of far better quality. 

 Clover as a rule was deficient when the crop was cut, but came up pretty 

 thick in the aftermath ; the average yield would l^e from 24 to 27 cwt. No 

 meadow hay grown. The potato crop was the best, with respect to both 

 quantity and quality, that has been for many years. Disease appeared 

 among the earlier varieties about the middle of September, but did not 

 much affect the general crop. Champions were althogether free from 

 disease ; the weight of this crop would be from 6 to 7 tons ; this crop is 

 not much cultivated. The turnip crop brairded well, and very little 

 second sowing was required ; up to the time of second hoeing the plants 

 looked healthy, but after some heavy falls of rain finger and toe made its 

 appearance, chiefly on many farms M'rought on the five-course rotation ; 

 Swedes were more generally aflected than Yellows, and in many cases fully 

 a fourth of the crop was destroyed. Where there was no disease the crop 

 was generally very good, and the weight would be from 20 to 30 tons ; the 

 severe frost experienced in December and January has made great havoc in 



