40 ON THE AGRICULTURE OF 



them as desirable holdings as any on the mainland. In the 

 yards ten, twelve, fourteen, and sixteen good solid-looking round 

 stacks are seen, most of them built with a greater circumference, 

 and not so high as those on the mainland, — a formation rendered 

 necessary in order that they may the better withstand the force 

 of the fierce Atlantic gales which rage during winter. 



The lea and red land is all sown with oats ; occasionally on 

 good heavy soil barley may be substituted, but oats are the more 

 profitable crops. About fifteen years ago the smaller tenants 

 sowed great quantities of barley, but since the increased demand 

 for milk and butter arose, through the influx of Glasgow visitors, 

 barley has entirely been superseded by oats, as the straw of the 

 latter makes much better fodder for the cows than the straw of 

 the former. As this annual migration of Glasgow folks to Arran 

 has in no small measure contributed to the increased comfort of 

 the Arran residents, and has circulated much more money through 

 the island than formerly was the case, it may be interesting here 

 to note, that the arrival of these visitors has been chiefly pro- 

 moted by the opening of the short route to Glasgow via Ardrossan. 

 A steamer, in connection with the Ardrossan and Glasgow, now 

 the Glasgow and South-Western, Railway, was placed on the 

 Arran and Ardrossan station about twenty years ago by a 

 limited liability company, which however came to grief, and 

 the Duke of Hamilton then stepped in, and at his own expense 

 placed the "Lady Mary" on the route, and afterwards the 

 " Heather Bell " ; and now for a number of years the steamboat 

 accommodation has been maintained by private enterprise. By 

 this route the journey from Glasgow to Brodick can be accom- 

 plished in two and a half hours. 



The lea ground is broken by the plough about the beginning 

 of January, and the red land is turned over about the middle of 

 March. Sowing is commenced about the 1st of April, or a week 

 earlier in a good spring. Generally the Arran farmers do not 

 incline to sow early. They have an idea that more fodder is 

 procured by sowing about the 10th or 12th of April, than by sow- 

 ing at the beginning of the month. 



Harvest in an ordinary season begins during the last week of 

 August, except in the extreme north, where it is later. The 

 average yield of oats per imperial acre in 1855 was 25 bushels ; 

 over the whole island now the average yield will be about 30 

 bushels. Some of the larger farms will yield on an average from 

 32 to 36 bushels ; and, in 1880, 40 bushels per acre will be realised 

 on heavy land. The weight per bushel of oats raised on good 

 land will average from about 40 to 42 lbs. ; on the smaller farms 

 the average will not be more than 39 lbs. " Hutting " is now 

 very common throughout the island, although thirty years ago 

 such a thing was altogether unknown. Some of the farmers 



