THE COUNTIES OF FOEFAR AND KINCARDINE. 141 



regard to the area under potatoes. Perth comes first with 

 21,414, and Fife second with 18,640 acres. It will be seen that 

 within the last five years there has been a very large increase in 

 the area under potatoes. Of all the crops grown this is by far 

 the most costly. 



In some seasons the cost of the seed amounts to as much as 

 £5, 10s., and in others it might not cost more than £3. There is 

 no doubt that potatoes is the most speculative crop grown by 

 farmers. It is uncertain alike as to yield and value. In a 

 good year as many as 10 and 12 tons will be lifted on well 

 managed farms, while in other seasons on the same land the 

 yield may be less by a half or three-fourths. In a pretty good 

 season a fair average for both counties would be 5 J or 6 tons 

 per acre, while it may be reduced by one-half or more by a 

 short period of unfavourable weather, or, indeed, rendered of 

 very little value by disease. Prices again vary from £2 to £10 

 per ton. It often happens, as this year, that when a full 

 average yield is obtained, and when there is little or no disease, 

 the price is so small, under £3 per ton, that the crop cannot be 

 disposed of to advantage. The average yield this year would 

 perhaps, be about 6 J or 7 tons; but the price as yet being 

 under £3 per ton, the whole yield of the two counties, if sold 

 just now, would do little if anything more than meet the actual 

 outlay in its production. On some farms, however, the yield 

 reaches as much as 10 or 12 tons, and in these cases from £30 

 to £40 per acre will be realised. Last year the average yield 

 was barely one-half of what it is this year, and yet the price 

 was so much higher that the crop, taken as a whole, was worth 

 more money than this year. For a crop of barely one-half the 

 weight of this year's crop, some Forfarshire farmers last year 

 obtained no less than from £45 to £48 per acre. A large 

 farmer near Montrose pointed out a field on his farm to us 

 which, the one year it was under potatoes, had brought him £60, 

 and the other over £1000. When disease breaks out, and it 

 has occurred very frequently in recent years, the price for sound 

 potatoes rises so rapidly and to so high a point, that those wlio 

 are fortunate enough to escape the disease obtain something like 

 a windfall. It is doubtful if, during say the last two rotations, 

 or ten or twelve years, potatoes have been on the whole a 

 paying crop. Most farmers, who have long experience with 

 them, say they have not. The speculative element, however, is 

 no doubt a charm to some. It would seem that each hopes that 

 lie may be one of tlie fortunate few destined to have a hirge and 

 sound crop in a year of disease. The wlieel of fortune has 

 undeniable attractions to many. There is no doubt that during 



