138 ON THE AGRICULTURE OF 



grown pretty largely on some farms, but there is little change in. 

 the area under them since 1854. The extent in Forfar that 

 year was 690, and last season 605 acres. In Kincardine the 

 area in 1854 w^as 474, and in 1880 464 acres. In Forfar 

 there were 138 acres in 1854, and 18 in 1880 under peas ; and 

 in Kincardine 77 acres in 1854, and 36 last season. 



Hay, Grass, and Permanent Pastnre. 



The following table shows the area of hay and grass under 

 regular rotation in various years since 1854 : — 



It will thus be seen that latterly a neater extent of land has = 

 been allowed to lie longer under grass than ten years ago. This, 

 is due mainly to the increase in the cost of labour, and to the 

 fact that experience has shown that turnips are less liable to- 

 damage from "finger and toe" when the land is worked in the 

 six-shift rotation, which includes three years grass, than in the- 

 five-shift system, in which there are only two years grass. The 

 increasing of -the area under grass also helps to lessen the 

 manure bills, which, of course, is also an important consideration.. 

 Near the larger towns in Forfar the grass land is mostly pre- 

 served for cutting, a ready sale and high price being obtained 

 from cowfeeders for all the hay and fresh grass the farmers can: 

 raise. For this purpose at least three crops are got in one 

 season. Throughout both counties a pretty large quantity of 

 hay is made, though not so much, in comparison with the area 

 under grass, as in some other counties. The yield of hay ranges; 

 from 1^ to 2 tons, the average on well managed farms being, 

 about 1| ton, worth about £4 per ton or £7 per acre. The- 

 greater part of the grass land is sown out with barley. In the- 

 districts too high and late for barley the grass seeds are sown' 

 with oats. The mixture of grass seeds sown varies greatly. It 

 ■usually includes from 16 to 22 lbs. of rye grass and from 6 

 to 10 lbs. of different kinds of clover seeds per acre. Forfar' 

 stands fourth and Kincardine eleventh in Scotland in respect^ 

 to the area under grass in rotation. 



In both counties there is a pretty large extent of permanent 

 pasture or grass not broken up in rotation, exclusive of heath ori- 



