THE COUNTIES OF FOEFAR AND KIXCAEDIXE. 135 



elevation not suited to it. To some extent at least, we think 

 that had actually been the case. By a liberal enough estimate, 

 the extent of land in Forfarshire calculated to suit the cultiva- 

 tion of wheat, has been stated at 70,000 acres. Under the six- 

 shift rotation this would give 11,555 acres of wheat every year, 

 or 2150 less than the area under wheat in 1870, and 2483 more 

 than that last season. The extent in Kincardineshire considered 

 adapted to wheat is about 4000 acres, which, under the seven- 

 shift rotation, the most general system in the wheat growing 

 farms of Kincardine, would give barely 600 acres of wheat 

 every year. The falling off in the area, however, is due mainly 

 to other causes, chiefly foreign competition and a decrease in 

 the yield per acre. There is no doubt that the reduction in the 

 average price of wheat, caused by foreign competition, has more 

 to do with the decrease in the area under wheat than any other 

 influence ; but it is equally certain that the profits from wheat 

 have in some degree been curtailed by a slight but pretty 

 general falling off in the yield per acre. It is the belief of most 

 farmers, whose experience of wheat growing extends as far 

 back, that compared with about 1850, the yield of wheat now 

 is less by from 2 to 3 or 4 bushels per acre. This need hardly 

 be matter for surprise, for although farmers now, as a rule, 

 manure their land very liberally, they are, with very few excep- 

 tions, groping under a somewhat dull light, if not altogether in 

 the dark, in the nourishing of their exhausted land by chemical 

 preparations. It is clearly seen that continuous wheat growing 

 cannot be accomplished with anything like success unless con- 

 ducted by those having an intimate knowledge of chemistry ; 

 and for the same reasons it follows that prolonged wheat growing 

 in a rotation cannot be carried on with undiminishing success 

 without the aid of chemistry. Farmers are gradually becoming 

 more and more alive to the importance of having a knowledge 

 of at least the elements of the science of agriculture ; but unfor- 

 tunately few of them have within their reach the means of ob- 

 taining such knowledge. If our mixed system of husbandry is 

 to continue to flourish as it has done in the past, it would seem 

 to be absolutely imperative that farmers should be armed with 

 the powerful aid of science. It would be well for the country 

 if education on all branches of science bearing on agriculture 

 were within the reach of every young man who intends to make 

 fanning his profession. lUit we must not digress further. The 

 yield of wheat in an ordinary year ranges from 3 to 5 qrs., 

 weighing from 60 to 62 lbs. per bushel. The average would 

 perhaps be about 28 or 30 bushels per acre. The average yield 

 of straw would be al)0ut 40 ston(;s per qr., worth say 143. 

 Taking the average yield of wheat at 30 bushels, and the price 



