THE COUNTIES OF FORFAR AND KINCARDINK 133 



Chrain Crops. 



The following table shows the number of acres under all 

 kinds of grain crops at various times since 1854 : — 



Forfar. Kincardine. 



1854, .... 90,190 acres. 40,872 acres. 



1870, .... 92,173 „ 45,183 „ 



1875 . . . 96,089 „ 46,100 „ 



1880, .... 94,793 „ 44,936 „ 



Increase in Forfar since 1854, . . 4603 acres. 



Decrease „ 1875, . . 1296 „ 



Increase in Kincardineshire, since 1854, 4064 „ 



Decrease „ „ 1875, 1164 „ 



It wdll be seen that both counties increased rapidly in the 

 area under grain from 1854 to 1875, the comparative increase 

 being greater in Kincardine than in Forfar. In common with 

 most other counties in Scotland these two show a decline in the 

 corn area during the last few years, the decrease in this respect 

 being represented by a more than corresponding increase in the 

 extent under grass. The percentage of the total area of Forfar 

 under corn crops in 1870 was 16-2, and this year 16-6, which 

 places this county eighth in this respect in Scotland. The per- 

 centage in Kincardine in 1870 was 18*2, and this year 18*1, 

 which places it fifth. In the Board of Trade returns the 

 counties of Scotland are classed as "pastoral," "corn," and "mixed" 

 counties. Forfar and Kincardine are ranked as "corn" counties; 

 and among these, which also include Aberdeen, Banff, Berwick, 

 Elgin, Fife, Haddington, aSTairn, Orkney, and Eoss and Cromarty, 

 Forfar stands sixth as to its percentage under corn, while 

 Kincardine ranks fourth, Fife coming first with 26*4, Had- 

 dington second with 25'3, and Berwick third with 21-6. As 

 to the yield and quality of grain these counties hold their own 

 pretty well with Scotland generally. In the better parts of 

 Forfarshire a great deal of very fine wheat is grown ; while, in 

 both counties, barley and oats of the very best quality are 

 produced. The variable climate makes considerable difference 

 in tlie times of sowing and of harvesting between tlie higher 

 and lower districts. Wheat is sown as soon as possible in tlie 

 autumn and winter, and the other varieties as soon after tlie 

 middle of March as the state of the land and weather permit. 

 Most of the grain is now sown by machinery. Drill machines 

 are used almost exclusively in some of the earlier parts, and 

 with these very small quantities of seed suffice, thin sowing 

 being largely practised in F^orfarsliire. In the earlier parts 

 harvest commences between the 10th and 31st of August, and 

 in the later districts ])ctween the 1st and middle of Sei)- 



