THE COUNTIES OF FOEFAR AND KINCARDINE. 129 



Candlemas before sowing, and Lammas before reaping. In some 

 recent cases tenants bave stipulated for breaks in tbeir leases at 

 tbe end of ten years or tbereby, while in general a strong desire 

 is being expressed for more freedom both in cropping and dis- 

 posing of produce. On the highly rented lands near towns 

 and railway stations, many tenants have already almost perfect 

 liberty in these respects ; while all over both counties farmers 

 have more freedom in cropping than formerly. Mr Patrick 

 Dickson, the factor on the Urie and Hallgxeen estates in Kin- 

 cardine, has introduced the following clause as to cropping into 

 the leases of these properties ; and having let several farms 

 under it, he finds that it meets with the approval of the tenants : 

 — " The tenant shall farm the lands w^ell, and they shall be so 

 cultivated that there shall never be two white crops taken from 

 the same field in succession unless after three years old grass. 

 Each field when not in white crop or grass shall be thoroughly 

 cleaned and w^ell manured. There shall never be more than 

 two-fifths of the farm in grain crop, nor less than one-fourth 

 in grass in any one year, and any field sown out in grass 

 is to be cut only one year. No manure shall be sold off 

 the farm." 



Rotation. — A number of different systems of rotation is pur- 

 sued throughout these counties. In the wheat and potato 

 districts the six and seven shift systems prevail. The crops in 

 the six shifts are : — first oats, second potatoes, third wheat, 

 fourth turnips, fifth barley, and sixth grass partly cut and partly 

 pastured. The seven-shift rotation includes a second year of 

 grass. In some particular localities the six shifts are the most 

 general, but taking the wheat districts as a whole the seven 

 occupy the larger area and are gradually gaining ground. Near 

 Dundee and other towns, some farmers work on eight shifts { — 

 first grass, second oats, third potatoes, fourth w^heat, fifth turnips, 

 sixth oats, seventh potatoes, and eighth wheat with grass seeds. 

 On the thinner soils the five and six shift systems witli one 

 green crop are generally pursued — two or three years grass, 

 followed in succession by oats, turnips, and potatoes, and barley 

 and oats, and perhaps a portion of wheat. Where the land and 

 situation are suitable, and where the tenant has liberty to do so, 

 a fifth, a fourth, a third, or even a half of the green crop break 

 is put imder potatoes, care being taken not to repeat potatoes on 

 the same part of the shift when its next turn comes for green 

 crop. On other farms where the soil is strong a portion of tlie 

 green crop break is put under beans, cabbages, and tares, or one 

 or other of these. On good soils some farmers work on tlie 

 following seven shifts: — three years in grass, fourth oats, fifth 

 potatoes, beans, vetches, and cabbages, and perhaps a portion a 



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