THE COUNTIES OF FORFAR AND KINCARDINE. 101 



on these 100 acres are supplied by pumping. On the better land a 

 seven-course rotation is pursued, three years in grass, all pastured, 

 two white crops (sometimes varied by potatoes being taken on 

 a suitable field instead of the second grain crop), turnips, and 

 barley, with grass seeds. The thinner land is worked in the 

 ordinary five-shift rotation. Xo hay is made in this part. On 

 another portion, where the land is pretty heavy, the six-shift 

 rotation is followed. One year's grass, cut for hay, is succeeded 

 by oats, beans, or potatoes, or tares, or some of each, wheat or 

 barley, turnips, and barley, with grass seeds. Wheat yields 

 about 30 bushels, barley 36 bushels, oats 46 bushels, turnips 

 18 tons, potatoes 6 tons, and hay IJ ton per acre. In specially 

 good years these yields are considerably exceeded, but these 

 figures represent the averages over a period of about seven years. 

 Mr Smith manures liberally, and thus his farm is in high 

 condition. Swedes and potatoes get about 18 loads, and 

 yellow turnips about 12 loads of farmyard manure per acre, 

 with about 4 cwt. of light manures, usually a mixture of dissolved 

 bones and guano, with a little superphosphate and nitrate added 

 when necessary. Latterly, he has been allowing about 4 cwt. 

 of kanit extra per acre for potatoes, and by that he has succeeded 

 in lessening the damage by disease. Mr Smith rears from 14 

 to 20 calves from cross cows and shorthorn or polled bulls. 

 He also buys in and feeds a pretty large number of two-year- 

 old crosses, mostly in the spring months, at the local markets, 

 and from neighbouring farmers. These he puts on moderate 

 fare at the outset, treatincr them more liberallv as the season 

 advances, and giving them when the grass begins to fail a supply 

 of ground food, made up of beans, tares, and peas. This is given 

 either in the house or on the grass fields, according to the 

 weather. During winter they are carefully kept and well fed, 

 being sent away as they become fat. The farm is fairly well 

 supplied with houses. Both the dwelling-house and steading 

 were erected in 1846. The former is large and very handsome; 

 the latter is also pretty good, but would be improved by 

 additions to the covered courts. 



The farms of Broomknowe and Blackiemill, also on the 

 Aldbar estate, the one in the parish of Aberlemno and the other 

 in Brechin, are held by Mr Alexander Baxton at a rent of £500. 

 They extend to 222 acres of arable land and 38 acres of per- 

 manent pasture. The soil is mostly light black loam on gravelly 

 subsoil, somewhat liable to drought. Broomknowe is worked iu 

 the "easy" seven shifts, and l^lackiemill on the five shifts. Oats 

 average about 30 bushels per aero, weighing 43 lbs.; barley, 26 

 bushels, weighing 55 lbs. ; and potatoes, about 7 tons. Turnips 

 let at from £7 to £11 per acre. Hay yields about 180 stones 

 per acre. Mr T^axton lias for some years given his turnips about 



