BUTE AND ARE AN. 43 



will be about 20 tons per acre, and of yellow about 16 tons. 

 So far as climate is concerned, there is nothing to hinder the 

 turnip crop to remain in the ground until it is required ; and this 

 is what is done on the south-west end of the island, where the 

 attacks of frost are very mild, as is evidenced by the fact that 

 the ground after frost can be ploughed far earlier than on the 

 mainland. In the eastern side of the island, about Lamlash, the 

 yellow turnips are much more easily kept than the other, whether 

 on account of the nature of the soil we cannot say. The whole 

 crop around Lamlash and Brodick districts has to be pulled in 

 the beginning of w^inter and stored, to prevent the roots being 

 devoured by game, deer being very plentiful in this part of 

 Arran. During the summer months of 1880 one farmer has 

 had to pay a man 21s. a-week for herding the deer off the crop 

 during the night. During the last two years a part of the 

 fields on Clauchlands near the steading has been wired off, and 

 a deep pit dug in it,*into which the turnips are thrown, and 

 covered over the top with straw. This is found to be a very safe 

 method of storing them. The only objection to it is, that the 

 turnips are apt to grow a little in the spring. Another method 

 followed by some of the farmers is to store the roots in small pits 

 in the fields, containing about a cart-load each, and covered over 

 with a few inches of earth. This plan is found to work admir- 

 ably. Were it not for the destruction perpetrated by game, 

 storing of turnips would form quite an unnecessary part of the 

 work of the Arran farmer, as the roots might be allowed to lie in 

 the ground all winter. 



Eye-Grass and Clover. 



The sown-down land in the island of j^rran, in addition to 

 oats or barley, is laid under a crop of rye-grass seed mixed with 

 clover. The soil on the west and south sides of the island raises 

 good hay crops even in a dry season, but, on the east side, it is 

 so thin in many places that the crop is only fit to be eaten by 

 the sheep and cattle when growing. All the smaller farmers 

 allow the rye-grass to ripen, and the seed is sold in Glasgow and 

 Ayr markets. The larger farmers seed as much as is necessary 

 to sow their own land, and some of it they sell to tlie tenants on 

 the smaller holdings. 



"Where tlie soil is heavy clay, and has not been carefully green- 

 cropped, or where the soil is mossy, the seed ripened is not very 

 clean ; hair-grass grows amongst it, which, on account of the 

 meagre appliances at their connnand, tlie farmers are not able 

 altogether to get clear of. The usual weight of Arran rye-grass 

 seed is about 23 or 24 lbs. per bushel ; the price realised this 

 season (1880) is lis. Gd. ])er boll of 96 lbs. The average price 



