BUTE AND AKRAX. 25 



-reclaimed within the same period. About ten years previous to 

 that time 40 or 50 acres were taken in on the farm of Mid Ascog, 

 ".and margins of moorland have throughout the island been re- 

 claimed. Previous to the last eighteen years, when the land was 

 much drained, farmers received half value in lime for the expense 

 -of draining done by them, but since that time they only receive half 

 value for lime used in reclamation, and all drains are made by the 

 landlord, the tenants paying 5 per cent, interest on the outlay. 

 Much of the soil that has been drained is so thin, that in many cases 

 the interest payable increases the rent so much that farming is 

 made unprofitable both to landlord and tenant. There are tile 

 works situated in the parish of Kingarth, from which drain- tiles 

 ■can easily be obtained, and a lime-kiln, which many years ago was 

 in operation, has again commenced burning the limestone found 

 in the island. The farmers in the south end prefer Bute lime be- 

 cause it does not require shipping, but those in the north end find 

 they are as cheap to use Irish lime, as in either case shipping has 

 to be resorted to, and the quality of the Irish shells is much 

 ■.superior. 



Floughing and Ma7iure. 



The common single furrow plough is that most in use in Bute. 

 'The plough is in most cases drawn by two horses. Subsoil 

 ploughing is seldom practised, but in general throughout the 

 island there is no subsoil to plough. Stubble land is ploughed 

 -shortly before and after Martinmas ; pasture land is broken about 

 the beginning of January ; and red land is turned over as near 

 the time for barley sowing as possible. 



Iron harrows are mostly, if not altogether, in use in the island, 



• and chain harrows are also common. Grubbers and drill harrows 



of the usual kinds are generally iu requisition, and some farmers 



i^rubthe stubble land at Martinmas with the three-horse grubber 



instead of yjloughing it. 



Artificial manures have been greatly in use in Bute both for 

 raising potatoes and turnips, but especially the former. Peru- 

 vian guano, ground bones, and within recent years " Blood " 

 manure have been put into the soil, and the fact is, too many 

 artificial stuffs have been employed, and now many of the 

 farmers are importing large (quantities of town manure from 

 Greenock. Upwards of 800 tons of long and short town dung 

 were put on farms in Kingarth in the winter of 1879, and this 

 kind of manure is gradually sui)planting the other. On land 

 where much artificial manure has been used lime has not the 

 same effect as it had when the land was reclaimed, and in many 

 'Cases liming in recent years lias not been remunerative. Long 

 -dung can be purchased in Greenock and laid on tlie fields in 



