14 ON THE AGRICULTURE OF 



is capable of raising earlier crops than the soil in Kingarth, but 

 the farmers on the east side of the island give all their attention 

 in the early part of spring to the potato crop, whereas generally 

 throughout the rest of the island the farmers give equal attention 

 to white and green crops. The reaping-machine is now, and 

 has been for many years, in use on almost every farm in Bute, 

 and very few acres are now cut with the scythe or hook, and 

 these only when the crop has been much flattened by the storms. 

 The first who introduced a successful reaping-machine was Mr 

 John M'Dougall, the tenant of Kerrytonlia who purchased one 

 of Jack's reapers about twenty or twenty-five years ago. A very 

 few^ acres may occasionally be let to Irish reapersby the acre, but this 

 mode of harvesting is now nearly obsolete. The hands necessary 

 for the management of the farm during the year are usually equal 

 to the extra demands of harvest time, but if additional workers are 

 necessary they can easily be procured in Rothesay. 



The average produce of oats per acre in 1855 was 32 bushels, 

 and the average of fiars prices for the seven years ending 1856, 

 was 23s. 6|d.; the average piroduce per acre in 1880 will be 

 about the same as in 1855, and the average of fiars prices for 

 seven years ending 1876 was 24s. 6J^d. per imperial quarter. 

 Over a period of years the bushel of oats will weigh on an average 

 about 40 lbs. and when ground a 6 bushel bag of oats usually 

 yields 140 lbs. of meal. The habits of the people of Bute have 

 greatly changed during the past twelve or fifteen years, and whilst 

 formerly a large proportion of grain was gi'ound into oatmeal, now 

 only a very small proportion of it is devoted to this use. 



Green-Cropping — Potatoes and Turnips. 



The early history of green-cropping in Bute is interesting and 

 instructive. As we have seen, the chief proprietor early gave 

 tangible proof of his interest in the improvement of agriculture, 

 and the Highland and Agricultural Society, as well as the local 

 farmers' Society, later on, did something to encourage the growth 

 of green-crops. The National Society, in 1851 and 1852, and in 

 several following years, offered premiums for the best managed 

 green crop in the island, and in 1868 a premium was offered by 

 the agent for the best 2 acres of turnips and potatoes grown with 

 Goulding's manures. The HighlandJSociety's medals fell to the lot 

 of the tenant of Mid Ascog in 1851, 1852, 1854, and 1855, and 

 the premium offered by Goulding was also awarded to him. 

 Prizes of a like nature were awarded on different occasions by 

 other donors, and the competitions for them did much to make 

 the farmers bestow increased care on these important crops. 



For many years Bute has been known as one of the earliest 

 places in the west of Scotland for the growth of potatoes. These 



