AND METEOPvOLOGY OF THE YEAR RELATIVE THERETO. 397 



seed. Harvest fourteen days before usual time. Hay crop — 1 ton ; better 

 quality tlian last year and less quantity. Meadow liay much more produc- 

 tive. Potatoes — a big crop ; average about 6 tons ; almost free of disease. 

 Turnip crop more weight and good quality ; average may be 18 tons of 

 Swedes and 14 tons of Yellow ; on some farms partially destroyed by finger 

 and toe. No insects. Good deal of runches owing to wet season. Good 

 grass season ; but from the wet season and cold nights stock did not feed 

 well. Cattle and sheep were free from disease. [jClip of wool — quality good, 

 and full average. 



Caithness. — Xo wheat growm. Bere mostly gro^Ti ; quantity and 

 quality much above last year ; weight heavier by from 4 to 5 lbs. per 

 bushel ; average quantity, 36 to 38 bushels ; seed sown, 4 bushels. Oats — 

 a fine crop, and good quality of grain ; produce, 38 bushels ; seed sown, 5 

 to 6 bushels. Harvest about ten days earlier than usual. Hay crop secured 

 in fine condition, about an average. Clover deficient. Meadow hay — crop 

 better than last year. Potatoes only grown for home consumption ; better 

 crop than last year ; disease less. Turnips — a good crop, fully one-third 

 better than last year, but considerable loss from finger and toe in many 

 cases — hence weight variable from 12 to 25 tons ; only one sowing rec|uired. 

 Damage over average from grub in oats from lea ; injury from weeds small. 

 Pastures in many cases thin at root ; growth and quality otherwise fair. 

 Stock did well, and were free from disease. Quality of wool-clip fair ; 

 quantity rather under average. 



Orkney. — No wheat and very little barley grown. Oats — 34 bushels ; 

 weight upwards of 42 lbs. ; quality of grain and straw much better than 

 last year, generally 5 bushels sown. Harvest about a fortnight or three 

 weeks earlier than usual ; quantity of hay crop an average, about 200 stones ; 

 quality good, better than last year. Clover was a good crop. Meadow hay 

 crop much the same, if anything less. Yield of potatoes exceedingly large, 

 about 6 tons and of excellent quality; disease very slight, appeared in 

 August. Turnip crop good, about 15 tons ; brairded well, and with a few 

 exceptions did not require to be sown a second time. No damage by insects. 

 Weeds less than usual, principally runches and wild mustard. Pastures 

 fully an average, stock throve well, and were free from disease. Quality 

 of clip of wool good and rather over average. 



Shetland (Unst). — No wheat or barley grown. Bere— straw light, not 

 more than last year ; grain light, but thrashed well out, and bulks an average. 

 Oats quite an average crop of about 36 bushels; quality good, and weight 40 

 to 43 lbs. per bushel. Straw short after turnips, and quite a fourth under 

 average crop ; brairded beautifully, and madegocxl progress until June, when 

 the dry weather told upon it ; from 5 to 6 bushels sown. Harvest began 

 31st August, three weeks earlier than in 1879, and a few days earlier than 

 an average of the last ten years. Rye-<p?ass hay crop generally short, and 

 rather under an average ; clover conspicuous by its absence, so that the 

 weight as taken into the stackyard may be stated at quite a fuurth under an 

 average, it wa.s, however, cured without a shower, and therefore excelk'nt in 

 quality. Meadow hay crop under an average in weiglit owing to the dry 

 cnaracter of the summer, but being easily cured is excellent in quality. 

 Potatoes quite an average, and one-fourth more than last season ; 

 quality very fine ; some phices disease rather severe, made its appearance 

 about the middle of July, but did not make much progress after lifting. 

 Turnips about 20 tons, or double 1879 ; <iuality excellent ; brairded beauti- 

 fully; no second sowing recpiired ; weeds cju^ily kept down. This crop 

 received no check and quite an aver;ige crop. Insects mucii h'ss than usual ; 

 not troubled much witli insects of any kind. Exceptionally little weeds. The 

 winter of 1879-80 was a very fine and open one. Spring was early, and 



