COUNTIES OF KOSS AND CROMAETY. Ill 



along with oats, about 30 lbs. being given to each acre. The 

 whins came away beautifully, and for seven years running from 

 10 to 12 tons x^er acre were reaped every season. The sub- 

 soil in these higher parts is very fair clay, and the roots of the 

 whins must have abstracted nourishment from it. The whins 

 were used for horses, cattle, and sheep, and it was curious to observe 

 that the pure bred shorthorns and Leicesters took more readily 

 to the whins than the other kinds of cattle and sheep. The 

 whins were reaped with one of Samuelson's mowers, the same 

 implement having reaped a field of 22 acres for five years in suc- 

 cession. Before being given as food, the whins are put thrice 

 through a whin-mill, made by Messrs Mackenzie & Co., Cork. 

 The first of the crop is used about the beginning of November, 

 and unless caught on the root by a severe frost, which Qiake the 

 whins woody and tough, they are quite soft and easily eaten. 

 Cattle and horses get them under roof, but to sheep they are 

 supplied in troughs on lea fields. The cultivation of these 

 whins enabled Mr Gordon to carry a heavier stock of both cattle 

 and sheep than he could otherwise have done ; and by their 

 roots having pierced through and loosened the firm pan which 

 underlies the soil on these higher fields, the parts on which they 

 were cultivated have been permanently improved. Of the 22 

 acres sown down with whins 12 w^ere ploughed to the depth of 

 about 8 inches last spring, and sown with oats. The crop was a 

 very fair one, and yielded about 4 quarters an acre — the highest 

 yield ever reaped from the field. 



Mr Gordon grows no barley, but produces both wheat and 

 oats of the finest quality. As much as 8 quarters of wheat per 

 acre have been grown on the farm, while the general yield runs 

 from 3 to 5 quarters per acre. The weight per bushel varies 

 from 60 to 62 lbs. Chiddam and Fenton are the varieties used, 

 about 4 bushels of seed being given to the acre. The Fenton 

 variety generally affords the largest yield. The wheat is sown in 

 autumn as soon as the turnips are eaten off the land by sheep. 

 Finefollow is the variety of oats most largely sown. The yield 

 of oats varies from 3 to 7 quarters per acre, and the weight from 

 42 lbs. to 43 lbs. per bushel. About 4 bushels are given as seed 

 to the acre. A broadcast-sowing machine and manual-delivery 

 reapers are emjdoyed. As already stated, two turnip crops are 

 taken in each rotation, one after lea and another after stubl)le. 

 Mr (iordon never cross-])lough3 any, but grubs thoroughly. 

 WIk'U he obtained possession of Udale about eleven years ago, 

 the land was very dirty, and at the first rotation a considerable 

 amount of labour had to be s])ent in clearing away large ([uanti- 

 ties of weeds. The .soil, however, is now thoroughly clean, and 

 in a very high manurial condition. Mr Gordon begins to sow 

 turnips about the lUth of May, and gives about 3 lbs. of seed to 



