44 ox THE AGRICULTURE OF THE 



Improvement in Tvxnfjj-five Years. 



Altliougli for more than half a century the farming practised 

 in the Lothians has been of a superior kind, it must not be in- 

 ferred that no improvements have recently been made. The 

 area of land reclaimed within the past twenty-five years has 

 not, as already stated, been so large as in some counties, simply 

 because there was less for the proprietor or the farmer to accom- 

 plish. Still, in the hill districts, whole tracts have been brought 

 under the plough and made to yield abundantly, which previously 

 produced only a scanty subsistence for sheep. In the Gala 

 ^Yater district, in Mid-Lothian, almost the whole face of the 

 country has been changed within the limit of this Report — since 

 the railway passed through the locality. Half and three-parts 

 bred sheep have superseded the native breeds fn a great measure, 

 and are thus adding much to the wealth of this part of the 

 country. A large breadth of land in and around the parish of 

 Currie, has also been improved, particularly the sheep pastures 

 which have been drained and top-dressed. The plough has like- 

 wise been encroaching on the mountain heath. By draining 

 liming, and breaking up, Mr Walter Kidd has recently raised 

 the farm of Balleny to a high state of productiveness, a report 

 of which has already appeared in the Society's Transactions. Mr 

 Eobertson, Harlaw, has drained and limed a vast extent, ihQ 

 latter costing as much in some cases as L.6 per acre. Mr Gray, 

 Harper-rigg, has limed a large area of sheep pasture, and also 

 drained where required. In the Penicuik locality much land 

 now under cropjoing was waste fifty years ago, a considerable 

 breadth having been gone over within twenty-five years. 

 For the most part, the owners provided the outlay-capital ; the 

 tenants performing, and paying interest for money invested. Mr 

 lleming, Coates, has brought 150 acres of bog into good arable 

 land within twenty years. On many farms the area of ploughing 

 land has been increased: on some extensively, as Coates, Mount 

 Lothian, Walston, and Mirefield, with several others. A few 

 miles south of Edinburgh, a large proportion of the soil was in 

 its natural and barren state less than thirty years ago, and was 

 almost wholly depastured by blackfaced sheep. It has since 

 been improved by draining, fencing, liming, and breaking up. A 

 superior class of stocking is kept, the land producing oats, tur- 

 nips, and grass abundantly. Lime is plentiful and is liberally 

 applied. In West Lothian, too, the race of improvement has 

 for some time been going on, especially in the hill districts. In 

 the parish of Linlithgow, Mr Wilson has added to his extent of 

 cropping at Lochend by taking out rough fences and reclaiming 

 waste patches, while the land has been drained and otherwise 

 improved. Mr George Davidson, Walton, has drained much. 



