COUNTIES OF EDINBUKGH AND LINLITHGOW. 



19 



average produce of wheat in Edinburgh is 31 bushels per acre 

 in the best districts, and 24 to 25 in the higher, although many- 

 crops exceed these figures by 12 or 15 bushels, and some by a 

 great deal more. In Linlithgow, 80 bushels is stated as the 

 average, but from 4|- to 51- quarters is often reached. 



The usual weight of wheat may be set down approximately at 

 60 to 63 lbs. per bushel ; on good soils a little more, on poor thin 

 subjects something less. Weeding of cereals is not so much 

 attended to in the Lothians as it might be. It is, therefore, not 

 uncommon at certain times to see the fields yellow with the 

 flowers of the wild mustard; at others, red with those of the 

 poppy. Wild oats, too, are a serious source of annoyance in some 

 districts, while thistles spring up luxuriantly in soils favourable 

 to their growth. Top-dressing of wheat is practised here and 

 there. When fertilisers thus applied are mixed with potash 

 and common salt, the straw becomes much stiffer, and thus root- 

 falling and stem-rotting are, to a certain extent, prevented. In 

 adverse seasons the larvse of the crane-fly or daddy-long-legs 

 (Tipula oleracea) occasion much mischief to the roots of the 

 plants ; small insects sometimes attack the stem, while the ear 

 is now and then injured by the wheat midge. 



BarlcT/. — In both Mid and West Lothian a comparatively large 

 area of barley is grown, being in each county almost one-eleventh 

 of the breadth under cropping. The acreage under barley 

 was in — 



Of late years a slight increase is noticeable in the extent 

 under cultivation, but not nearly so much as in some counties. 

 The fluctuations in the statistics eifected by the growth of this 

 cereal in the past twenty years have been very trifling, although 

 prices have varied considerably. Compared with wheat, the 

 value of barley now stands relatively high; this is, without 

 doubt, one reason why the area under the latter is so well 

 maintained. On farms near the sea fine crops are annually 

 grown, as also on the lighter soils in the interior of the county. 

 Barley is generally taken after turnips. As the crop draws its 

 constituents from the soil very quickly, unlike wheat, which 

 takes them gradually, it is necessary to have the land manurially 

 rich, fur the plant sends out numerous roots which spread laterally 

 through the soil. Where the whole of the turnip crop has been 

 drawn, farm-yard, or artiflcial manures are substituted, but the 



