54 ON THE AGRICULTURE OF THE 



one- third of tlie whole extent, the remaining two-thirds being 

 very unequally divided between twenty-four other counties, 

 Aberdeen, Ayr, Dumfries, and Forfar having by far the largest 

 share. Linlithgow has a very small proportion, the area only 

 amounting to 10 acres. 



As a matter of course, Edinburgh exceeds all the other coun- 

 ties in market gardens, there being 775 acres under cultivation. 

 Most of the produce is consumed in the city of Edinburgh. 

 It consists chiefly of early potatoes, cabbages, turnips, strawberries, 

 &c., for which there is always a ready offgate. Much manure is 

 used for forcing, but the crops sometimes realise astonishing 

 prices. Labour is, however, dear; and a great deal being 

 required, there is not so much profit, after all incidental expenses 

 are deducted, as a casual observer might imagine. Linlithgow has 

 14 acres under market gardens. 



In the extent of land occupied by orchards, Edinburgh stands 

 third, being exceeded by Perth and Lanark. The entire area 

 devoted to fruit-trees is returned at 72 acres ; but these figures by 

 no means afford a fair criterion of the fruit actually grown. There 

 is much produced in the market gardens as wall-fruit, and also 

 upon standard trees and espaliers. A large quantity of the fruit 

 j-aised is of fine quality, especially when the season is favour- 

 able for ripening. 



We may notice that Haddington also contributes largely in 

 the matter of fruit and vegetables to the Edinburgh markets. 

 This has gone on for many years ; and now that railways have 

 facilitated the means of transit, a lucrative trade is pursued. 

 The East Lothian market gardens occupy 306 acres. 



Farming, Fast and F resent. 



It is a pleasant feature in the farming of the two counties to 

 notice the contrast between the excellent system observed at the 

 present day and that carried on at the beginning of the nine- 

 teenth century, as handed down to us by history, or through oral 

 tradition ; not that very large tracts of land have been reclaimed 

 in the low-lying districts within the limits of this report, because, 

 as already stated, most of the land was previously in cultivation; 

 but great advances have been made in the general system of crop- 

 ping and land management. In the hill districts, many large stretches 

 have been added to the area, and are now growing turnips and corn 

 abundantly, where, of yore waslittle save the heather and the heather- 

 bell. In order to see as much as possible of the methods of culture 

 now adopted, we made what may be termed two agricultural tours 

 through the counties, guiding our footsteps into the best and 

 worst districts, also keeping in view the following features — 

 cattle-feeding, dairyiQg, hill-farming, and lowland mixed agricul- 

 ture. It was the haying season when we paid our visit, and 



