COUNTIES OF EOSS AXD CROMARTY. 173 



become very much more expensive than even ten or fifteen years 

 ago. The increase since 1850 is about 60 per cent. 



Grain Croi^s. 



The following table shows the number of acres under all kinds 

 of grain crops in both counties at various periods since 1854 : — 



It will be seen from this table that during the past three years 

 the area under grain crops has decreased by 328 acres, which 

 will be accounted for in our figures relating to permauent pasture. 

 The percentage of grain crops to the total acreage under all kinds 

 of crops, bare fallow and grass, in 1869 was 38'2, and in 1873 it 

 was 38*7, which places these counties seventh in Scotland with 

 regard to the percentage of grain croj^s, Haddington and Clack- 

 mannan coming first with a percentage of about 40 each. With 

 such variety of soil and climate in these counties it is only what 

 might be expected that the grain crop is much more valuable in 

 some districts than in others. Easter Eoss is undoubtedly the 

 best grain district ; in fact, that division of Koss-shire is well 

 known to be one of the finest grain-producing districts in 

 Scotland. The climate and soil suit the cultivation of grain 

 extremely well, and those natural provisions are fully taken 

 advantage of by the enterprising tenants. Barley is not gro'^Ti 

 so extensively in Easter Eoss as in some other districts, but the 

 acreage under wheat is large, and the yield of this fine variety of 

 gTain is usually very good ; while for quality and colour tlie 

 sample has been famed in the southern grain markets for more 

 than fifty years. Speaking generally for both counties, the 

 quality and quantity of the grain crops will bear favourable 

 comparison with any other county in the north of Scotland, and 

 there can be no doubt that within the past twenty-five years very 

 considerable improvement has taken place both in the yield and 

 quality. The work of the harvest is now accomplished in a 

 short period compared to what was re(|uired some thirty or forty 

 years ago, when nothing but the antiquated " hook " was used in 

 cutting the grain. On the larger farms in those days from sixty 

 to eighty women and ten or twelve men were employed in the 

 harvest work, and not only was this system a slow one, but it 

 w\as also more expensiv^e tlian the mode of harvesting now in 

 vogue. ]'^ach of those sixty or eighty women got SUs., and each 

 of tlie ten or twelve men L.2 for the work of live weeks, and in 

 a(klition to this sleeping accommodation liad to be provided, 

 whicli in itself entailed a small outlay. All the people now re- 

 quired on these farms are nine or ten women at about L.2, 5s. 



