178 ON THE AGEICULTUEE OF THE 



generally allowed to each acre. The fiars prices for grain in 

 1868 and 1874 respectively were L.l, 8s. Od. and L.l, 6s. 9Jd. ; 

 the average for these two and the five intervening years being 

 L.l, 5s. 7hd. This average was exceeded by other seven counties 

 in Scotland. Oat sowing begins about the last week of March 

 or first week of April, according to the weather. 



Bi/c, Beans, and Peas. — For many years rye has been grown at 

 considerable breadth in Eoss , and Cromarty, and of late its 

 cultivation has been extending largely. The area under rye in 

 1854 was 161f acres, in 1869 it was 935 acres, and in 1876, 1192 

 acres. This variety of grain is sown generally on the drier and 

 lighter land, usually yields from 3 to 4 quarters per acre, and 

 weighs from 56 to 60 lbs. per bushel. The rye straw is mostly 

 used for thatch, and large quantities of the grain are given to 

 feeding cattle in mixture with other stuffs. Sowing commences 

 about the end of March, and cutting about the first week of 

 September. About 4 bushels of seed are given to each acre. 

 Beans require very rich heavy land, and only a comparatively 

 small area in these counties is suited for their cultivation. The 

 area under beans in 1854 was 271J acres, in 1869, 67 acres, and 

 in 1876, 86 acres. Peas are now grown more extensively than 

 beans, but of late they have also been declining in favour. The 

 xirea under peas in 1854 was 561 acres, in 1869, 212 acres, and 

 in 1876, 160 acres. 



Hay, Grass, and Permanent Pasture. 



Hay and Grass. — The following table shows the area under 

 hay and grass worked in regular rotation at various periods 

 since 1854 : — 



It will be observed that the area under hay and grass has all 

 along been almost equal in extent to that under oats, both these 

 crops being afiected about equally by the reclamation of land. 

 A great deal more attention is now being bestowed on the 

 cultivation of hay and grass than even some ten or fifteen years 

 ago, and considering the greatly increased value now attaching 

 to grass fields, this need not be wondered at. A good supply of 

 grass need not be looked for unless the land is really in high 

 condition, for probably no crop in the rotation affords a more 

 trying test of the manurial state of land than two or three years' 

 grass — and in such counties as Koss and Cromarty a bad crop of 

 grass is indeed a very serious matter. Farmers, therefore (at 

 least the majority of them), pay special attention to the laying 

 down of land into grass, and besides sowing it in a rich manurial 



