AND METEOROLOGY OF THE YEAR RELATIVE THERETO. 313 



vest ; the quantity of grain would he ahout 40 hushels, and the weight would 

 vary from 54 to 56 lbs. ; owing to the early part of the grain growing season 

 being unusually dry, the oat crop was generally short of straw ; when straw 

 is short it follows that the ear is also short, and the return of grain deficient; 

 the return of grain would be about 42 bushels, where the crop was fair ; of 

 course there were many instances where the crop was short, that the yield 

 would not be even half that quantity ; the quality of the grain is good, and 

 the average weight would be about 42 lbs. The harvest began about 

 the end of the first week of September, or nearly three weeks before 

 the commencement of harvest of 1886 ; except dui'ing the first week, the 

 weather was good, and rapid progress was made with the cutting down and 

 stacking the crop. Owing to the drought, the hay crop was rather poor, but 

 it was well mixed with clover, and cured and stacked in good condition ; the 

 quantity might be close upon 1 ton. There is no meadow hay in the district. 

 Potatoes would have yielded (i tons ; the quantity is remarkably good, and 

 the roots are perfectly sound, being quite free of disease. The turnip crop has 

 matured to be a good full one, and the weight would be 18 to 20 tons; the 

 crop brairded well where the soil was at all free of clay, but where the clay 

 soil was, brairding was very slow and unsatisfactory ; resowing had to be re- 

 sorted to in only t^vo instances^the fields were both stiff clay ; brairding was 

 remarkably slow, but after all, when the rains came, the plants came forward 

 fast, and on the whole the crop is better than could have been looked for. 

 None of the crops were in any way damaged by insects. None of the crops 

 suffered any serious damage fruin weeds. The pastures were very good during 

 the early part of the grazing season ; but after the excessive drought set in, 

 the fields got very parched and dry, and as a consequence, grass soon got 

 scarce, and cattle did little good upon the pastures ; the herds and flocks have 

 been unusually free of disease. The wool clip would be over an average. 



Banffshire (Lower District). — Wheat, none sown. Barley, 40 bushels ; 

 less straw than last year. Oats, 44 bushels ; one-third less straw than last 

 year Harvest fifteen days earlier than previous year. Hay, 14 cwts. ; 

 meadow hay, none. Potatoes, 3 tons ; no disease ; chiefly Champions. Tur- 

 nips — yellow, 14 tons ; swedes, 16 tons ; all were most promising until the 

 long-continued drought began ; the swedes recovered in a great measure from 

 the effects of it, but the yellows became mildewed and stunted. No injury 

 by insects or weeds. Pastures much less abundant from the long drought. 

 Stock made comparatively little progress on the grass during the season. 

 Cattle and sheep free from disease ; few sheep kept. Wool clip, average 

 quantity. 



Banffshire and Morayshire (Upper District). — Wheat, grain and straw 

 both a full crop and good quality, but slightly discoloured by rain in harvest; 

 quantity about 4i quarters. Banflshire — no wheat grown ; 4 bushels seed. 

 Barley, full crop of good grain, but colour darkened by rain, affecting value 

 possibly about 4s. per quarter on the average in Morayshire ; quantity, 36 

 bushels in INIorayshire, and 40 in Banff" ; Banff, 4 bushels seed ; Moray, 3 

 bushels or therebv. Oats, light crop both grain and straw in Morayshire ; 

 full crop in Banft'shire ; relative quantities, 30 and 38 bushels ; in neither 

 case was the berry of the grain so well developed as usual, and in both counties 

 the colour was darkened ; Moray, 5 bushels seed ; Banff, 6 bushels seed. 

 Harvest about fourteen days earlier than ordinary. Grasses fairly mixed 

 on good land, but deficient of clover on light soils ; average weight about 

 1 toil. No meadow hay in either district. Potatoes full crop, and free 

 from disease ; about 5 tons of dressed potatoes. Turnips fiiir crop in 

 Morayshire; full crop in Banft'shire — say 16 and 20 tons respectively; braird- 

 ing deficient on stiff land, but this in most cases was owing to neglect. No 



