314 THE CEREAL AND OTHER CROPS OF SCOTLAND FOR 1887, 



injury by insects, and none by weeds. Pastures good in the early summer, 

 but deficient in August, after which they recovered and continued good through 

 the autumn. Stock throve well, and were free from disease. "Clip of wo'ol 

 average. 



Morayshire (Lower District). — -Wheat was the best of the grain crops in 

 Morayshire, both as to quantity and quality ; the winter was favourable to it, 

 and it was well forward when the great drought began in the month of June, 

 and stood it well ; the quantity would average 5 quarters ; the quality was 

 very good, with fully an average quantity of straw ; the dry weather was 

 favourable to the crop ; seed used, 3 to 4 bushels. Barley was a very light 

 crop, except on heavy damp land ; it would be 1 quarter below the average 

 all over the county; the extremely dry weather came too early for the crop ; 

 on the lighter soils a portion did not fully come out of the short blade ; the 

 quality was good, but the colour very much injured by the wet weather 

 during harvest; straw very short, and quantity about 3| quarters; weight 

 good ; seed used, 3 to 4 bushels. Oats were a very light" crop, dry weather 

 being very unfavourable to the growth of oats ; straw was very short in 

 general, except on heavy soils; the quantity of grain would be 1 quarter 

 below the average, varying from 2 quarters to 6 quarters according to soil ; 

 the bulk of straw deficient by one-third of average, and a good deal injured 

 by wet weather ; seed used from 3 to 4^ bushels. Harvest began about two 

 weeks before the usual time. There was a great deal of rain fell, which made 

 the work rather tedious, injuring considerably the quality of both grain and 

 straw. The hay crop as to quality was unusually good, the drought being 

 favourable for harvesting ; the crop came well forward in the early part of the 

 season, and on good land would be an average and from 1 to 2^ tons. Little 

 or no meadow hay. Except on very light soils, the potato crop was fully an 

 average, the quality was very good ; there was no disease ; and the quantity 

 would be from 4 to 6 tons ; no new varieties in particular. The turnip crop 

 was rather under the average ; the dry weather injured the crops considerably, 

 ripening the crops prematurely ; there was a good deal of cauker among the 

 common varieties, especially globes ; the quality of swedes is good, but 

 'yellows very inferior ; weight from 12 to 20 tons ; no second sowing. No 

 particular injury from insects, with the exception of some patches of turnips 

 from green fly. No unusual damage from weeds, the dry season being un- 

 favourable to the growth of weeds. The pastures were unusually rich and 

 full till about the beginning of July, when the extreiue heat and want of 

 moisture burned them up fearfully, making keep very scarce. Stock throve 

 very well, so long as keep was abundant, but rather fell off afterwards ; there 

 was no special disease, stock being very healthy. The clip of wool was an 

 average, looth as to quantity and quality. 



Nairnshire. — Wheat, none. Barley, 10 to 12 bushels less than last year ; 

 straw nearly one half less ; 4 bushels sown. Oats, 6 to 8 bushels less ; straw 

 nearly one half less ; 5 to 6 bushels sown. Harvest ten days earlier. Hay 

 crop light. No meadow hay. Potatoes, earlier sorts rather poor crop ; later 

 sorts an average ; no disease. Turnips, weight of crop fully over last 

 year; brairded well; only once sown. No injury by insects or weeds. 

 Pastures much affected by early drought. Stock throve fairly well, and 

 were free from disease. 



Inverness-shire (District of Inverness). — Wheat, about 34 bushels ; 

 quality of grain and straw alike good, but the latter was short compared with 

 former years ; from 3 to 4 bushels of seed is generally sown. The return of 

 barley was very much less on most farms than anticipated from the appearance 

 of the growing crop, but the grain was well-matured and early ripened, and 



