78 THE AGEICULTUEE OF THE 



5 quarters per acre, and weighs 56 lbs, per bushel ; oats, 6 

 quarters, 43 lbs. ; and potatoes about 4 tons per acre. The land 

 is manured for roots with 24 loads of dung and 4 cwt. artificial 

 manure per acre. Mr Davidson entered tlie present lease in 

 1873, when the farm was in bad condition, and now it is in a 

 much better state. He got a new steading on entry, for the 

 building of which he carted materials, and pays Government 

 interest during the lease. The tenant breeds cross cattle in part 

 and buys in part, feeding annually from ten to twelve, which, 

 with liberal supplies of turnips and straw, combined with a little 

 nutritious cake and bruised corn, they weigh about 5 cwt. 

 each about three months after they are tied up, when they are 

 sold of!'. He lets the pasture during winter along with a quantity 

 of turnips. The pasture is sufficiently extensive to carry 400 

 sheep. A pair of horses work about 86 acres. Single farm 

 servant men get from £10 to £12 in the half year. Under the 

 present five-shift system the land is becoming unsuitable for 

 turnips and grass. A recourse to the six-shift rotation would, 

 in Mr Davidson's opinion, give better turnips and grass, and 

 prevent finger-and-toe damaging the former. 



The farm of Crook extends to 184 arable acres and 4 pasture, 

 and is pleasantly situated on the right bank of the river Nairn. 

 It is rented to Mr William Malcolm at £199, and is part of the 

 property of Colonel James A. Grant, C.B. The rental in the 

 district ranges from 14s. to 40s. per acre. On the farm of Crook 

 the soil is of a kindlv lisihtish nature, and is wroucyht under the 

 five-shift rotation. Crops yield variously, being more apt to 

 suffer from a deficiency of moisture than from too much. Oats 

 and barley yield from 2 to 5 quarters per acre, and the grain, both 

 in respect of quality and weight, is invariably good. Turnips 

 yield from 12 to 24 and potatoes from 3 to 6 tons per acre. 

 Land for the root crop is usually twice ploughed, grubbed, and 

 harrowed several times before it is properly cleaned. From 20 

 to 24 loads of dung, along with from 4 to 7 cwt. of dissolved 

 bones, constitute the manurial ingredients applied per acre. 

 Potatoes are grown after two-year-old grass, which is covered in 

 the autumn wdth a heavy coating of dung before being ploughed, 

 and immediately before planting trom 6 to 7 cwt. of dissolved 

 bones are applied. Mr Malcolm reclaimed about 20 acres of 

 low marshy ground, and the proprietor ploughed 40 acres of 

 light land (which had previously been under wood) with six 

 oxen during the past twenty-five years. The farm stock of 

 breeding cattle consists of polled and cross cows and shorthorn" 

 bull. Twelve calves are reared, and in every case, when prac- 

 ticable, each cow has to suckle two calves. The young stock 

 are kept in open courts till they are two years of age, when 

 they are sold in April or May at from £20 to £24. From ten 



