72 THE AGPJCULTUEE OF THE 



the rental being £516. The soil over the farm is rich alluvium, 

 and is well nourished by the tenant. 



In the extreme north-eastern corner of the parish of Rothes, 

 on the bank of the Spey, is the choice farm of Garbity,* tenanted 

 by Mr James AVatt. It covers an area of 220 arable acres, is 

 rented at 35s. an acre, and is carefully and skilfully managed. 

 Mr AYatt is also tenant of the farm of Mulben, in the parish of 

 Boharm, which is 240 arable acres in extent. The soil on Mul- 

 ben is of a light, blackish nature, while on Garbity it consists of 

 fine light loam. In the district surrounding Garbity the rental 

 runs from 15s. to 35s. per acre. Mr V/att works on the five- 

 shift system on Garbity, and adopts the six-course rotation on 

 Mulben. The latter system is most approved of. In good 

 seasons wheat and barley yield about 5 quarters per acre on 

 Garbity, on which there are no oats grown. On the farm of 

 ]\Iulben oats yield about 6 quarters per acre, barley 4i quarters. 

 The land here is rented at about 23s. per acre. Mr Watt sub- 

 soils his turnip land in the autumn with one of Sellar's diggers, 

 grubs it in spring, and manures as heavily in the drills as pos- 

 sible with duns, alon^^ with from £3 to £3, lOs. worth of artificial 

 stimulants per acre. The allowance of seed for swedes per acre 

 is 3 lbs,, and 2 lbs. for yellow turnips. About 7 acres of potatoes 

 are grown after lea, and the usual width of the drill is 29 inches. 

 Dung for these is spread over the surface of the lea before being 

 ploughed in the autumn, and about 3 cwt. of manure added 

 when they are being planted. The varieties of potatoes grown 

 are Victoria Ee2;ents, Magnum Bonums, and sometimes Cham- 

 pions, and the quantity of seed varies from 10 to 12 cwt. per 

 acre. The artificial manure is deposited by a sowing machine. 

 Mr AYatt expended £100 in buildiug, and also made roads 

 and drained a few acres of land at his own expense. In 

 some of the following pages we allude to the superiority of his 

 herd of shorthorn cattle. On the two farms Mr "VVatt breeds 40 

 cross cattle every year, and feeds them along with bought-in 

 stock when two years old. They are tied up for feeding in 

 October, and, weighing from 7 to 8 cwt., are ready for the 

 market at Christmas. Besides turnips and straw, they receive 

 cake and bruised oats. About 120 half-bred ewes are kept be- 

 tween the two farms, and they rear about 200 lambs. The lambs 

 weigh about 65 lbs. in spring when fat, and are sold at about 

 £2, 15s. each. They get about -|- lb. of linseed each per day. 

 The farm hoises are very good, and work at the rate of 80 acres 

 a pair. Mr Watt's servants are all married, and most of them 

 have houses on the farm. They get from £16 to £18, along with 

 3|- bolls of meal, 1 ton of coals, and fully 1 ton of potatoes, each 

 in the half-year. The rent on Garbity is the same as Mr Watt 

 This farm is now (1883) tenanted by Mr Stewart. 



