COUNTY OF STIRLING. 165 



Mr M'Adam, Blairoer, Drymeii parish, occupies his own land, 

 167 acres in extent, and nearly all arable. The rotation is oats, 

 green crop, oats with grass seed, and three years in pasture. 

 The land is well drained, but in a few years the tiles get choked 

 with a kind of ferruginous ore, so that a good deal of renewing 

 is required every time the land is broken up. In a park near 

 the house are some good Leicester sheep, originally from the 

 flocks of Oldhamstocks and ]\Ir Smith, Castlehill. The pasture 

 is excellent, the shelter good, and the sheep have a thriving 

 look. At a little distance is a flock of Cheviots, which also do 

 well. The principal feature, however, is the fine herd of Ayr- 

 shires, bred by Mr M'Adam and his father, who took prizes at 

 the earliest Drymen shows. Mr M'Adam himself has often 

 acted as a judge of Clydesdale horses and Ayrshire cows at local 

 shows, and at meetings of the Highland and Agricultural Society. 

 The number of cows is twenty-nine, including some finely-bred 

 animals. The milk is sent to Glasgow, and the prices are, from 

 May to July inclusive, 6d. a gallon; August, 7d.; September, 8d.; 

 October, 9d.; November, 9d.; December, lOd.; January, lid.; 

 February, lOd. ; March, 9d.; and April, 8d. The carriage costs, 

 as at all stations west from Port of Menteith, three farthings a 

 gallon. j\Ir M'Adam is in the habit of using Glasgow manure, 

 at the rate of about 200 tons a year, and the cost at Drymen 

 station is 8s. 2d. a ton. 



Grain Cwps — Root Crops — Pastures — Meadows. 



On carse land the principal crops are wheat and beans. In 

 1882 there were 2786 acres of wheat, and in the ordinary rota- 

 tion it follows the green crop and fallow. On the fallow break 

 it is sown early in autumn^ and on other land as soon as it can 

 be ploughed after the potatoes and turnips have been removed. 

 In a good season the yield will be 10 bolls per Scotch acre ; in 

 an average season, 7 to 8 bolls ; the weight 60 to 6o, and 

 occasionally 65 lbs. a bushel. 



Leans were grown in 1882 to the extent of 3389 acres. The 

 crop is a profitable one in a good season, and the yield is 

 about equal to that of wheat ; but in some recent bad seasons 

 the produce would scarcely be more than the seed. The beans 

 nre sown either broadcast or in drills. The latter mode eflects a 

 saving of seed, and aflbrds facilities for weeding with hand or 

 horse hoe. 



liurley and here in 1882 covered 4846 acres. The chevalier 

 variety is sown upon light soils ; but on stronger soils or more 

 ungenial districts the conmion varieties are sown, and frequently 

 yield a better return. The average yield of barley is 36 to 42 

 bushels an acre, but sometimes more in a good season. The 



