66 THE AGRICULTURE OF THE 



weight varies from 52 to 57 lbs. a bushel, and the quality in the 

 eastern districts is generally good. 



Oats cover a larger area than all other kinds of grain together; 

 and in 1882 there were 20,345 acres, which is nearly twice the 

 extent of all the others. On good early land the potato oat is 

 grown ; in later or more uncertain districts the sandy, the 

 Barbauchlaw, the Providence, and other varieties are grown. 

 Blainslie oats are grown on the carse ; on dryfield land potato 

 or sandy oats. The yield on dryfield soil will be 30 to 40 

 bushels per imperial acre, weight about 40 lbs. Eye and peas 

 are not grown to any great extent. 



Turnips are grown more or less extensively on all arable 

 farms ; and in 1882 there were in the county 4589 acres of 

 turnips and swedes. On carse lands turnips form the principal 

 green crop, as few potatoes are grown. The favourite varieties 

 are improved swedes, green top and Aberdeen yellows, and 

 purple top yellows, with a few whites for early use. Swedes 

 are found to be the most profitable when the land is good and 

 well manured. Some of the best farmers apply farm-yard manure 

 in autumn, and add to their own manure a good quantity 

 purchased from the towns. The additional manures applied 

 when sowing are at the rate of 6 to 9 cwt. an acre on dryfield 

 land, and comprise generally a mixture of dissolved bones, 

 superphosphate, potash, also bone meal, guano, and sometimes 

 nitrate of soda. The yield varies from 16 to 24 tons an imperial 

 acre, but in some cases heavier weights are reached. In 1880 

 Mr Edmond, Gallamuir, got the first premium at the Stirling- 

 shire i\gricultural show, with a weight of 30 tons an acre; and 

 in 1881 Mr Paterson, Plean, got the prize, with 26 tons. On 

 the carse turnips require a showery season to get started in 

 time. They do not often yield a bulky crop on the carse, but 

 they are solid and of good nourishing quality. 



Potatoes and turnips are grown in about ecpial quantities on 

 the break devoted to green crop on dryfield land from Stirling 

 to Falkirk ; and the yield of potatoes will be 4 to 8 tons per 

 imperial acre. In the district of Slamannan the proportion will 

 be about one-third of potatoes and two-thirds of turnips. In 

 the districts of Kilsyth and Campsie potatoes are in the 

 ascendant. In all the western districts potatoes are grown to a 

 considerable e.\tent, and a ready market is found in Glasgow. 

 In 1882 there were 4066 acres under this crop. 



In the carse of Falkirk the mode of operation is somewhat as 

 follows : — Wheat is sown generally in October and November, 

 but on fallow it is sown sometimes in the end of September. 

 The kind of wheat chiefly sown is woolly-eared. When wheat 

 is sown after beans, the land gets a dusting of lime on the 

 stubble to kill the slugs, then a thin furrow, after which it is 



