58 THE AGRICULTURE OF THE 



about 200 acres of land from whins and heather, and now he 

 pays more than double the former rent. The proprietor gave a 

 small allowance for about one-half of this extent. In addition, 

 Mr Mackessack built several cattle courts, and put up a deal of 

 fencing, without any assistance from the proprietor. He breeds 

 few cattle, but feeds about 100 principally in folds. They are 

 fed chiefly on turnips and straw, with 2 lbs. of cake each per 

 day, and before selling off' the cake is increased to 4 lbs. with 

 sometimes a little meal. They usually weigh from 5 to 8 cwt. 

 when fat. From 300 to 600 cross-bred sheep are reared from 

 the Cheviots and Leicesters. The lambs are fed on turnips and 

 hay, with about J lb. each of cake per day. Part of them are 

 kept till the grass season arrives, when they are fed on grass and 

 cake. There is a good stock of horses on the farm, and these 

 are calculated to work from 60 to 100 acres a pair. "Wages have 

 advanced fully a third since 1857. Cottages are not abundant. 

 Eents have risen about 20 or 25 per cent, during the past twenty- 

 five years. 



Towards the upper end of this parish there are not a few well- 

 managed farms. The farm of Mundole is about 200 acres in 

 extent,- of which 20 acres are pasture. The rental in this district 

 ranges from 203. to 50s., and in exceptional cases 60s. per acre. 

 Three-fourths of Mundole is black mould and sand, on gravelly 

 subsoil. The six-course shift is pursued, viz., two grasses, wheat, 

 oats, turnips, and then barley sown out with grass. "Wheat when 

 sown from 1st to 15th October yields well, and bo also do oats, 

 but not barley. After preparing land for turnips in the usual 

 way, Mr Anderson, tenant, allows from 15 to 20 loads of dung and 

 4 cwt. superphosphates, and 2 cwt. small bones per acre, over 

 the whole turnip field. Potatoes get court-manure as far as it 

 will distribute, and when it falls short 5 cwt. of kainit is given 

 per acre, along with 3 cwt. small bones. Mr Anderson has 

 reclaimed about 15 acres since Whitsundav 1876, when he 

 entered upon the management of the farm. He also built the 

 greater part of the farm steading, repaired the dwelling house, 

 made new stackyard, erected dykes and wire fencing, which 

 involved an expenditure of over £600. From 15 to 20 cross bred 

 and polled cattle are reared every year and about 30 fattened. 

 They are tied up for feeding about the 1st of October, and are 

 fed on turnips, straw, cake, and sometimes a little corn. When 

 fat they usually weigh about 6 cwt., and bring from £20 to £24 

 each. Five years ago, Mr Anderson sold one-year-old cattle, for 

 which he received £16 and £17 a head, but last year for similar 

 animals he got only £13 each. Mr Anderson has a fair stud of 

 farm horses, which work at the rate of 60 acres a pair. He 

 thrashes all his crop with them except barley, and drives about 

 200 loads of dung from Furres every spring. He breeds two 



