30 THE AGEICULTURE OF THE 



are grow^n after grass that has been top-clressecl heavily with 

 farm-yard manure before being ploughed, and about 6 cwt. of 

 potato manure is given when the potatoes are being planted. 

 Mr Petrie entered his farm in 1864, and has sinf3e then 

 executed considerable improvements in building, draining, 

 fencing, &c., at a cost of £400. The proprietor pays £200 at 

 the expiry of the lease, for improvements made to that extent 

 on buildings. The cattle consist of shorthorns and crosses, 

 about the half of which are bought in every year, and the others 

 bred on the farm. They are taken in off* the grass on the 1st 

 of October, and are usually ready for the April market of the 

 following year, and being two years old weigh about 7 cwt. 

 They are partly fed loose in courts, and partly tied up. It 

 would be an advantage if courts were more closely covered over 

 for feeding cattle. Turnips and straw constitute the feeding 

 aliment. With a few exceptions, the cows are allowed to suckle 

 their calves. These calves get sliced turnips in the autumn 

 along with from ^ lb. to 1 lb. of oilcake each per day, which is 

 continued throughout the winter and spring, until they are put 

 to grass. 



The cost of labour since Mr Petrie became tenant of this 

 farm has increased at least 35 per cent. In accordance with 

 the regulation of the estate, the tenant works under the five- 

 shift course, but he thinks' that the land would be much 

 improved to lie in grass for a few years. He sows about half 

 the turnip land in swedes, and would sow even more of this 

 variety, but some parts of the farm are not well adapted for its 

 production. Barley and wheat are the principal cereal crop. 

 Mr Petrie does not cultivate oats extensively. Barley as a rule 

 is the most remunerative crop, but sometimes in a dry season 

 barley and oats are burnt up, when wheat, which sends its roots 

 deeper into the ground, withstands the effects of drought. The 

 quantities of seed sown per acre runs thus, — wheat 4 bushels, 

 barley 3^ bushels, and oats 4 bushels. The yield and weight 

 are various, but are about the same as those on Mr Anderson's 

 farm. Hay is always a light crop on this farm. Mr Petrie 

 puts nearly all his court manure upon grass lands, applying it 

 in the autumn after the first grass has been eaten, or early in 

 the following spring. The land to be sown with barley is twice 

 " break furrowed " and then ploughed. Mr Petrie is a very 

 liberal farmer, as may be inferred from the fact that he 

 expends on an averaga £200 per year for manures, besides the 

 outlay incurred for cake, which is no inconsiderable amount. 

 He has a good stock of strong agricultural horses. 



A few miles north-west of Stonewells is the farm of Inch- 

 broom. The present tenant, Mr Euxton, has improved its value 

 considerably since he entered it some ten or twelve years ago. 



