162 THE AGRICULTURE OF THE 



drills, giving facilities for weeding, and generally yieldiag a 

 better crop. In the absence of fallow, it is necessary to have 

 the land in good heart, so that the crop may start freely and 

 keep down the weeds. On Dunmore home farm the rotation is 

 the six-course, without mashlum. About 45 acres can be worked 

 with a pair of horses, which is more than can be done on most 

 carse farms. The whole work on the farm of 380 acres is done 

 by seven pair of horses, except in spring, when there is an 

 additional pair. A good deal of spring work is saved by having 

 the manure spread on the soil and ploughed down in autumn. 

 On the dryfield farm of Gallamuir Mr Edmond has adopted the 

 plan of having the dung spread and ploughed down in autumn, 

 leaving only the artificial manures to be dealt with in spring. 

 This requires some additional capital, as there is always a year's 

 accumulation of dung on hand, but it seems to answer well. 

 The same course is followed by others in the county. The farm 

 of Plean has been occupied by Mr Paterson for about sixteen 

 years. Naturally a good farm, it has been particularly well 

 managed during the present lease, and is now one of the best 

 farms in the county. The farm house is above the average as 

 regards accommodation and general appearance ; the steading is 

 well arranged, beautifully kept, and very commodious. The 

 fences are in good order, the land is in rich bearing condition 

 and remarkably clean, and the crops generally are among the 

 earliest and best in the neighbourhood, the turnip crop especially 

 taking the premium not unfrequently at the show of the Stirling 

 Agricultural Society. The live stock of the farm includes a 

 small but superior herd of shorthorns, which occupy a con- 

 spicuous place at local shows. It is wholly a dryfield farm, 

 adjoins the farm of Gallamuir, also entirely dryfield, and the two 

 are managed much in the same way, and are good specimens of 

 dryfield farming in the district. On dryfield land the five and 

 six course rotations are the most common, with two or three 

 years of grass, and in some instances an additional year. In 

 the eastern district many tenants crop as they see fit, provided 

 the land is kept in good order, but leases generally bind them 

 to the six-course for carse land, and five, six, or seven for 

 dryfield. 



The chief fertiliser is farm-yard manure, a supply of which 

 can be obtained from the towns and villages, as well as from 

 Glasgow. Stable and cow dung is bought in the towns and 

 villages at 6s. 6d. a ton ; and the best Glasgow stable manure is 

 delivered at railway stations east of Stirling at 7s. a ton. Mr 

 Paterson, Plean, will use 400 to 500 tons a year of stable 

 manure, and Mr Edmond, on the adjoining farm of Gallamuir, 

 200 to 300 tons. In the west of the countv the cost of carriaoje 

 from Glasgow is much higher, though the distance is shorter. 



