334 THE CEREAL AND OTHEE CEOPS OF SCOTLAND FOE 1883, 



Stirlingshire (Eastern District). — Wheat, 34 bushels ; neither quantity 

 nor quality so good as last year ; an average bulk of straw ; 3 bushels of 

 seed. Barley, 34 bushels; equal to last year, but quality of grain not so good ; 

 straw an average ; 3 bushels seed. Oats, 41 bushels ; quantity and quality 

 of grain and straw equal to last year ; 4 bushels seed. Harvest began about 

 the usual time, and in general crops were all secured in good condition. 

 Hay, 28 cwt.; similar in quantity to last year; rather deficient in clover, 

 but secured in capital condition, consequently much superior to last year's crop. 

 No meadow hay. Potatoes — Eegents, 6^ tons ; one-third to one-half diseased, 

 being better than last year both as regards quantity and proportion of 

 disease ; Champions, 5^ tons, a poor crop — tubers being very small, but com- 

 paratively free from disease ; a few Reading Heroes were planted, but the re- 

 sults have been very disappointing. Turnips — Swedes and early sown yellows, 

 15 t-ons ; similar to last year, but those later so^^^l did badly — about 12 tons ; 

 the seed brairded well, and no re-sowing was required. No injury by insects ; 

 a good deal of work was required keeping annual weeds in check. Pastures 

 similar to last year in growth and quality ; stock thrived well in the 

 beginning of the season, but they made little progress after the first week in 

 August. Cattle and sheep w^ere free from disease, with the exception of a 

 few cases of foot-and-mouth disease among cattle, but owing to the restric- 

 tions of the local authority these were not allowed to spread. Few sheep 

 are kept in the district ; wool may be taken as an average clip. 



FiFESHiRE (Eastern District). — Wheat, 34 bushels ; straw, 1^ ton ; seed, 

 3 bushels ; quality inferior. Barley, 36 bushels ; straw, 18 cwt. ; seed, 3 

 bushels ; quality not so line as last year. Oats, 44 bushels ; straw, 22 cwt. ; 

 seed, 4 bushels. Harvest was late, fully a week after the usual time. Hay 

 crop, 25 cwt.; both ryegrass and clover inferior to crop 1882. Meadow hay, 

 none grown. Potato crop, 5 to 6 tons ; Champions and Magnum Bonums 

 pretty sound, and have kept "well ; a few Heroes grown, l^ut not generally 

 liked. Turnip crop, 12 tons, one-third less than last year ; brairded middling; 

 partly re-sown. No injury by insects ; little injury from weeds, damage less 

 than usual. Pastures fully average growth and quality. Stock throve 

 satisfactorily, and were free from disease ; clip of wool an average. 



FiFESHiRE (Middle District). — Wheat, quantity and quality below last 

 year ; average yield about 24 bushels, much of it under 60 lbs. per bushel ; 

 seed about 3 bushels. Barley, average yield 31 bushels ; quantity, quality, 

 and weight under average ; grain dark in colour from want of sunshine ; 

 seed from 2^ bushels Avhere drilled to 3^ broadcast. Oats not cjuite so good 

 as last year ; yield about 40 bushels ; some fields stagg-rooted, and therefore 

 full of grasses ; seed, 3 to 5 bushels. Harvest later than usual ; began first 

 week of September, being a week later than previous year. Hay not so 

 good as last year ; yield about 1 j tons, generally secured in good condition. 

 No meadow hay. Potato crop better than last year ; yield about 5 tons. 

 Regents one-third to one-half diseased. Disease appeared beginning of 

 August ; Champions and Magnums little or no disease. Small quantities 

 Reading Hero planted, and generally give satisfaction, quality and yield 

 being good, and scarcely any disease. Swedes did not come away well, and 

 a considerable extent was re-sown with yellows ; turnips generally not much 

 above half an average ; although, on some rich, easy land, were not early 

 stored, they will approach an average ; yield about 12 tons. No injury 

 from insects, and not more or less than usual by weeds. Pastures not up 

 to the average in growth or quality ; want of sunshine. Stock throve only 

 moderately well. There were four or five serious outbreaks of pleuro- 

 pneumonia in the early spring, which have been successfully stamped out. 

 There were also outbreaks of foot-and-mouth disease in the spring and 

 autumn, which have also been stamped out. Clip of wool barely average. 



