AND METEOKOLOGY OF THE YEAR RELATIVE THERETO. 335 



FiFESHiRE (Western District). — Wheat, 32 bushels ; grain not as good 

 quality ; straw much the same as last year for quality, rather less in 

 quantity — dull season against quality ; seed, 2 to 3 bushels. Barley, 36 

 bushels ; grain slightly deficient in quality ; straw much as last year for 

 quality, rather more in quantity; fine seed bed encouraged growth, but didl 

 weather against quahty ; seed, 2 to 3 bushels. Oats, 42 bushels ; much the 

 same for quality and quantity of grain and straw ; season more favourable 

 for oats than other cereals ; seed, 3 to 4;^ bushels. Harvest fully a week 

 later than usual. Hay crop, 32 cwt.; much the same as last year; rains in 

 July too late for hay crop ; quality much as last year. Xo meadow hay. 

 Potato crop, 5 tons ; little disease came in at the end ; few new varieties ; 

 results indifferent. Turnip crop, 12 tons; fair braird, one sowing; July rains 

 much against turnips on all strong lands. No damage from insects ; a good 

 deal of chickweed, encouraged by the damp weather. Pastures of average 

 growth and quality. Stock throve fairly well, and were free from disease ; 

 clip of wool an average. 



Perthshire (South-West District). — Wheat well enough harvested, but 

 a poor crop — not more than 30 bushels ; seed, 3 to 4 bushels ; quality of 

 straw coarse ; not much thrashed out yet, but weight unsatisfactory, and 

 sample inferior. Barley of bad colour, but better tilled and heavier than 

 last year ; weight 50 to 54 lbs. per bushel ; straw middling, produce 38 to 40 

 bushels ; seed, about 4 bushels. Oats the best crop of the season ; return 

 about 40 bushels, and up to 44 in good land ; straw more bulky and better 

 ([uality than last year, except in late situations, where both grain and straw 

 suffered from exposure ; seed, 5 to 6 bushels. Harvest began ten days later 

 than usual, but weather favourable for a month; afterwards the reverse, and 

 a good deal of crop damaged. Hay a fair average crop, and fairly well got ; 

 quantity 30 cwt. or so. Meadow hay, quality not so good as usual, season 

 not being favourable for marshy land ; where early handled a considerable 

 quantity was well made, but much was damaged by weather and flooding 

 of rivers. Potatoes a good crop ; early varieties damaged by disease to the 

 extent of one-third and upwards ; Champions and Magnum Bonums, merely 

 touched by disease, will be remunerative. Turnips in kindly open soils a 

 fair crop, but in stiff soils quite the reverse, and very much injured by finger- 

 and-toe; not much affected by fly at seed time, but spoiled afterwards by 

 wet ungenial weather; good crops ; 20 tons diseased, flelds about half as much 

 and often less. Crops not much damaged by insects, hi stiff wet soils 

 weeds very troublesome ; in fact, the fields could not be cleaned, and weeds 

 and young plants were frequently seen growing together after hoeing. 

 Stock did not thrive well on pastures as a rule throughout the season, 

 owing to the prevalence of wet weather, but on the whole they were free 

 from disease till lately. Indeed, very few sheep have suffered from foot- 

 and-mouth in Scotland, nor were many cattle affected until they were taken 

 off pastures. The clip of wool has bulked well, and is of fair quality — rather 



over an average. 



Perthshire (District of Coupar-Angus). — Wheat, a small crop, much 

 under crop of 1882, and grain inferior; the yield on good land niiglit be 

 about 30 to 32 bushels; seed, 3 to 4 bushels, according to the (juality of the 

 land ; small crop of straw. Barley was undoubtedly the cereal crop of the 

 season in this district; yield, 32 to 50 bushels, much the same as in 1882, 

 and selling at about same price — 25s. to SOs. per quarter; seed, 2 to 4 

 bushels ; straw above average ; weight, 54 to 56 lbs. Oats nearly equal to 

 croi) of 1882, but not quite; yield 40 to 50 bushels, weighing from 40 to 

 43 lbs. ; the oats having been cut pretty green, the straw is genenilly good 

 quality for fodder; seed, about 4 bushels. Harvest commenced about 1st 

 September, a few days later than in 1882; the harvest was an exceptionally 



