338 THE CEREAL AND OTHER CROPS OF SCOTLAND FOR 1883, 



secured. Potatoes about 7 tons ; quite as good as last year ; Cliampions 

 all Imt free from disease, while other varieties are more or less diseased. 

 Turnips very unequal ; while on some farms the crop is fair as regards 

 both swedes and yellows, on others there is a very poor crop; taking the 

 district, there is not over half the crop of last year; a good deal of re-sowing 

 had to be resorted to, and in some cases a third time ; the land is not nearly 

 so clean from weeds as last year. Only the turnip crop and part of the crop 

 after lea were injured by insects — the former by the turnip fly and the 

 latter by grub. Turnip crop a little injured by annual weeds. Pastures 

 nearly an average growth, Ijut quality not so good. The stock did not 

 thrive so well as they should liave done. Cattle and sheep have been free 

 from disease ; although foot-and-mouth got a hold in spring to a small 

 extent, it was eradicated, and the district has since been free from disease. 

 ClixD of wool an average. 



Aberdeenshire (District of Formartine). — Wheat very little grown. 

 Barley and here extensively grown ; owing to the severe droughts in 

 the months of April, May, and June, with cold north-east winds, this 

 crop did not make such progress as could have been wished. There is 

 not nearly so much straw as last year ; and the quantity and weight of 

 grain very disappointing. The grain stood long in the stook after being 

 reaped, causing discoloration of the grain. The quantity would be about 

 one-third less than last year, with a large proportion of very light unmatured 

 grain. The weight per bushel, 49 to 51| lbs.; quantity sown, 4 bushels 

 barley, and 3 Inishels here. Oats, this crop also suffered by a long spell of 

 cold weather, hard winds, and insufficiency of moisture, which checked the 

 growth of the oats in the month ' of April ; and as May and June also 

 remained cold and droughty, this crop never recovered the check. The 

 quantity of straw would be one-third less than last year, and the quantity 

 of grain very much less — about 24 to 32 bushels, instead of 40 last year. 

 The lack of forcing, sunshiny weather at the proper time, when the ear of 

 the grain was maturing, is the canse of the lightness of the grain, which 

 weighs from 39 to 41 lbs. per bushel ; quantity sown, 6 bushels. Harvest 

 was rather more than a week later than last year. The hay crop, which is 

 said to be made by the month of May, suffered so much by the absence of 

 genial weather at this time, that when cut down the crop was found to be 

 very deficient in bulk ; and a deal of it was spoiled by exposure to rain after 

 being mowed ; quantity, about 1|- ton. No meadow hay. Potato crop not 

 so abundant as last year ; this year about 4| tons, with a larger proportion 

 of small tubers ; little or no disease, and of fine quality. Turnips are a very 

 disappointing crop. The fact that turnips have again failed to such an 

 extent raises a serious question. It is becoming more difficult every year to 

 produce a good sound crop of turnips. Farmers realise this fact, and the 

 question that has begun to be asked is whether it is wise to risk so much on 

 a crop that so often disappoints cultivators. In this district so much 

 depends on turnips that it is not easy to find a substitute in vegetable form, 

 and farmers by the force of circumstances, as it seems to them, are under the 

 necessity of continuing to spend many thousands of pounds every year on 

 one of the most uncertain crops of the farm. It yet remains to be seen 

 how far researches of science may be of use in finding a remedy for some 

 of the ills the turnip is heir to. It would be impossible to give an ac- 

 curate statement of the weight, as some fields are a perfect failure, and 

 others not half a crop, while a good field is the exception ; iti fact, the 

 turnip crop this year is the worst that has been in this district since the 

 cultivation of the root was first introduced. No damage by insects, except 

 the fly in the turnip crop. No damage done by weeds, although the land 

 had to be gone over oftener than had the crop been a good one. The 

 season has also been a bad grazing year, and where there was a full stock, 



