AND METEOROLOGY OF THE YEAR RELATIVE THERETO. 339 



and cattle and sheep turned out on the fields early, it was kept sliort all 

 season, tlie cold dry weather being adverse to growth ; cattle and sheep 

 did not thrive well, but were generally free from disease. One outbreak of 

 pleuro-pneumonia occurred from Irish cattle being brought into the district ; 

 it was stamped out, and did not spread further. Inoculation was tried on 

 the whole of the home stock, and was verv successful ; the onlv defect was 

 that some of the cows lost part of their tails, but all recovered. Foot-and- 

 mouth disease was immediately put down, and the county has been free from 

 all contagious and infectious disease for a length of time. Clip of wool an 

 average ; the price of wool has been very disappointing. 



Aberdeenshire (District of Garioch). — Scarcely any wheat sown. 

 The yield of barley is under that of last year by fully 4 bushels, and the 

 weight is also less ; 54 lbs. is exceptional, but 50 to 51 lbs. may be stated as 

 an average, and 38 bushels ; the quantity used for seed, 4 to 4^ Imshels. 

 The oat crop is very disappointing, both in quantity and equality ; the 

 return is at least 6 to 8 bushels less than last year, whilst the weight is 

 only from 34 to 40 lbs. The cold dry weather during the formation of the 

 ear probably laid the foundation of the deficiency, and the average return 

 in all likelihood will not exceed 32 bushels ; seed, 6 bushels. Harvest was 

 commenced from 10th to 12th September, or about a fortnight to three 

 weeks later than usual. The crop of hay also participated in the general 

 shortcoming, and the yield declined about 10 cwt, which brings down the 

 crop to 1 ton 4 cwt. ; but it is stated that the yield of ryegrass is above an 

 average. No meadow hay. Disease existed to a more or less extent 

 amongst the different varieties of potatoes, but the Champions, although of 

 smaller size than usual, were all but free of that infliction, and the ^ield 

 would be the same as last year, viz., 4^ tons. Last year the Garioch 

 Turnip Growing Association reported the crop of last year as one of the 

 best since the formation of the Society, but that of this year light and a 

 deal of disease ; the average all round will not exceed 14 tons, or about 

 6 tons less than last year. The crop brairded nicely, and came well forward 

 to the hoe, and everything apparently in favour, till after the heavy rain- 

 fall in July and August, when disease made rapid progress. No damage to 

 crops was sustained by insects. Land kept clean, and no damage is sus- 

 tained by weeds. The pasture grass was longer in coming foru'ard than 

 usual, but after a time it did fairly well ; but stock, as is usual now-a-days, 

 made l)ut very little progress on it. Both cattle and sheep have been remark- 

 ably free from disease. The clip of wool was similar to that of last year. 



Aberdeenshire (District of Stratlibogie). — No wheat grown. Bere and 

 barley were a fair crop as regards quantity of straw and grain, but the 

 quality is very poor, the weight being from 47 lbs. to 51 lbs. ; the average 

 yield is about 34 bushels ; the quantity of seed sown is about 4 Imshcls. 

 Oats after lea were fully an average crop as regards l)ulk of straw, and very 

 deficient in bulk after turnips ; the yield of marketable grain per acre is 

 very poor, there being little over 30 bushels, and the weight from 35 to 

 39 lbs., the latter weight being exceptional ; the quantity generally sown is 

 from 4 to G bushels. Harvest was about three weeks later than usual, not 

 being general till the last week of September ; the weather at the beginning 

 was very wet and unsettled, but the crop was stacked in the end in better 

 condition than it has been for years. The hay crop was a very light one, 

 being generally deficient in clover; the average weight would not exceed 

 20 cwt. No meiidow grown. Potatoes were, as a rule, a fair average crop, 

 Champions and Magnums being fully so ; the weight would l)e about 6 tons ; 

 disease was not very prevalent, unless among the early varieties. The 

 turnip crop may be characterised as the worst since 1872; the general 

 average weight does not exceed 10 tons — in many instances finger-and-toe has 



