lo8 Agricultural Intelltgence — Scotland, Febi 



Peat mofs has been ftreiiuoufly recommended as an excellent ingre- 

 dient in compofts. In many parts of this county, where mofs is plen- 

 tifully got, it is found to b<; confiderably impregnated with iron ore ; 

 in fome iiillances, to fuch a degree, as to render it hurtful, nay, even 

 deftrudive to vegetation. ^^ery. — How are the qualities of mofs dif- 

 tinguifhable ? When mixed with mineral acid, is there any way of 

 purging it of this noxious quality ? or, if it cannot be deprived of it 

 altogether, with what proportion may it be ufed advantageoufly I and 

 hoW'is that proportion to be afcertained ? jf^^' I3» 



Rofsjhire ^aricrly Report. 



The Winter his continued open, and, in general, the weather ha» 

 teen milder than we have had for fevcral years pad at this feafon. 

 Plouo-hing is well advanced. The fneep and out-wintering cattle have 

 loft nothing of their fleHi, and, it is hoped, will reach the grafs time 

 in better condition than ufual. As the ftraw is not much wanted for 

 cattle, little of the crop has yet been thrafhed. Oats meal poorly ; and 

 cur dillilkrs complain of the barley not giving the ufual quantity of 

 fpirit. Our corn markets are very dull. Oat-meal from 20s. to 24s. 

 per boll of nine ftones ; but our prices are little better than nominal, a 

 jmall part of this crop being difpofed of. Old Barley, if fine, fells at 

 3CS. per boll. 



There is a fpirit of improvement gaining ground among the proprie- 

 tors of this county. Captain Munro of Teaninich, and Captain Mac- 

 Kenzic of Kincraig, have of late marled ground to a confidcrable ex- 

 tent, which promifes to pay well ; and many others are fpeaking of tol- 

 lowing their example. Your correfpondent, the Northern Tourill, will 

 be pleafed to hear, that the much negle6led, and fine Improveable pro- 

 perty of Fowlis, is now advertifed to be let on improving leafes. There 

 are m.any other tradls of valuable land in the county, alfo propofcd to 

 be let in farms worthy of attention. The rage for fheep-farming ilill 

 continues. Hill farms, when let of fufficient extent for a fheep-waik, 

 bring three, four, or five times more rent than formerly. Some are of 

 opinion, that this will opeiate againil the intereft of the country, ma- 

 ny of the aborigines of the foil being tluis forced to emigrate : while 

 others argue, and with greater juflice, that whatever fylkm brings thr 

 higheft rent, mufl eventually promote the real good of the community. 

 Jan. 12. 



Wigtonjlnre ^mrterly Report. 



The writer of this Report having lately made a tour through the 

 vrcatcft part of the county, with much fatisfadlon obferved the pro- 

 grefiivc improvement of its agriculture, particularly the increafed quan- 

 tity of wheat and turnips of late years ; the turnip crop being noiv 

 underiloud, not only of itfelf valuable, but an excelltnt preparative 

 for the fovvin^ down of the land to grafs : and where the turnip huf- 

 bandry prevailed moft, wc invariably found the richeft pafture. Nt^ar 

 to the foulhcrn point of this diflrid, we viewtd pretty large fields ma- 

 nured 



