Relrospect'ive 'view of HushtJ/iJry-^Eas! T.othian, 5^j 



Every fiirrovv given to tlie giound from tlie comriK-ncement: of 

 spriup seed to the present day, contributed to piomotc the olijects for 

 t\hlch pluughmg is bestowed, and neither time nor labour were for one 

 day lost or misupplied. The spring seeds were completelv harrowed, 

 with some trifling e.xceptions of barley alter turnips, which were late 

 of being removed. The fallows were sulTjciently wrougiit, and gene- 

 rally received more furrows than usual. The turnip fields were bet- 

 ter cleaned, and at less expence than generally occurs. Every branch 

 of harvest work, from the cutting of the crop, to the safe Ingatheiing 

 thereof, was pcrfcwmed expeditiously, and at less cost th?.n iu seasons, 

 ef a dllTerent description, though wages at the same time were high. 

 The sowing of Vvheat was finished in good tame, and to a greater ex- 

 tent than ever known ; and field labour of every kind is far advanced. 



Several barley fi^elds could not be got sown in <lue time, v.hich oc- 

 casioned an ira perfect braird, and an unequal crop. Hay proved uni- 

 versully very light, not an hundred stone per acre, In general cases v 

 and uhere eaten down in spring, was hardly worth the cutting. The 

 pastures conthiued ralscrably bare throughout the year. Many far- 

 mers were ui want of water for the use of their live stock. Turnips 

 worse than ever known, few fields being equal to half a crop, and in 

 numerous instances they were ploughed down. Osts severely injured 

 by caterpillars, and v.orse in quality by many per cent, than custo- 

 mary. Beans upon all light soils so bad as to yield little more thai>. 

 the seed sown. Young grasses planted badly, and in various field>; 

 failed entirely. Fodder gencn*ily scarce, and the stack yards in eve- 

 ry quarter fully one fourth less m size than those of the preceding- 

 year. 



Such It Is believed is a tolerably correct picture of East Lothian 

 husbandry for the year 1803, and perhaps it may be justly inferred, 

 that any loss sustained was abundantly compensated by the superior 

 opportunities enjoyed of executing every branch of rural work v.'Ith 

 regularity and perfectness. The soils of the county are so different, 

 that no season, which answers in every respect for one description, will 

 suit those of an opposite character. In few years however have the 

 distlnguislilng Hues been so cleaily marked out as in the present^ 

 except perhaps In the fatal 1709, when the consequences were si- 

 milar, though directly opposite. The coast side lands flourished 

 in that year, whilst the nUernal patts of the county wftre drowned by 

 InoI^tu^e and starved by cold. 



Though lime was used this ye^r to a considerable extent, yet It Is 

 a dubious poin.t ^vhether the quantity will equal that of the preced-^ 

 ing one. A general opinion w as at one time entertained, that, as the 

 arable land of tlie county had been limed at a former period, it could 

 not be b£ru:;iUed by a repetition of the article j but thi* being now^ re- 

 futed 



