l8oo. Agricultural IntelUgence — Scotlatia. 219 



Garloch, at il. 123. per boll, and from the country about Kin- 

 cardine O'Ntil and Banchory, at 40s. 



1 have had occafion to notice both the theory and praftice 

 of raifing early potatoes ; but have found the following method 

 moft efficacious for obtaining an early crop : — Take the pota- 

 toes whole, and cover them up in horfe litter of a moderate 

 warmth ; let them remain there until they put forth fhoots of 

 4 or 5 inches in length, which they will do in two or three 

 weeks ; then take them carefully from the litter, and put them, 

 perpendicular and equal with the furface, into a light dry foil, 

 with more horfe dung. If the feafon is tolerable, they will 

 vegetate amazingly faft. In this cold country, the laft week 

 of April, or firlt of May, is early enough to venture them 

 out. By thefe means, potatoes may be had four weeks earlier 

 than the fame variety can be raifed in any degree of perfeftion, 

 were they planted in the ufual way. The above was commu- 

 nicated to me by a reverend clergyman of my acquaintance, 

 who has praftifed it a dozen of years, and who has ripe po- 

 tatoes commonly at his table by the 4th of July. Northward 

 of the Grampians, we are at leafl, a month later than you are in 

 the Lothiaus. 



Bertuickjlnre ^arferly Report. 



Turnips, which from the beginning could fcarcely be rec- 

 koned half a crop, fuffered a good deal by the froft. They 

 were moflly confumed by the laft week of March, though eve- 

 ry means was ufed to fave them as much as poffible. 



Young clovers do not appear to have been injured during the 

 Winter ; but vegetation is very backward ; and thofe few fields 

 which were fown in Autumn, have not a promifing appearance. 



A'confiderable quantity of rvhat has been fown upon dry 

 foils during this quarter, after turnips, &c. ; but, upon the 

 cold lands, the greateft part of the fallows muft now be fown 

 with other grain. Sowing of peiis, kcans, and oatS) did not 

 commence generally till the middle of March ; fince which, 

 thefe operations have been carried on with the greateft adti- 

 vity, the land harrowing better than could have been expefled 

 from the bad weather immediately preceding ; a good deal of 

 hot feed peas are fown in different places. 



There are few cattle now remaining in this county ; Indeed 

 the number put up to feed was (in confequence of the failure 

 of turnips) comparatively fmalL Of the (heep that were fed, 

 a ccnfiderable proportion has been already difpofed of. Lean 



Y z ftock 



