Ten Years of Juist Lothian FarDihuj. 103 



One iTianuiv-clc\il(>r told the Commission that he sold 190,000/. 

 worth of manuies every year to farmers in the three Lothians ; 

 and in llatldingtonshire, the arable area of which little exceeds 

 100,000 acres, more than 100,000/. are annually expended.* 



Peruvian guano and bones, either dissolved or simply crushed, 

 constitute the great bulk of this portable manure. Farmers in 

 Scotland are very reluctant to buy anv manufactured article, 

 whether manure or feeding stuff, abovit the composition of which 

 there is any mystery, (^uack medicines, special sheep-dips, 

 condiments, concentrated manures, and nostrums of all descrip- 

 tions, are rejected for articles that tell what they are. The 

 proportion in which the guano and bones are mixed varies 

 according to the nature of the soil or the fancy of the farmer ; 

 but ecpial weights of each, or one-third guano and two-thirds 

 bones, are common mixtures. vYs a top-dressing for young 

 grass, nitrate of soda, from its recent comparative cheapness, has 

 become a favourite ; and for autumnal-sown wheat, rape-cake 

 has long been considered an excellent manure. 



War/es. 



Increased cultivation has also involved a large additional 

 expense under the head of labour since 1853, or if we look 

 back to 1843 the amount will be found to be nearly doubled. 

 By a carefully prepared statement recently published by several 

 leading farmers in the country, it appears that the cost of labour, 

 including the accounts of smiths, wrights, 6cc,, is 2/. per acre. 



Upon I'arms where, say 15 years ago, the monthly account for 

 female and casual labour amounted to 10/. the charge may now 

 be safely estimated at 30/. 



Seed- Corn. 



In the varieties of grain cultivated there are several changes to 

 note since 1853. Hunter's and Fenton still hold their ground as 

 favourite white wheats, and the variety known as Mongoswell's 

 or Hall's is also in request. Red wheats are much used : many of 

 these, brouglit from the south of England, succeed admirably the 

 first season, but are found to degenerate on being repeated. 

 Hopetoun, once a favourite, has nearly disappeared, and the 

 variety for late sowing known as " April " has given place to 

 barley, as indeed all wheat has done to some extent. 



Mr. Patrick Shirriff of Haddington, a veteran agriculturist, 

 who has the merit of having formerly introduced the Mongoswell's 



* When statistios are given the reader is reminded of the very limited area of 

 East Lothian, which is rather less than that of Middlesex, and only a little larger 

 than that of tlie Isle of Wight. 



