Ten Years of East Lothian FanniiKj. 105 



to its cultivation, an Irish iminijjration having followed the 

 cherished root of the sister kingdom. One variety of the potato, 

 the " Regent," occupies probably nine-tenths of the whole space 

 devoted to the cultivation of the plant. Till lately Orkney 

 Reds were much used, but as coloured varieties cannot now 

 be sold so long as white are to be had, the fiat of the con- 

 sumers has regulated the proceedings of the grower. Flukes, 

 which command the highest price in the London markets, and 

 are largely produced in Yorkshire, cannot be profitably grown in 

 Scotland. 



In early localities, and particularly in sandy districts near the 

 sea, the Delmahoy Early takes the place of the Regent. This 

 potato is planted in E'^ebruary or March, and sold for consump- 

 tion in summer, when the ground is immediately sown with 

 a " stolen " crop of rape upon Avhich sheep are pastured in 

 winter or spring. The potato is a chief cause of the largely 

 increased bill for manures, as it receives 5 or 6 cwt. of guano 

 and bones per acre, besides taking the lion's share of the home- 

 made dung, thus leaving to the manure-merchant the task of 

 making good the deficiency to other crops. The potato, how- 

 ever, can be profitably cultivated upon good soils without dung 

 by using a liberal supply, say from 8 to 10 cwts. per acre, oi 

 judiciously mixed portable? manures ; and this fact has recently 

 formed a subject of judicial inc^uiry in a protracted law-suit, 

 which has considerably agitated, and very much divided, the 

 agricultural mind in this county. 



Stock - Fa rtn ing. 



Recent ill-success in husbandry has made the farmer turn an 

 anxious eye to see if flocks and herds will restore the Ijalance 

 of his accounts, and certainly if hope is to be found in any 

 quarter it must Ije in beef, mutton, and wool. It is, however, 

 found almost impossible in East Lothian to lay down land in 

 permanent pasture, as the (juality'of the turf rapidly deteriorates, 

 and grass Is therefore ploughed down In one or two years. Thus, 

 though a marked increase is becoming apparent In the number 

 of sheep kept, the additional food consists of roots, vetches, cak{>, 

 and corn, and the question therefore to be solved is, whether 

 arable land, rented at 2/. to 4/. per acre can be adapted to stock- 

 farming, an occupation which has hitherto been carried on upon 

 a class of farms much less heavily rented. 



In reference to artificial food, the Report of 1858 says: — 

 "Ten years ago cake and corn Avere used \\\ considerable (juan- 

 tities ; sounder views, however, on the profitableness ol the 

 em})loyment of cake and corn are rapidly extending. Sonu; ol 

 the best feeders in the count v now nwike use ol little cnkc or 



