386 



WHEAT EXPERIMENTS IN SCOTLAND. 



In 1863, the Highland and Agricultural Societj of Scotland offered a premium 

 for experiments to determine the relative productiveness in grain and straw of 

 several popular varieties of white wheat. As Scottish wheat is valueless for sow- 

 ing here, it is unnecessary to record the comparison ; but the general facts, 

 showing the uniformly large yields, the fertilizing and culture, and the extreme 

 length ()f the season of growth, will be found interesting and suggestive. The 

 yield is by no means as large as is sometimes attained, and it is not very much 

 greater than the average result secured by good farmers. The exact yield and 

 product of each variety are not given, but the range of bushels and money 

 returns are noted in each expei'iment. Below we give a brief synopsis of the 

 statements of the three leading competitors : 



Report o/" John Richardson, DrylawJiill, East Lothian. — Crop of 1864. — 

 Soil a heavy loam with retentive subsoil. Previous crop, potatoes, manured on 

 the stubble with farm-yard dung and mixture of guano and bones in drill; no addi- 

 tional manure being given the w^heat. Seed hand-sown 20th of October, at the 

 rate of two bushels and three pecks per acre. All the varieties appeared above 

 ground on the 17th of November, came into ear about the 15th of June, and the 

 crops were harvested on the 21st and 22d of August. The summer was warm 

 and dry. Product of the four varieties per acre : good grain, from 34 bushels 

 60 pounds to 38 bushels 61 pounds; light grain, from 50 to 67 pounds; 

 straw, from 3,190 to 3,584 pounls. While the calculations are based upon the 

 estimate of 62 pounds to the bushel, the actual Aveight was from 62 pounds to 

 62f . Value of grain, $9 to $9 75 per quarter of eight bushels. 



Crop qflSG5. — Soil a heavy loam. Previous crop, beans and potatoes ; the 

 manure being applied in the autumn across the ridges. Seed taken from the 

 crop of the preceding year, and sown November 5, at the rate of two bushels and 

 three pecks to the acre. Plants appeared December 1, came into ear about the 

 12th of June, and the crop was cut on the 18th of August. Product: good 

 grain, from 33 bushels 2 pounds to 39 bushels, 36 pounds ; light grain, from 

 96 pounds to 127 pounds ; straw, from 2,940 pounds to 3,472 pounds. Actual 

 weight of grain, from 62 pounds to 63 J pounds. 



Report of E. J. Thomson, Grange, Kilmarnock. — Crop of 1864. — Soil a 

 dark brown clay loam, 12 inches deep, with subsoil of yellow clay containing a few 

 boulders. Green crop grown the preceding year. I'he product per acre ranged 

 from 32 bushels 56 pounds to 35 bushels 40 pounds. Actual weight, from 59 

 to 62 bushels. Value of the crop, including straw, from $58 to $63 per acre. 



Report of Phipps TuPiNBliLL, Little Pinkerton, Dunbar. — Crop of 1864. — 

 Soil a gravelly loam of uniform quality. Previous crop, potatoes, manured with 

 15 tons of farm-yard dung to the acre on the stubble of the preceding crop of 

 barley, and 4J hundredweight per acre of a mixture of artificial manures in the 

 drill. Seed sown November 16, the land having been previously manured with 

 five hundredweight per acre of finely ground rape dust. Product : grood grain, 

 30 bushels 31 pounds to 39 bushels 15-J pounds ; light grain, 4 to 5 bushels ; 

 straw, from 3,047 pounds to 3,866 pounds. Total value, from $63 to $83 per 

 acre. 



Crop of 1865. — Soil, previous cropping and management the same as last 

 year. Seed taken from the product of the varieties sown in 1864. Previous to 

 sowing the ground was manured with a mixture of rape, guano, and bones at 

 the rate of 2^^ hundredweight to the acre. Product : good grain, from 35 to 43 

 bushels; light grain, from one bushel and one peck to two bushels and one peck ; 

 straw, from 2,463 jwuuds to 3,162 pounds. Total value, from $72 to $87 per 

 acre. 



