30 STATISTICAL SURVEY 



that there are many mountainy filiations, which may 

 anfwer for potatoes, where flax would have no chance; 

 in fuch, oats always follow potatoes, as there barley 

 would not fucceed. It is an old remark, that, " where 

 barley thrives, flax is fure to fucceed after it." 



Oats are mofl commonly fown on one ploughing, 

 which is performed fometimes before, but mod com- 

 monly after Chriflmas; but this mode is obferved only 

 in good barley foils, and moil commonly after it, and 

 fometimes after flax. In mountainy foils, where oats 

 follow potatoes, as has been already obferved, plough- 

 ing never takes place till immediately before the time 

 of fowing. 



Twenty (lone is the ufual allowance of oats to the 

 plantation acre (I always mean the plantation acre), 

 which generally returns eight barrels, of eighteen ftone 

 to the barrel. Sixty Hooks, of twelve flieaves to the 

 flook, are reckoned a good crop for an acre to pro- 

 duce ; and, when fodder is at a reafonable rate, the 

 value of the flraw is about thirty {hillings, but it is 

 mofl commonly higher. The flraw is confidered to be 

 equal to the expence of ploughing, harrowing, reap- 

 ing, and making up. 



As, in good land, flax generally fucceeds oats, two 

 ploughings are always given ; the firft before or after 

 Chrifttnas, and the fecond juft before the time of fow- 

 ing. Forty gallons is the ufual allowance for an acre, 

 and one-fixth lefs for a Cunningham or Scotch acre-, 



the 



