1180 



STATISTICS OF AGRICULTURE. 



Paht IV. 



Mid threshing machines early noticed and recommended bj 

 nUMClety. rlii' tanners In this count, I ,ive lout; hail ... ...... 



temptation to ml Instituted bj total authority ■ society rot 



the ■iiMii.in and management of • pensionary fund lot the 



phani of firmer,, on principles similar to those 



win. h C'v.-iii tba widows' Hind of the ministers of the Chun b 



of Scotland. 



i.i appendix to the report contains thirteen papea. some of 

 widen an curiooi ... an hirtorical polnl ol rim ; andaaihoving 



how soon, in a rapidly Improving age, a man's best Ideas and 

 remarks are distanced by those of a few vears afterwards, fine 

 01 these papers describes, the origin and progess of the Bntish 

 Wool Society, which waa begun in this county by Sir John 

 Sinclair, in 1791. The economy of Johnston's dairy is deserv- 

 inc. ol not.ee f„r ar.-ur u-y in the details, and for new practices 

 ..I. a making butter from whev, feeding cows on whins Sec 

 Mackrdeht, another amateur, and Hepburn, an ingenious 

 landlord and cultivator, are also worth reading. 



7*34 EAST LOTHIAN. 190,363 acre* of surface, under an exceedingly variable climate the ere-itcr 

 l.artot excellent soU Land well adapted for cultivation ; but the southern district? S^AfhX 

 and mountainous, with a moorv soil, severe climate, and chiefly under native grass and heZee s mne ff 

 the most distinguished Scotch agricultural patriots, authors, and mexmaniefbdone to tiuTcountv a. 

 Cockburn ol Ormiston, Thomas sixth Earl of Haddington, Fletcher of Saltan arr i»V. -t -™ \> . * 

 Brown of M arkle, .ho projector and for a long time edito? ^.Kr^fc^™^ au h"r 



aJS^FiSmsS 690 ^ ' entor of the threshing raacll " ,c ' and va ™ us °*ZHSS£w 



1. Property. 



Generally in considerable estates j the largest about 1.5,000/. 

 and not many under Hm/. a >e vr. Tenure generally of the 

 crown (i.e. freehold), some hold of subjects superior (copy- 

 hold), and some of the corporate towns of Haddington and 

 Dunbar. 



2. Jluildings and Implement*. 



It mar be sufficient to state that thev are such as we hare 

 described in the body of this work as of the best description. 

 farms generally targe; medium of the cuuntv about 'loo/, a 

 year ; highest 15ou/. to lsil.l/. The first enclosures were made 

 about 17'.!ll; farmers were introduced from Holland in 1710; 

 th. 'two-horse plough in 1772 ; ami the fir,t threshing-machine 

 m 1786. Fallowing was introduced from England about the 

 same tune as hedges. The sixth Earl ..f Haddington was the 

 first proprietor, and John Walker, of Beanston, near Dunbar, 

 the first farmer. He took the hint from some English travel- 

 lers, while thev spent a night at his house, and with whom he 

 had a good deal of conversation upon the subject, so much to 

 In, satisfaction, that he made an experiment upon six acres the 

 following summer, which he carried through in spite of the 

 animadversions of his neighbours, who were divided in their 

 opinions as to the sanity of his mind, or the stability of his cir- 

 cumstances. The result of the experiment gave them a better 

 opinion of both, and the return was so abundant as to induce 

 liim to extend his next year's fallow break to twenty acres ; soon 

 after which the practice began to spread, and so early as the 

 year 1 , 24, fallowing upon all the deep strong soils was common 

 throughout the county, and has continued to be so ever since 

 There can be no doubt that the earlv excellence of the East 

 Jbotluan agriculture was in a great measure owing to the intro- 

 duction of fallowing, which, together with the use of drill 

 crops, have continued to place it at the head of the Scotch 

 counties. Potatoes introduced to field culture about 1760- 

 turnips first by Cockburn, of Ormiston, about 17'20; re-intro- 

 duced and cultivated in the drill manner in 1760. Flax sown 

 from time immemorial, but chiefly on a small scale, and for the 

 home consumption of the country inhabitants. Every cottager 

 has a small quantity, from half a peck to a peck sown, the pro- 

 duce of which furnishes linen for the use of his family. 



Lucern tried with the greatest care ; but, owing to the cli. 

 mate, it was found to produce less bulk of herbage than red 

 clover. 



3. Grass. 



Natural meadows and pastures are not admitted into the 

 fcast Lothian system of husbandry, as thev are found only where 

 nature, or certain local circumstances, render them, in some 

 measure, unavoidable, anil are never kept voluntarily, or from 

 an idea of profit. Many farmers fallow land to lie for a few 

 jean in grass, especially where it has been exhausted by lone 

 .". ! ...H'ci-hr, tillage; but fields of this description are not tS 

 ." ranked as permanent pastures, for the object is to restore 



■ r.' l '"',;rara';,,^e P . 0SSible ' ,0 * ""* Ca|,aU ' e ° f ^^ Com - 

 Oman introduced by the sixth Earl of Haddington and 

 ... kluirn, about 720 or 1722, but made little progress ™ 

 1 . to . now generally sown with rye-grass. Application, graz- 

 ing, soiling, anil bay, but chiefly soiling. >-»""", giaz 



4. Gardens ami Orchards. 



Some few market gardens and nurseries ; but the climate 

 does not adm.tof orchards, which ire very rare. Every co™ge 

 has a garden annexed, sufficient to produce the various corS- 

 moil kitchen vegetables for the cottager's family. This class 

 ofneopte are rernartabl, attentire ,„ the culttiaUmof their 

 c.l! ,\ V , • er ' V ? Krcat ad »antage from them, at small 



^tabom * entirely performed after their ordinary work 



i n „„,,■ and Plantations. 

 Scarcely any of the former, and none of the latter, of any ex- 

 tent, excepting In gentlemen-, parks. 800 acres on rSut 



the la,.. Mr. M,. Tri ,V. rftSpt^HeVd V. .r which™! "otS" he 



' " «•« i "" go! 1 al of the Society of Arts. ' 



ti ll astet and Commons. 



-h, r h "' i" m " '" """ r S< "' ch co »n«ies generally enclosed 

 winch , here an easy matter in comparison >,, wna™, Tin 

 England, in consequence ol a genera. Act of Enclosure bv the 

 Scottish Parliament, in 1694. "»ui« uy wie 



7. Improvements, 



faring .,,,,1 burning little known, and not wanted became 



»'r-^'l' | .:.'..md is sept long in pasture, ha, cm l„. ,, ! , 



oIk";.,';;.,,',-.'" " 8e ' •'" d ne »P««l«»>»ao .,.., require these 

 i hie attempt at Irrigation on a sandy waste near Dunbar the 

 levels ,,f whin, wen taken by, and the water tamed on under 

 the direction ..f, IhecompUei of this work, In 1805. 



8. Live Slock. 



■/he practice of Has, Lothian, In this d. T artmi-nt, does not 

 present much that can be generally interesting. Grazing ,„ 

 ■ii.iecas„out,,fte„,,s carried on j as subservient to tillage, 



and then-Tore held a secondary object l,v Cultivators. .Man, 

 cattle arc Ted, but very few reared, in the county. Almost 



eyciv person who practises the sheep husbandry, in the lower 

 districts, buys and sells within the; ear. Some recent attempts 

 h ne been made to keep flocks of full bred sheep, and, there is 

 reason to believe, with considerable success; but, taking the 

 county generally, such attempts are of little importance. 



COttle. Every farmer keeps a small number of milch cows, 

 but tewkeep inore than are sufficient to furnish a regular supply 

 through the whole year, of milk, butter, and cheese, for their 

 own families. The same attention accordingly is not paid to 

 the kinds of cattle, as in other districts, where they form a more 

 important object of farm management. 



A very considerable number of black caUle are purchased 

 annually at fairs and markets, to he wintered in the fold-yard 

 or ted on turnips in the house. Cattle kept for the dairv, or fed 

 tor the butcher-market, comprehend all that are to be found 

 in the county ; none are employed in labour. Every par, of 

 tarm-labour, in which beasts are employed, is executed by 



Sheep. Permanent flocks, and regular sheep management, 

 may be said to be almost confined to the higher parts of the 

 county. In the low country they are kept chieflv to eat the 

 turnips, and sometimes sown grass, which is pennittid to lie 

 a year or two for pasture. Fly ing flocks are therefore generally 

 kept; and as soon as they are fattened for the market, which 

 is usually within the year, they are soid off. A considerable 

 number of Iambs likewise are reared, only so far, however, as 

 to render them fit for the butcher. 



As the great object in the lower districts is feeding, little 

 attention is paid to particular kinds ; everv farmer keeps those 

 which he thinks are likely to pay best for "the food which they 

 consume. The black-faced, or Tweed-dale breed, are mo,t 

 generally preferred for feeding on turnips, because ihey are 

 most esteemed in the market ; bu, many- of the Cheviot breed 

 ar f'' kewise kept, and even some of the improved Leicester. 



1 he kind of sheep bred, and most generallv kept, in Lam- 

 mermuir, is the black-faced, or more property what is called 

 the brocked-faced, a sort of dirty-looking mixture of black and 

 white ; they are for the most part horned : when thev are fed 

 the wedders weigh from ten to twelve pounds per Quarter, and 

 the ewes from eight to ten on an average 



The Bakewell breed has been tried, but not extensively till 

 lately. Leicesters are now much more common in East Lo- 

 thian than they were twenty years ago. 



rheCheviot sheep were "introduced several years ago, and 



an? kept with advantage in many places. It is not the general 

 opinion however, that they can ev r universally supplant the 

 native bre.d, or even become equallv numerous/with profit. 



lit horses very few are bred in ihe county, not one perhaps 

 in a dozen that are kept. In a district so 'well calculated for 

 raising com, it is more profitable ,o purchase horses, ready 

 tor work, than to tie a, the trouble and expense of rearing 

 v e "V r he farrr ! ers here are supplied with this part of stock 

 chiefly from the dealers of Ayrshire and Lanarkshire, who col- 

 lect many of them in these counties, and procure no, a few 

 trom Ireland. The horses generally kept are of that moderate 

 size, which may be considered as equal perhaps to any others 

 for combining strength with activity. Thev mav he' stated, 

 generally, ,o be about fifteen or sixteen hands'high", and strong 

 built. Many teams are well matched, very handsome, capable 

 of great exertion, and kept in excellent condition. 



One will hardly be at a loss to determine the character of a 

 farmer, from the condition of his horses. Very fine high bred 

 horses, exhibiting an appearance of being prepared for the 

 market, may rather suggest the idea of idleness than of labour; 

 hut, on the other hand, lean spiritless creatures, wom out bv 

 tod and hunger, are the certain indicatives of a bad farmer, of 

 one who is not thriving, and does not deserve to thrive. The 

 man who uses bad instruments cannot have his work well 

 done ; and one important and primary step towards good farm- 

 ing, is to keep the labouring stock in good condition. Horses 

 regularly fed and regularly wrought will perform a great deal 

 ot labour without filling off either in strength or appearance ; 

 it is of great importance, therefore, to distribute the labour as 

 equally as possible, through the various seasons of the year; 

 and if, as must sometimes be the case, an extraordinary exertion 

 ought to be made, they are in a proper condition for making it. 

 H lien horses do fall otf.it n quires much more to restore them, 

 than might have kept them in a good state. 



Bo%t are kept in considerable numbers, in this county, at dis- 

 Jilleries starch work, mills, and breweries. Every farmer 

 aeeps a few-, chiefly for supplying his own table, and the gene- 

 rality are able to sell some annually. Farm servants too, who 

 have houses, are generally allowed to keep a pig for each family, 

 which adds greatlv to their comfort. 

 PmUTy,jngcmt,andbta,i.epl to a moderate extent for home 



mfit r 'l l\ °" ."' e C03S '' which would be thought bv many 

 unfit for any ,hmg but rabbit warrens, now bears turnips and 



9. Sural Economy. 



labourer 'T,""',! ^' r rh ^ ! " «« Mand more active or correct 

 7^,"™ ™ f .-'' "' servants here, and certainly none more 

 a i il,,,l ,, o 1 , tab ' , ' i •""' ,hi < mav ' in a i-™ 1 measure, be 

 w 1' ' 'i™* on »hich they serve: Those servants, 



fag mthJ ?a.™ h £Z5 S °l' hcir mas,er *' are.generally speak-' 

 nig, on th. same footing here as In other places; there is no- 



