SIZE AND SHAPE OP FIELDS. 31 



and cattle are the principal objects of attention, as soiling, 

 (or giving them cut green food in yards, or houses) is 

 greatly preferable to pasturage. On these grounds, it is 

 proper to explain, what in Scotland is considered to be the 

 best size of fields, in an improved arable district, and the 

 principles on which that system is founded.* 



The circumstances on which the size of fields ought to 

 depend, are principally the following : 



1 . The extent of the farm in which they are situated ; 

 2. The nature of the soil or subsoil ; 3. The rotations 

 adopted ; 4. The number of ploughs in the farm ; 5. The 

 command of water ; 6. Access to roads ; 7. The elevation 

 of the ground ; 8. Its being in pasturage or otherwise ; 

 and, 9. The nature of the climate. 



1. Extent of the Farm- The size of fields ought cer- 

 tainly, in some measure, to depend, on the extent of the 

 possession. In small farms near towns, from six to twelve 

 acres may be sufficient ; but where farms are of a proper 

 extent, from twenty to even fifty acres, and in some in- 

 stances as high as sixty. One of my correspondents in- 

 deed states, that his inclosures are about twenty Scotch, or 

 twenty-five English acres each, and that he would certainly 

 enlarge them, were he not restricted to that size by his 

 lease. Mr Brown of Markle, whose knowledge in every 

 branch of agriculture is so well known, considers a field of 

 thirty Scotch, or thirty-eight English acres, to be a proper 

 medium size, when permitted by local circumstances, for 

 large farms. 



* So inveterate is the prejudice for small fields in England, that 

 though the expence of fencing has now become enormous, they are still 

 persevered in, even in new inclosures, under the authority of acts of 

 parliament, by which the charges of that important branch of agricultu- 

 ral improvement are greatly increased. 



