SIZE AND SHAPE OF FIELDS. 41 



rish weeds, the seeds of which may be widely disseminated, 

 or exclude the wind and drought after the crop is cut down, 

 keeping it longer from being stacked. Even for meadows, 

 these small inclosures are injurious, by preventing the cir- 

 culation of air for making or drying the hay. Where fields, 

 on the other hand, are of a proper size, less ground is was- 

 ted, there are fewer fences to uphold, and fewer birds to 

 destroy ; the crops of grain can be more early harvested, 

 being more.exposed to wind, and they are less apt to suffer 

 in dry and clear weather ; and though small inclosures are 

 better sheltered in winter, which is favourable to the growth 

 of herbage for pasture, yet the opener they are in summer 

 the better ; for in hot weather the cattle and sheep always 

 go to the airiest places.* But the principal argument in 

 favour of large fields is this, that in small fields, much time 

 and labour is wasted by short turnings, &c. ; hence an in- 

 telligent farmer, (Mr Mitchell of Balquharn) has well ob- 

 served, that if fields are of a regular shape, and the ridges of 

 a proper length, five ploughs will do as much work as six 

 ploughs infields of a small size, and of an irregular shape ; 

 and every other part of the business to be performed, as dung- 

 ing, sowing, harrowing, reaping and leading, will be executed, 

 though not altogether, yet nearly in the same proportion. 



Some additional remarks regarding the size and shape of 

 fields remain to be stated. 



1. Though fields, on the whole, should be of a large size, 

 yet there is a great convenience in having a few smaller 

 fields near the farm-house j for family cows ; for rams, on. 

 farms where sheep are kept j for trying on a, small scale, 



Remarks by Mr Robertson of Almon, 



