OP LIVE STOCK. 143 



nature of the soil ; for a dry sandy loam, requires more at- 

 tention to keep it clean of root-weeds, than a dry gravelly 

 soil. 



In many parts of the country, however, the number of idle 

 days, as stated by Mr Hope, are considered to be too few; 

 and it is contended by a farmer, who has long paid atten- 

 tion to these matters, that instead of eleven days in a year, 

 one day per week, besides Sundays, on the average of sea- 

 sons, would be nearer the mark ; as there are many days, 

 and half days, equal, on the whole, to one in the week, du- 

 ring which the farmer derives but little benefit from his ser- 

 vants and horses. There must also be a difference of seve- 

 ral days in the year, between the eastern and the western 

 coast of the kingdom, owing to the greater humidity of the 

 climate of the latter, and some acres less work will conse- 

 quently be performed by a pair of horses.* 



5. Mode of Supply. From the high price of horses, a 

 number of farmers in Scotland endeavour to rear, on their 

 own farms, a considerable proportion of the stock they re- 

 quire, though in many districts, they depend on the western 

 counties of Scotland, and the northern counties of England, 

 for a supply. In the Carse of Gowrie, it is usual to keep a 

 spare horse on every farm, in case any accident should hap- 

 pen to the other horses, and to assist a mare or mares with 

 foal, one or two of which are kept on each farm, by whose 

 produce, the stock of horses is for the most part kept up. 

 The farmer, therefore, has seldom any occasion to go to 

 market for any other supply, excepting when he loses horses 

 by accident, which too often happens. In other parts of Sect- 

 land, farmers keep breeding mares with the same view; and 

 when attentive to their business, they find an advantage in 



* Mr Curwen thinks, that from twenty- five to thirty English acres, arc 

 sufficient, on strong clay, for a pair of horses, on the coast of Cumberland. 



