O* CROPS USUALLY CULTIVATED. 261 



wheat in spring, with success, about the year 1773. Mr' 

 Brown of Markle states, that he commenced tliis practice 

 as far back as the year 1779,* as did his neighbour Mr 

 Rennie of Phantassie, about the same period. Above thirty 

 years ago, Mr Wight of Ormiston successfully tried the 

 practice upon clay soils. The same plan had been adopted 

 by several people before, but not to any considerable ex- 

 tent, and only in seasons when, owing to the wetness of 

 October, it could not be sown at the customary time. It is 

 of great importance to be able to sow wheat after turnips* 

 for the month of March is not found too late when the sea- 

 son is favourable. Mr Rennie of Oxwell Mains, in East 

 Lothian, who possesses a farm of an excellent soil, and in a 

 favourable climate, informs me, that his March-sown win- 

 ter wheat, anno 1809, was as good, both in respect to qua- 

 lity and produce, as what was sown in November and De- 

 cember. He adds, wheat sown in autumn very frequently 

 lodges in moist seasons,! and on that account is deficient 

 both in quantity and quality. This, however, only happens 

 on rich soils. On wet soils, the farmer often sows early in 

 autumn, not from choice, but lest he should lose an oppor- 

 tunity of doing it. In regard to the difference of produce 



Mr Brown farther informs me, that in 1800 he had above 140 Eng- 

 lish acres of land sown with wheat in the months of February and March, 

 all of which yielded grain of the finest quality. This was completely as- 

 certained, in consequence of his having been a candidate for a premium 

 offered that year, by the Society of Arts, to the cultivators of spring 

 wheat, which premium was adjudged to him. He adds, that the summer 

 of 1800 was particularly dry and warm, and that to these circumstances 

 must in a great measure be attributed the goodness of the crop. 



t The lodging of the autumn-sown wheat may be owing to the crop 

 being too thick. Three bushels per Scotch acre, sown in October, is equal 

 to four bushels sown in March, on account of the latter not stocking, 

 and the straw, from the thickness of the crop, proving weak. 

 I 



