OF CROPS USUALLY CULTIVATED. 271 



that this plan answers better than sowing these crops sepa- 

 rately. Mr Kerr is of opinion, that mixing the two sorts 

 gives very material aid in harvest, as the peas serve to bind 

 the beans. Besides, it considerably improves the quantity 

 and quality of the fodder, which is a circumstance of great 

 importance. 



It is surprising that the farmers near Edinburgh have not 

 attempted to raise early peas, an article which sells at so 

 high a price, in the Edinburgh market, during the month 

 of July, though considerable quantities are supplied by the 

 numerous gardeners in the vicinity. About twelve years 

 ago, a gentleman sowed two acres with white peas, and sold 

 the whole, by the middle of July, at L. 35 per acre. Imme- 

 diately afterwards, he prepared the ground for turnips, 

 which were sown by the end of that month, but unluckily 

 the seed was bad, and the turnip crop almost totally failed. 

 He had no doubt of his making from L. 40 to L. 50 per 

 acre of the two crops, had the turnip seed been sound; and 

 he would have persevered in that plan, had he not unfortu- 

 nately died. To take a crop of turnips, after early pota- 

 toes, is a common practice in the neighbourhood of Aber- 

 deen. 



5. Beans. It would be a great advantage to husbandry, 

 were an early bean discovered, which would bear to the 

 common bean, the same qualities that the hot seed does to 

 the cold seed pea, as this would remove the principal ob- 

 stacle to the bean husbandry in Scotland, the lateness of 

 the crop. It is certainly lamentable, to see the bean crop 

 out in the fields, while, with a better climate, the land 

 ought to have been sown with wheat. Some improvements 

 might be made in the harvesting of beans, which would les- 

 sen that obstacle to their culture. Mr Mitchell of Balqu- 

 harn has, for that purpose, successfully adopted the follow- 



