372 OF HARVESTING GRAIN. 



and firm than if the whole load was upset, and left to be 

 forked by another person, as has been recommended. 



3. It is well known, that the corn in Scotland, is univer- 

 sally kept in stacks, with the exception of the celebrated 

 barns at Inverary, and Roseneath, where the Duke of Ar- 

 gy]e is obliged, from the unceasing wetness of the climate, 

 not only to preserve, but actually to dry his corn, in large 

 buildings erected tor that special purpose. In Argyleshire, 

 and other western districts, buildings, on a smaller scale, 

 for the same purpose, are also constructed. 



At Lord Haddiagton's seat of T^ningham, the stacks 

 are built on stone pillars, which is found to be a very ad- 

 vantageous system. It lakes nine pillars with capes to a 

 stack. The price of ihese depends very much on the con- 

 venience of getting the stones. There they can be quar- 

 ried, carted home, wrought, and put up, for about 3 s. 

 each. It will require about twenty feet of timber to make 

 the frame that goes on the pillars ; the price of which also 

 depends on the situation, and whether it can be got by 

 short carriage. From the present high price of timber 

 even there, where wood is so abundant, including every 

 expence, a complete set of nine pillars, and the timber 

 necessary for a stack, cannot cost less than L. 3. The ad- 

 vantages resulting from this method, when the object is, 

 to keep the stack free from vermin, may be about two 

 bolls in thirty ; but in a wet season, such as the year 1809, 

 it is found very useful for drying the corn, when not put 

 into the stack in the best condition, as the pillars allow a 

 free circulation of the air under, and the corn is not in- 

 jured by imbibing moisture, as it must necessarily be, 

 when set down on the ground in a wet state.* 



* Communication from Mr David Buist, overseer at Tyningham. 



