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poultry houses in which the fowls can be taken out to stubble 

 fields and left for a few weeks to pick up all spilt grain. The 

 poultry benefit immensely by the change to clean ground, and 

 brace up for winter laying. 



The author mentions also the application of lime which is no 

 longer used to the extent that it was about 30 or 40 years ago. 

 Then about 6 to 8 tons of shell-lime per acre were applied to a 

 sixth or seventh of the arable land annually. The general opinion 

 seems to be that tenant farmers are not justified in incurring so 

 much outlay, so long as compensation for such improvement is so 

 uncertain. Considerable quantities of gas-lime are used with good 

 results in the Kippen and Gargunnock districts. 



Artificial manures are much more extensively used now than 

 formerly, especially nitrogenous manures which are applied to oats 

 and hay. Basic slag is much used in top dressing for grasses. 

 Superphosphate is used, principally for turnips, its use as a top 

 dressing for hay seldom producing marked results. Potash is seldom 

 used on clay lands. 



It is complained that damage by grub is more common than 

 formerly, but this may be due to the absence of severe frosts during 

 winter. 



Much progress has been made in the rearing and feeding of 

 stock. 



Thirty years ago it was mostly Ayrshire cattle that were reared 

 in the Kippen district, now it is nearly all Shorthorn or Polled 

 crosses. There has also been a great increase and improvement 

 in the rearing and breeding of Clydesdale horses. 



The foregoing extracts shows how the intelligent Carse farmer 

 is gradually changing his system of cultivation and adapting it to 

 altered conditions, by adopting simpler and less expensive methods 

 of culture so as to be able to compete with his foreign and colonial 

 rivals. But more must be done if the home farmer is to hold his 

 own. Every important industry with which he has dealings is 

 highly organised, he alone remains isolated.. 



His home markets are being captured by the organised foreign 

 and colonial farmers who, acting in combination, can both produce 

 and sell cheaper. Agriculture continues to bear quite unnecessary 

 burdens. 



The farmer must get into closer touch with the manufacturer 

 and wholesale merchant, and employ the middlemen as little as 

 possible. 



