79 



ARCHIBALD MAC NEILAGE. Typical farms in the West of Scot- 

 land. (Trans, of the Highl. and Agric. Soc. of Scotland). Vth se- 

 ries. Vol. XXI. Edinburgh, 1909, Pp. 24-42). 



The county of Dumbarton presents a considerable diversity of 

 agricultural practice due to the diversity of the soil. Along the 

 shores of the Firth of Clyde and in the Clyde valley there is much 

 free " potato land. " And it is the farming of Dumbartonshire 

 where the soil is kindly and the leading characteristics are potato 

 growing and dairying that the author describes. 



He makes a brief survey of several of these farms giving data 

 as to their drainage, fencing, cattle, cropping, etc. 



Thus at Fiunick Bog, Inverkip, as in many other cases, the 

 farmer complains of the manner in which draining was carried out 

 under the Government scheme about 50 years ago, which consisted 

 in i x / 2 inch (37 mm.) tiles 4 feet (i m. 20) deep and 15 feet (4 m. 50) 

 apart: These are in course of being replaced by new drains with 

 2 V 2 or 3 inch (63 to 75 mm.) tiles, 3 feet (o m. 90) deep and 12 feet 

 (3 m. 60) apart. 



The cost of recent draining runs to about 12 per acre 

 (750 frs per hectare). Land in the neighbourhood is generally 

 well drained and fenced. 



Mid Ascog. Bute. Here also the land is fairly well drained. 

 The drains are being gradually renewed and put down 15 feet 

 (4 m. 50) apart and 2 feet 9 inches (o m. 83) deep. 



The cost is about 9 pence per fall (16 frs 30 c. per 100 lineal 

 metres). 



Buildings and fencing are generally in good order. According to 

 modern ideas there might perhaps be more hay sheds. The leading 

 feature on the farm is dairying, to which everything is subordinated. 



Shiels, Renfrew. This farm extends to 160 imperial acres 

 (65 hectares) of which 135 (54,5 hect.) are arable and 25 (10,5 hect.) 

 pasture. The farm carries 25 Ayrshire cattle, the produce of which 

 is sold, one half wholesale and the other is retailed. 



The rotation is a four years shift. Wheat, hay, oats, green 

 crop. This shows that it is rather cow-feeding than dairying proper. 

 Wheat is sown at the rate of 3 bushels, oats 4 bushels, turnips or 

 swedes slbs, and cabbages (Drumheads) 10 ooo to the acre (corres- 

 ponding respectively to 270 litres, 360 litres, 5 kg. 600, and 25 ooo 

 per hectare). Wheat seed is got from England, and oats from 

 Angus. 



