130 



On the Cultivation of Oats. 



for binding and superintendence, the whole expense will be 10^. 

 per acre, ifor cutting oats in this way. In other districts it is 

 customary to get the crop reaped for so much per acre; \0s. to 

 IO5. ^d. per acre for wheat, oats, and barley is about the usual 

 price given. In other parts the reapers are either hired for the 

 whole harvest or from day to day, or week to week. The writer 

 has never tried any other than the first of these methods, and 

 may therefore be prejudiced in its favour; but with an active, 

 firm-minded overseer it is as cheap as the others, and much less 

 troublesome, as the reapers provide their own victuals. 



When oats are reaped with the hook they are always set up 

 in shocks of 12 sheaves each, two shocks making a threve. The 

 general custom in late districts is to put two sheaves, butt to butt, 

 on the top of each shock. In early districts these hood-sheaves 

 are frequently dispensed with ; for although they keep out rain, 

 they also keep out wind, and prevent the other sheaves from dry- 

 ing so quickly as they otherwise would. Oats generally take from 

 a fortnight to three weeks to be ready for carrying to the stack- 

 yard ; but this varies greatly with the weather. They should 

 never be carried so damp as to cause heating, as this greatly in- 

 jures the colour of the grain, and renders the straw worthless for 

 fodder. Corn stacks are always made round in Scotland, both 

 for conveniency and ventilation. Oat stacks: j,re generally made 

 to hold from 120 to 200 shocks, according to the size of the farm; 

 and it is a common practice to place a three-legged vent inside, to 

 promote a freer circulation of air through them. They are thatched 

 with wheat or barley straw, which is tied down with ropes made 

 of tough oat straw. The thatching will cost little more than 

 ^d. per quarter ; and this includes the making of the ropes also. 



The cost of cultivating an acre of oats on a light trap (whin- 

 stone) soil, with which the writer is personally acquainted, to- 

 gether with rent and taxes, in 1848, is nearly as follows : — 

 Ploughing lea, one furrow, 9 to 10 inches broad . .£076 

 Sowing broadcast (one man, 2s., and one woman, Sd. per day, 

 20 acres) . . . . . » . 0 0 1a 



Seed, 3i bushels, 2l2s.Qd. 0 8 9 



Harrowing 2^ double strokes (five times), six horses and t^yo 



men finish 10 acres . , . . . .026 

 Handweeding, twice . , . . . .009 

 Reaping 64 shocks, 12 sheaves, each \\d. . . .080 

 Binding, setting up, and superintendence . . . 0 2 0 

 Carrying and stacking 10 acres per day, 1 builder, 1 forker, 

 3 carters, and 3 double-horse carts ; the men at 2s. Qd., 

 and the horses 2s. Qd. each per day, cost per acre . 0 2 9 



Thatching 0 0 & ; 



Threshing 48 bushels by steam . . . .014 

 Marketing . . . . . o .039 

 Kent and taxes in 1848 . . . . . 1 10 0 , 



£3, 7 l]i 



