286 



Farming of East Lothian. 



some allowing less than 2 pecks, others 4 of rye grass. The 

 allowance of clover is generally 8 to 10 lbs. of red, 3 lbs. of white, 

 and in addition sometimes 3 lbs. of yellow. Others prefer a 

 larger quantity of clover, especially when the land is intended 

 to be depastured with sheep. After the removal of the cereal 

 crop from the ground, the young seeds are depastured with sheep 

 up till the middle of November or beginning of December. In 

 spring if sheep stock, frequently ewes and lambs, are to be fed 

 on the grasses, they are put into the field as they drop their 

 lambs ; but the field is seldom full stocked till the end of April, 

 or even later. The cows belonging to the master and servants 

 are put to grass about the middle of May, and, if the cart-horses 

 are depastured, generally about the end of May. Little of the 

 grass is cut for hay. Where the horses are soiled with a few 

 cattle in the courts, a field is set apart, generally convenient 

 to the steading, for cutting. But as a rule, the grass-seeds are 

 depastured, sometimes with cattle, but more generally with sheep 

 stock. 



In spring the stones are sometimes collected even on fields 

 intended to be depastured, but always on those intended for 

 cutting. In some districts of the county the number of si ones 

 upon the surface is very considerable, although diminishing by 

 this collecting. 



By December the ploughing of lea commences on the one- 

 year, and sometimes on the two-years pasture. One field is 

 occasionally reserved until spring for the accommodation of the 

 ewe stock. Scarcely any of the lea is ever sown with wheat, it 

 being found, after many trials, that the oat crop almost always 

 realises more money than lea wheat, besides leaving the land 

 in better condition as regards cleanliness. When sown at all it 

 is now found that spring-sown wheat is the most certain. But as 

 we previously stated, oats are almost universally taken after lea. 



Of the oat, several varieties are grown. The potato variety is 

 grown upon all friable and rich soils. On the colder clays the 

 late and early Angus are grown. Other varieties have been from 

 time to time introduced, but they generally lose favour. The 

 black Tartarian has been grown for some years, and stands high 

 for prolificness, particularly on soft soils. 



It is now found that guano, at the rate of 2 to 4 cwt., can 

 almost always be profitably applied to the oat crop, however 

 high in condition the land may he. The practice is extending, 

 and promises to become all but universal. 



If the land is cultivated on the four or five course, the rota- 

 tion terminates with the oat crop ; if on the six-course, beans 

 or potatoes follow the oat crop. ¥/hen land is intended for 

 beans it is generally ploughed early in autumn ; the farm-yard 



