304 



Farming of East Lothian. 



fined to top-dressing grass with and without guano. Such 

 manures as ground or dissolved coprolites and manufactured 

 manures have been frequently tested with Peruvian guano, and 

 almost invariably with a uniformly unfavourable result. The 

 deficiency of crop by the use of these, compared with guano, was 

 generally greater than the whole outlay for the guano. Most 

 farmers are now shy even in making experiments with manu- 

 factured manures. 



The amount spent on guano in this county is very considerable 

 There are several farmers who purchase guano annually to the 

 extent of lOOOZ. ; and 400/. to 600/. is a common expenditure. 

 The amount expended on portable manures over the cultivated 

 portion of the county may be taken at 12.s. to I85. per acre. 

 In one parish, Gladsmuir, of 6386 acres, the quantity of Peru- 

 vian guano applied last season was upwards of 400 tons ; this 

 year, for the same parish, already 500 tons have been ordered. 

 The produce of the county has been greatly increased since the 

 introduction of guano. Mr. John Brodie is of opinion that 

 guano has increased the average produce of the wheat-crop 

 something like 7 bushels per acre, and of barley and oats fully 

 8 bushels. Thorough-draining, with the use of guano, has 

 doubtless greatly raised the aggregate produce. Allowing for 

 seed, and the grain paid as wages to servants, with what is con- 

 sumed by horses, the aggregate produce of vegetable and animal 

 food which this county supplies for general consumption has 

 been certainly doubled within no very distant period — say 20 ta 

 30 years. The quality of the grain has also been greatly im- 

 proved, the weight per bushel and general appearance being 

 enhanced. Twenty years ago, in Haddington market, it was 

 difficult to find a sample-bag of wheat without papple, or a 

 sample-bag of barley and oats free of wild 6ats. The latter pest, 

 although considerably reduced, is not extirpated as has been the 

 case with the papple. The annual competitions for the pre- 

 miums offered for the best seed-corn by the East Lothian Agri- 

 cultural Society have contributed to this result, and the Society 

 has otherwise tended to improve farm practice generally. 



Another equally important result has been produced by the 

 combined agency of thorough-draining and the liberal use of 

 portable manures. Not only is the aggregate produce increased^, 

 but it is greatly less dependent upon the character of the season. 

 Last season, 1852, was by far the largest crop ever reaped in 

 East Lothian ; and in the present season, 1853, confessedly 

 unfavourahle, the produce of those farms with high manurial 

 treatment will be above an average, the wheat crop excepted. 

 This will also be about an average in acreable produce, but 

 restricted in breadth. This equalizing of the produce gives to- 



