Farming of East Lothian. 



315 



intended cropping for 1854, is as follows, the number of arable acres being 

 555 : — 





1853. 



lSo4, 



Tiirnip 



91 acres. 



84 acres. 



Potato 



. 40 „ 



43 „ 



Wheat . . 



. 141 „ 



157 „ 



Grass . . 



. 127 „ 



117 „ 



Barley 



77 „ 



86 „ 



Oats . . 



• 49 „ 



42 „ 



Beans . . 



. 30 „ 



36 „ 





555 



555 



Mr. Handyside manures liberally, having found in his experience that 

 liberal applications of manure are, if judiciously given, well repaid. For 

 some years Mr. Handyside has brought from Edinburgh, by railway, a great 

 quantity of stable and byre manure. During the season ending 1852 upwards 

 of 1200 tons were thus obtained. The manure in Edinburgh cost from 

 45. Qd. to 5i\ per ton ; railv/ay carriage, 2^. M. per ton : cartage to the railway 

 at Edinburgh, 1 5. ; from the station to the farm. Is. Thus the manure laid 

 upon the farm cost 95, the ton, Mr. Handyside does not deem it prudent to 

 continue the purchasing of this manure at these terms, partly from the land 

 being now in the highest possible condition, and partly from the results of his 

 experience of portable manures. The average yearly amount of guano for the 

 last three-years has been upwards of 50 tons, chiefly Peruvian, Last season 

 there were also applied 9 tons of nitrate of soda. From the use of salt ]Mr. 

 Handyside has found considerable benefit from its producing stiffer straw, 

 and consequently a better braird of the clover-plant. The barley after grass, 

 and indeed all the spring-sown grain, turnips, &e., receive about 2^ cwts, of 

 guano per acre. 



The average weight of the turnip crop is 21 tons; the kinds grown are 

 Swedes and Purple-top yellow, one-tciird of the former to two-thirds of the 

 latter, with a few acres of White Globe — one half-acre of White Globe being- 

 allowed for each score of ewes. The average produce of potatoes is 5^ tons. 

 The average produce of wheat per acre is 35 bushels, but the average has 

 been above this for the last four years. Crop 1852 is the largest Mr, Handy- 

 side has ever grown. There are still 8 stacks of wheat to thrash of that 

 year's crop ; and, should these yield as expected, the average over the whole 

 wheat crop for 1852 will be 46J bushels per acre. The variety grown is 

 Hunter"s, Mr. Handyside, after repeated experiments with almost every 

 fashionable variety, has found Hunter's the best suited for his farm. The 

 average produce per acre of barley is 49 bushels. In 1852 the average was 

 a little above 70 bushels. Average produce of oats 60 bushels. In 1852 it 

 was 68 bushels. The grass, with the exception of a portion kept for hay, is 

 depastured, principally w ith sheep. The hay is saved to obtain aftermath for 

 the soiling of the farm-horses. The average produce of beans is 32 bushels. 

 In 1852 it was 48 bushels of beans and tares mixed. The farm is open, 

 without any plantations or trees, and trom its situation is often injured from 

 high winds from the west, these coming down the open bay at Aberlady, 

 The bean crop particularly is often injured from this cause, when these winds 

 occur during the period of blossoming. 



The number of cattle fattened annually is dependent on the condition of the 

 animals when purchased, the rule being to purchase animals well forward in 

 condition in September, for putting on the turnip crop. These are sold in 

 December. January, or February. Others are bought in and sold oti before 

 or by the 1st of Jane. These latter are never put out to pasture. The price 

 paid in autmun, 1852^ was 14/. ; this autumn, 15/. 31r. H.'s last sale of fat 



