Agriculture of Scotland, 



75 



seven years' grass, we have a yield of 60 to 72 bushels of oats, 

 stated as the result per Scots acre. The pease following- were 

 from 20 to 40, and the Avheat after, 32 to 40 bushels per acre. In 

 Perthshh'e, in the C arse-lands, the result is somewhat similar, but 

 beans are frequently stated as giving much larger returns than that 

 stated above. But it is considered unnecessary to go further with 

 any minuteness into this examination, as there appears, — excepting 

 upon the high and inferior land, — so great an equality of produc- 

 tiveness at this time throughout the country. This similarity is, 

 no doubt, owing to the statements which have come down to us 

 having been furnished only by those who were engaged in the appli- 

 cation of recent improvements, and which had extended themselves 

 hitherto to the best soils only of the respective districts in which 

 agriculture had gained a footing. Hence, although the situations 

 are different^ there might be little dissimilarity of the land from 

 which the results are obtained. 



It is almost unnecessary to observe that universally, as might be 

 expected, we trace a diminution of produce as we go down the list 

 of repeated corn-crops ; and this is peculiarly observable in fol- 

 lowing the progress of the productiveness of those fields reclaimed 

 by liming^ pre\iously occupied as out-field. Upon the first appli- 

 cation of this stimulant, upon breaking up these lands, we have 

 success shown in production fully equal to the same application 

 to the best in-field land, amounting to 60 bushels of oats per acre, 

 and in some cases even more ; but by the repeated return to cul- 

 miferous crops they gradually diminish, until, before being re- 

 turned to grass, the produce is reduced to 18 and 20 bushels, if, 

 indeed, they continued to bear corn at all. The result, however, 

 of the whole examination is to show a much larger return than 

 what, from the system pursued, and particularly the very frequent 

 recurrence of corn -crops, could have been anticipated. And here 

 it is worthy of observation, when we take into account this latter 

 circumstance, in no more prominent light can be shown the great 

 additional extent of cultivation which has spread on all sides over 

 the country since the period under review. In 1780 the popula- 

 tion of Great Britain amounted to little above 9,000,000 ; in 

 1830 to upwards of 16,500,000; and while, in the former epoch, — 

 with no important variation as regards this matter in the amount of 

 importations of grain, — the whole growth of this country did no 

 more than maintain its inhabitants, in the latter, sufficiency was 

 still produced for the whole population. 



Live- Stock. — In no respect has the agriculture of Scotland been 

 so much improved as by the great increase of cattle and sheep 

 now maintained upon the arable land. Until the spread of the 

 growth of turnips and clover, no more could be kept than what 



