AgricuUnre of Scotland* 



99 



which the introduction of the subsoil plough has mainly contri- 

 buted. The ordinary operation of ploughing has been of late 

 years infinitely improved, and great additional fertility imparted to 

 the soil by raising liberally a fresh substance to the surface. This 

 has been accomplished^ in most instances, by the application of 

 three or four horses to the common plough in executing the 

 winter furrow, and even with the ordinary power of two horses, 

 much more substantial work is performed^ so that a depth of from 

 10 to 12 inches is in this way frequently obtained. 



Produce. — With respect to the effects of all these improvements 

 upon productiveness, we have already alluded to the general results 

 in a comparison with rents ; and there are so many circumstances 

 which go to affect particular crops, besides the condition of the soil, 

 that it is in vain to attempt to give a precise statement of the actual 

 increase upon a given species of crop induced by improved fertility. 

 We know, however, that this increase cannot fail to be very con- 

 siderable, other matters being equal, and we have no doubt, in a 

 comparison of the amount of grain produced upon an inferior 

 description of land, managed after the general fashion of the pre- 

 sent day, would be double what it was under the ordinarv manage- 

 ment of the beginning of this period. On the finer descriptions 

 of lands of course this increase is very much less, and in some 

 cases scarcely perceptible. Thus the average of good land may 

 be now assumed giving this result 



Wheat 30 to 32 Bushels for English statute acre. 

 Barley 40 to 44 , , ^ j , , 



Oats 46 to 50 



The average produce of the lighter lands, where draining has not 

 been much required, may be stated as now — 



Wheat 22 to 26 bushels per acre. 

 Barley 34 to 38 , , , , 



Oats 36 to 43 , , , , 



But it is in the thin damp soils now drained that the great ad- 

 ditional increase has been obtained, and w^hereas they were for- 

 merly unproductive and precarious under every crop, they may 

 safely be held as yielding now a greater return of wheat than 

 the last description of soil alluded to, and fully an equal produce 

 of oats and barley. 



But besides this greater productiveness in ordinary seasons, 

 there is every reason to believe that recent improvements have been 

 highly instrumental in resisting the infiluence of late and unfavour- 

 able weather ; and it consists with our experience that some locali- 



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