102 



Agriculture of Scotland. 



Acres. 



Wheat . . . ... 330,000 



Barley 410,000 



Oats . . . . . . 940,000 



Turnips 420,000 



Fallow 170,000 



Potatoes 140,000 



Beans and Pease .... 100,000 



Flax 10,000 



Gardens ...... 33,000 



Total . . . r 2,553,000 



Again, it may serve to afford some idea of the extraordinary in- 

 crease and improvement of live-stock in Scotland throughout the 

 whole period of this survey, and the extent to which the feeding 

 process has been carried, to state that, while in Glasgow, in 1763 

 — though that city had then a population of 30,000 — the slaughter 

 of cattle for the supply of the public market was wholly unknown, 

 the number of sheep and oxen there required now does not mate- 

 rially differ, in proportion to the greatly increased number of its 

 inhabitants, from that furnished to the city of London.* In the 

 other large towns of Scotland, there is reason to believe, a demand 

 in nearly a similar ratio exists. Such has been the extraordinary 

 improvement in the condition and habits of the people ! The 

 whole of this supply of butchers' meat is now furnished to Scotland 

 by her own agriculture ; and, besides the large exportation of lean 

 stock to the neighbouring kingdom, a very considerable number of 

 fatted animals are continually being sent thither from the north, 

 east, and south of Scotland, — an amount which has been lately 

 much increased, from the greater facilities afforded by steam- 

 navigation. 



It now remains that we endeavour to confirm, as has been re- 

 quired, the above account of the extensive and rapid progress which 

 has distinguished the agriculture of Scotland during the last sixty 

 years, by a reference to the " description of improvements which 

 can be proved to have taken place in a specified district." 



The tract of country selected for this purpose is that situated 

 in the eastern part of Roxburghshire, extending along the banks of 



* " In 1831 the population of London amounted to 1,472,000, and, at an 

 average of three years ending with that time, 156,000 head of cattle, and 

 1,238,000 head of sheep, were annually sold in Smithfield market." — 

 M'CuUoch's Statistical Account, p. 586. 



