110 



Agriculture of Scotland. 



parish just alluded to, which in the first period was let for 1200/., 

 was the other day taken on a lease at 2650/., and had been pre- 

 viously rented at upwards of 2700/. 



The sale of some estates within the district, at this time, also 

 exhibit the greatly improved value of land at the different periods. 

 The fine estate of Ednam, which sold in 1787 for 31,500/., was 

 purchased by Lord Dudley and Ward, in 1825, at 105,000/. A 

 small property in the neighbourhood of Kelso, which was dis- 

 posed of, a few years subsequent to 1780, at 7500/., brought last 

 year 22,500/. ; and without enumerating further, these instances 

 may be held as affording a fair example of the effects of improved 

 culture in raising the value of land in this quarter, as well as 

 throughout the other districts of Scotland, over which the plough 

 has been so efficiently extended. 



General Improvements. — Lime continues to be very liberally 

 applied to all the soils of this district, and although this valuable 

 stimulant is not to be obtained nearer than at an average distance 

 of twenty miles, it is believed there are very few acres subjected to 

 tillage within its whole limits which have not once, at least, 

 within the last forty years, been brought under its influence. But 

 the chief improvements which have of late done so much for this 

 part of the country (and it is conceived enough that it should be 

 now mentioned) have been effected by a more extensive system of 

 draining, and the free use of bone manure. From the tendency 

 that the prevailing practice, has to induce a general system, a con- 

 siderable breadth of land, for many years past, has been applied to 

 the growth of turnips in a very unsuitable state for this crop ; and 

 consequently there is not now so great an addition to the extent of 

 ground thus occupied, as that the soil being rendered suitable by 

 draining, the quality of the crop is so very materially improved. 

 Nevertheless, something also has been effected in extent ; perhaps 

 to the lessening of a plain fallow by about a third of the ground 

 thus occupied ten years ago. But it is in the increased weight since 

 this time that so much has been accomplished ; and although the 

 frequency of the drains is still far from being sufficient, in almost 

 every instance, still enough has been done to show that there is not 

 an acre of land in the district which may not be rendered suitable 

 for turnips ; and moreover that these damp lands, when effectually 

 drained, are, for some time at least, (the limit of which has yet to 

 be proved,) eminently calculated to produce a large, vigorous, and 

 healthy crop. The writer has himself effected a considerable im- 

 provement in this way, by which he has, with advantage, substituted 

 turnips on his fallow break to double their former proportion ; and 

 has even in this wet season nearly fifty acres, a very full crop upon 

 land never before subjected to this system. His draining opera- 



