158 Report on some features of Scottish Agriculture. 
seed barley, according to the richness of the land, is drilled, 
lightly harrowed in, and the land rolled. The seeds are then 
sown, the land lightly harrowed, and finally well rolled. 
The strong land for barley, or sometimes wheat, does not 
require so much preparation, as it is not so likely to produce the 
adventitious crop of annuals, which is the object of Mr. Murray's 
especial solicitude. It is ploughed when the roots are cleared off, 
and, if dry enough, harrowed immediately ; but otherwise it is 
left until fit, when the harrow and drill follow in close succes- 
sion, and the seeds are sown as before. 
3. Seeds. — A large quantity of seeds are usually sown per acre, 
the mixture being : — 3 pecks Italian rye grass (one-half English and 
one-half foreign) J bushel perennial rye grass,* and not less than 
20 lbs. of different clovers, viz. 6 lbs. red, 6 lbs. Alsike, 5 lbs. white 
Dutch, and 3 lbs. trefoil; also a small quantity of plantain and 
parsley, not more than 2 lbs. of each. The system of manage- 
ment commences soon after the barley is carried, by pasturing 
with sheep to the extent that the young plants are strong enough 
to bear. The first year from one-third to one-half of the break 
is mown, and the aftermath is fed. Two-year-old seeds are 
entirely pastured, the sheep getting white turnips on them for 
two or three weeks before they go entirely on roots. Clover 
sickness is rare. 
4. Oats. — As wheat is never taken after seeds, the ley is not 
broken up until the end of January or beginning of February, 
when it is ploughed to the depth of 6^ or 7 inches. Immediately 
before drilling the land is harrowed, and if there is any appear- 
ance of annual weeds the crop is also horse-hoed when sufficiently 
advanced. Black Tartarian oats are usually grown, the climate 
being too dry to suit the white sorts, and about 11 pecks of seed 
is generally the quantity used. The whole of the crop is con- 
sumed on the farm, as well as the straw. 
5. Potatoes. — Potatoes are taken after seeds and after oats. In 
the former case the ley is ploughed as for oats, and, as a system, 
hitherto no manure has been applied on land that has been 
two years in seeds. Recently, however, Mr. Murray has applied 
a little artificial manure, and he thinks that the result justifies 
a continuation of this practice, although in former days manure 
was thought to render the tubers more liable to disease. The 
oat-stubble for potatoes receives a heavy dressing of either 
farmyard-manure or town-manure in the autumn, which is 
ploughed in sooner or later, as may be convenient, or as the season 
may require, sometimes not until after the lapse of several weeks. 
Whole potatoes are never planted, and those selected for the sets 
* Paeey's is never used novr, as it was found to get short, dry, and hard. 
