208 
Report on some features of Scottish Agriculture. 
ning of September, and put on the grass left by the feeding cattle 
until Martinmas. They then get turnips for a couple of months, 
and go to the Edinburgh and Glasgow markets. Occasionally 
they get a little corn or cake, but they seldom require it, as they 
thrive very fast on the lowland pasture after coming off the hills. 
An average sheep will weigh about 17 lbs. per quarter, but some 
are much heavier. It docs not answer to buy lambs, as they get 
braxey and die very fast ; but aged sheep stand the change very 
well. The profit on one lot of 400 sheep paid Mr. M'Combie's 
election expenses ; but it does not appear whether the profits were 
very large or the expenses very small. 
4. Horses. — A somewhat light but active breed of carthorse is 
preferred ; and as so large a proportion of the arable land is in 
seed, it is not found necessary to keep morej than ten pairs 
in addition to four pairs of working oxen. The horses are turned 
entirely into the fields after turnip sowing is finished, and until 
the commencement of leading at harvest time. When taken in, they 
are given as much hay as they can eat, and are allowed 2 bushels 
of oats each per week. Every night they get a mash divided 
into two portions, one being given before the dry food and the 
other in the course of an hour or two ; it consists of light oats 
or bere, mixed with cut swedes, and boiled together. About a 
bucketful is given to each horse every night, and in the spring 
a good feed of swedes is also given in the forenoon. 
Labour. 
Married servants are engaged by the year, at Whitsuntide, for 
from 20Z. to 22Z. per annum with house and allowances ; and 
unmarried men are engaged for six months at Whitsuntide and 
Martinmas, getting from 10/. to 11?. lOs. for the term, with the 
usual allowances. The " allowances " are 2 pecks of oatmeal 
per week, as many potatoes as they can eat, and either milk or 
'2\d. per week in lieu of it. The unmarried men get their food 
cooked for them in the " bothy," as already described. The 
bailiff, or "grieve," as he is termed, is allowed to keep a cow, 
and sometimes a pony. Unmarried women are not employed, 
as a rule ; but for hoeing turnips, and at harvest time they are in 
great request. 
turnips, and afterwards to swedes, if possible, by the middle of October. I do 
not like soft turnips for feeding cattle. The cattle that I intend for the great 
Christmas market have at first from 2 lb. to 4 lb. of cake a day by the 1st of 
November. In a week or two I increase the cake to at least 4 lb. a day, and give 
a feed of bruised oats or barley, -which I continue up to the 12th or 14th of 
December, when they leave for the Christmas market. The cake is apportioned 
to the condition of the different animals, and some of the leanest cattle get the 
double of otliers which are riper. The cattle being tied to the stall places this 
quite in your power, while in the strawyard it could not be done." 
