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General View Of The Agriculture Of The County Of Stirling : With Observations On The Means Of Its Improvement / Prepared By R. Belsches, Esq. Of Greenyards, In That County ; Drawn Up For The Consideration Of The Board Of Agriculture And Internal Improvement
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ſing the large, round, reddiſh-coloured- potatoe in the open field for the market, was ſoon followed by many farmers. The memory of this gentleman will be long held in high eſteem by the inhabitants of Kilfſyth and the neighbouring pariſhes.. An attempt of that kind, eſpecially when follow- ed with conſequences ſo uncommonly beneficial to the beſt intereſts of ſociety, merits the higheſt approbation of the public. The cultivation of the potatoe is now ſo univerſal, that farmers plant them even in ſtrong clay land, where the ſucceſs is ſomewhat doubtful. The utmoſt attention is paid to hoeing and cleaning the crop; and it is to be hoped, that the beneficial effets of this prad&ice, applied to potatoes, will encourage huſbandmen to extend it to other crops. In ge- neral, potatoes are planted in rows, and carefully horſe or hand hocd and weeded. In ſome places, bits of old paſture and wettiſh ſoils are planted in /azy deds. Theſe are alſo carefully hand-hoed and weeded. This is pradiſed on a ſmall ſcale for bringing in waſte pieces of ground, eſpecially where a ſuſficiency of manure can be procured. The long Kidney potatoe is preferred to every other variety. A few gentlemen have tried the yam, and find it to be a valuable food for milch cows. The application of potatoes for feed- ing horſes has been made by ſeveral gentlemen, and the Pradttice ſeems to gain ground. They have alſo been tried for feeding cattle, but the return was not equal to expedta- tion, and therefore the application of them this way is con- ſidered as an unprofitable expenditure of the crop.

Flax is fowed in ſmall quantities in almoſt every part of the county. The crops, even in expoſed ſituations, are com- monly good. Much of ihe land ſouth of Falkirk is ex- tremely well adapted for the growth of this plant. Farm- ſervants and day-labourers are fond of cultivating it, and, as a part of their wages, often bargain to have a ridge or two granted them for that purpoſe. The ground is plow- ed, ſowed and dreſſed for'them by the farmer. Patches of land for raiſing potatoes are conditioned for in the ſame

way.