Transactions of RHASS Volume 1940 - Page 092
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| Year | 1940 |
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tr', 73v .r 172 CEREAL AND OTHER CROPS OF SCOTLAND FOR 1939. a lot of eating, by which time there was some roughage for autumn use. Live Stock—Sheep stocks did quite well despite, and perhaps on account of, the shortage of grass, which, however, was too barn for cattle at the beginning of the grazing period; the fall of lambs was below average, and mortality amongst ewes before and after lambing was heavy ; by sale-time lambs were barely average quality ; at first, met a fair trade, but trade fell away badly owing chiefly to the indefinite guidance from the Ministry; for the same cause draft ewes were exceedingly badly sold, and flockmasters suffered severe financial loss; grass-fed cattle, on the other hand, under partial control, were more liberally treated; the stock kept free from disease. Clip of WOOL—Was above average quality, but the international situation affected the trade, which opened very badly at a price which could not be accepted; things improved slightly by August, and on the outbreak of war the Ministry requisitioned all wools. Sugar Beet—~18. rather lessened acreage at 585 proved one of the best returns, if not the best, growers in the area have ever had for the crop; tonnage good, with a high percentage of sugar content; tare was light with the first loadings, but latterly the land became too wet to make satisfactory work with lifting; un- doubtedly a greater acreage would be grown if the necessary labour were available. BERWICKSHIRE (Lammermoor). WheaF—About the same acreage grown as last year ; yield and general growth of the crop better than last year; yield about 32 to 36 bushels per acre. Barley—Rather more appeared to have been grown in the district than during the last few years; yield fully average, and quality of grain on the whole good for the district; seed sown, 3 to 31} bushels per acre. Oats—The main white crop of the district; average crop for yield, with much less laid corn than for several years; seed sown, 4 to 5 bushels per acre. Harvest—Started at the usual time; weather conditions, on the whole, were good, very different from last year; the bulk of the crop was stacked With the minimum of delay. H ay— Average yield; secured in fairly good condition. Meadow Hayfi Also about average yield; secured in much better condition than last year. Potatoes—This crop looked remarkably well all summer; was harvested in good weather, and the yield seemed well up to or over the average; not much disease in evidence. Tumips~Early sown fields did remarkably well during the most of summer; in autumn, however, some fields suffered from the dry conditions and showed a considerable amount of mildew; some late sown fields brairded badly and never came to much of a crop; on the whole, both swedes and yellows an average crop. Weeds—Owing to the fairly dry conditions during the summer weeds were easier to keep in check than in the previous year; thistles in pasture fields were less troublesome than usual. Insects—Not more troublesome than in former years. Pastures—Up to average growth, and of better quality than last year. Live Slock—Throve well, and were fairly free from disease. Clip of Wool—Average. ROXBURGHSHIRE. Wheat—About the normal acreage grown; tendency has been to sow wheat on old lea ploughed up; results have been very variable ; autumn sown wheat often thinned out to a poor crop; on the whole, spring seems the best time to sow CEREAL AND OTHER CROPS OF SCOTLAND FOR 1939. 173 after old lea. Barley—Showed less variation in yield where the crop was at all good; the quality was mostly good, and yields of 40 to 48 bushels per acre were average. Oats—Did not produce the usual bulk of straw, but in most cases the yield was quite satisfactory; the straw was of good quality for fodder ; the grain also was mostly plump and good. Harvest—VVas quite early, and the later districts were fully earlier than usual in comparison with the others ; except in the very earliest districts where the weather was bad to start with conditions were exceptionally good. Hay—Was a light crop, but of very good quality and well got. AIeadow H ay—Was a. moderate crop of good quality and well got. Potatoes—The yield good all over, with very little disease and a high percentage of ware. Turnips— About an average crop, with fewer bad fields either from disease 01' bad brairding; unfortunately, an abnormal wastage was caused by the severe frost both in pits and in particular to crops left growing. Insects—Not much damage caused. Weeds—Less trouble than usual 1‘:-<:01‘ded. Pastures—First year’s grass was in many cases very badly planted and gave poor results; other pastures about average. Live Mock—Did well in general, especially later in the season; lambs in many cases suffered badly from worms; other diseases about normal. Clip of Wool—About average in weight and quality. SELKLRKSHIRE. W heat——None grown. Barley—Very little grown. (MM—Despite the wet spring sowing was completed by the end of April, and oats secured a good seed-bed ; thin—skinned oats brairded \wll, but the thick-skinned varieties came thin, due to the long spell of dry weather and lack of moisture ; seed sown, 5 to 6 bushels per ‘dIJI‘U; there was a marked shortage of straw, but grain threshed \wll; yield, from 35 to 44 bushels per acre. Harvest—Commenced a week earlier than the previous year and, with a standing crop and line weather, was secured in excellent condition. Hay—A poor crop, owing to the continuous drought in May and June ; secured in idll‘ly good condition, but bulk probably one-third less than usual. :11 Ludow Hay—For the same reason was a poor crop, but secured 1n fairly good condition; yield, about two-thirds of the average. Potatoes—VVere a good crop, free of disease, and lifted in fine dry condition; 7 to 8 tons per acre; Kerr’s Pink was the most popular Vill‘lCty.‘ Turnips—lVere a very disappointing crop, and not the Usual Slze; those sown before the middle of May brairded well and came quickly to the hoe, but those put in at the latter end of May ‘hung fire ’ for about eight weeks, when the rain came, and consequently they did not mature properly; yield, 15 tons per titre ; dry-rot and finger-and-toe prevalent, even on land which was lllllt’kl, which gave rise to the suspicion that the seed was infected. ll (Lads—.No serious injury by weeds, but crops greatly damaged by wood-pigeons. Pastures~Fairly good throughout the season. Live block—Throve quite well, and were generally free from disease, except for the usual calving and lambing troubles. 0qu of Wool— Average and of excellent quality. PEERLESSHJBE. Wheat——A very small acreage grown, and only a fair erOp. Barley—Not extensively grown; yield, from 38 to 42 bushels per acre. Oats—Taken all over, not such a heavy crop as in the prev1ous year, and in many cases ripened unequally ; good land on an average 56 to 64 bushels per acre; poorer land from 24 to |
| Title | Transactions of RHASS Volume 1940 - Page 092 |
