Transactions of RHASS Volume 1940 - Page 091
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| Year | 1940 |
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170 CEREAL AND OTHER CROPS OF SCOTLAND FOR 1939. owing to drought and adverse weather the early potatoes were light, and for the same reason late varieties did not grow into bulky crops ; 7 to 8 tons per acre reckoned good; in the western part of the country a bad infestation of green-fly greatly reduced yields; blight, on the other hand, was not bad and was kept in check by spraying. Turnips—The turnip crop (mostly swedes) in this part of the country has become a very difficult and disappointing one owing to the continued ravages of the swede midge; turnip growers are being driven more and more to try mangolds; but neither were very success- ful, the weather being unfavourable in the early part of the season, with the result that root crops were light and variable, and swedes unstored were further seriously damaged by prolonged very severe frost in January and February. Insects—The outstanding infestations of insects were the swede midgc on turnips and green-fly on potatoes and other vegetable crops; the damage to swedes was about equal to the serious damage of recent years; the infestation of green—fly was exceptionally bad in the area affected. Weeds— Injury was about normal, especially in view of the difficulty of securing casual labour; charlock in grain crops and chai‘lock and other annual weeds in green crops were the chief troubles, but the weather was favourable for keeping them in check by horse labour. Pastures—During the season were of average growth and quality. Live Stock—Throve well, and cattle and sheep were free from disease. Clip of W col—About average. BORDER DISTRICT. BERWICKSHIRE (Merse). Wheat—A total acreage of 6795 showed a slight reduction from the previous year, accounted for partly by a wet season at seeding-time and recent improving prospects for barley ; with little to check them, brairds were good and well forward by early spring, which had been remarkably mild ; the usual seeding was 34,}; to 4 bushels per acre; ears made their appearance by 20th June, harvest commencing before the end of August, when the crop was generally standing ; it out well and was well got—all millable; yields at 46 bushels per acre were good, if not up to 1938 ; natural weight of grain, 63 lb. per bushel; straw, 26 to 32 cwt. per acre. BarleyaVVas sown early in fine order; at 10,038 acres showed a slight rise on top of the previous year’s increase; usual seeding, 2:} to 3 bushels per acre, drilled ; brairds came away regularly, and looked very well for a while; drought and frosts in May checked growth, when it lost colour and the rows opened up ; a good recovery was made by the end of June, and strong ears appeared early in July. The crop was somewhat laid by harvest-time, but the chief trouble at harvest was the abnormally strong growth of clovers; with weather conditions uncertain and very quiet stooks required extra handling ; cutting commenced about the third week in August, and the crop was eventually secured without damage; yields were good up to and over 48 bushels; natural weight, 53% lb. per bushel; straw, 25 cwt. per acre. Oats—Were sown earlier than usual as land and weather conditions were favourable; unfortunately, the early sowing brought much of the crop into a dull quiet spell 0f weather at harvest, so that the earlier fields suffered to some extent; like barley, the braird was checked in May, which subsequently CEREAL AND OTHER CROPS or SCOTLAND FOR 1939. 171 appeared to have more effect on the grain as the quality was not up to the usual standard ; 5 bushels per acre was the usual seeding, now invariably treated with a mercurial dressing; ears appeared by mid—June, and harvest commenced before m1d—August——early for the district; cutting took some little time, as crops generally were heavy, and stocks had to be moved two or three times owmg to the close, damp weather; yields were fair, varying very much, as is usual, some stated to be up to and over 80 bushels per acre ; natural weight low, at 42 lb. per bushel; and straw anything from 26'to 35 cwt. per acre. HarvesF—As already stated, began early With oats, and not too well, but finished up in reasonable time and generally good, except that much of the cat crop sample was blackened; inore speed could have been made if the labour had been available, but owing to the outbreak of war our casual Irish hands departed for home when most required. Hay—With a shortage of grass all Spring fields intended for hay were late in being cleared of ewes and lambs; in consequence, the crop had a short time_to make good, and was a light one, about 26 cwt. per acre ; conditions were reasonably good and, as a whole, the crop was well secured, With a fine show of clover ; a total acreage of 12,722 shows, most unfor- tunately as things proved, a further reduction for the year of some 7th acres. Jlleadow Hay—Condition very similar to above; the crop was short, as was the acreage, and much has had to be purchased since the new year. Potatoes—Land was in fine working order at planting-time, and plants showed up quickly; a lack of mOisture all season affected the tonnage, and prospects did not look too good in J1me; there was little or no disease; pitting was carried out satisfactorily and, apart from slight damage by frost, there was little waste in the pits; the acreage showed a slight fall at 2339 acres, and the crop was below average at 6 tons per acre ; spraying was not general and, as a rule, only the better known varieties were grown. Turnips—The acreage at 13,545 showed a reduction on 1938 of some 700 acres; sowings commenced in April, earlier than usual, with a fine tilth secured, but the ground was very dry and brands came irregularly; plants hung a long time, frost and fly doing serious damage and much land having to be resown ; it was well into June before the soil got a sufficient wetting to set plants right away; dry conditions later affected the crop, and mildew was very prevalent, the drills opening up badly; later growth was good, though yellows never made up leeway, and, finished moderately at well under 20 tons per acre ; swedes grew to a good average at 26 to 30 tons per acre, and were very sound ; unfortunately, owing to the severe winter, much was wasted ; mangolds, now extensively grown, lifted a heavy crop, kept well and proved most valuable in spring, while kale left over for spring use was largely wasted by frost or eaten by pigeons. Insects—No damage other than by the turnip beetle; no recurrence of the swede moth. Weeds—Conditions were favourable in spring and early summer for checking annuals; the creeping thistle, as usual, was much in evidence in pasture fields. Pastures—Were forward early in the year, butdry conditions and frost—we had frost every night the latter part of May and first half of J mic—checked growth, and by June fields were not only bare, but becoming burnt up; subsequently things improved, and foggages proved to be very good, while after harvest the young seeds stood xv |
| Title | Transactions of RHASS Volume 1940 - Page 091 |
