Transactions of RHASS Volume 1940 - Page 100
Image details
| Year | 1940 |
|---|---|
| Transcription |
|
| OCR Text |
188 CEREAL AND OTHER CROPS OF SCOTLAND FOR 1939. wider range than in a normal year; seed sown, 4 bushels per acre. Oats—15 to 20 cwt. per acre; quality much inferior to last year, and also a much wider range than in an average season ; seed sown, from 4 to 6 bushels per acre ; varieties of foreign origin require more seed per acre, they do not tiller so well as native varieties. H arvesffi Began about the usual time, but was much longer in being finished than in an average season. Hay—Quantity and quality lower than the previous year, especially quality; a much wider range covered by both than in an average season. llIeadow Hay—Not very much grown, but was much about the same as last year. Potatoes—5 to 7 tons per acre; quality generally good, with very little disease reported ; no mention of any new varieties being planted. Turnips ——From 8 to 12 tons per acre, only about half of 1938 crop ; brairded very unequally, and second sowing was quite common ; the weather and conditions of the land were both to blame. Insects—Little or no complaint of injury, weather and condition of soil being more to blame for deficiencies. Weeds—Caused injury to some extent, and damage was rather more than in a normal season; knotgrass and surface weeds were plentiful. Pastures—During the season were good, and improved towards the end of the season; some young cattle were out much longer than in a normal season. Live Stock- All stock did as well as could be expected under the conditions; cattle and sheep have been free from disease. Clip of Wool—About average in quality and quantity. ABERDEENSHIRE (Strathbogie). Wheat—None grown. Barley— Quantity grown average; fair quality; average yield, 32 bushels per acre, weighing 45 to 52 lb. per bushel ; 4 bushels per acre were sown. Oats—Crops very poor owing to bad weather conditions; badly harvested and yield below average; yield, 36 to 40 bushels per acre, weighing 38 to 40 lb. per bushel. Harvest—Bad, perhaps the worst experienced for many years; those who were unable to cut and carry early had their crop sitting out until very late in the year ; in fact, there was one crop still out at the New Year. Hay— A fair quantity grown for home consumption only. Illeadow Hay— None grown. Potatoes—Yield slightly below average ; staple crops. Kerr’s Pink and Golden Wonder; no new varieties grown; quality below average. Turnips—Crops very unsatisfactory, and more than usual had to be resown. Insects—Not much trouble caused, apart from fly early in the season. Weeds—An unusually dry spell of weather prior to May resulted in no trouble with weeds, and the weather was favourable for cleaning the land. Pastures—Abundant, and lasted well into the autumn. Live Stock—Did well on pasture and were free from disease. Clip of Wool—Of good quality and quantity average. General Remarks—~1n the Strathbogie district the year 1939 was one of the worst experienced for many years. The Wet weather which set in after a dry spring made harvesting difficult Turnips did badly in the autumn. BANFFSHIBE (Lower). Wheatr—Quantity slightly less than in tho previous year, yielding 40 to 45 bushels per acre; natural weight 58 to 60 lb. per bushel; straw, 20 to 25 cwt. per acre ; seed sown: 4% to 5 bushels per acre. Barley—A poor crop, yielding 24 to 40 bushels per acre; natural weight 54 lb. per bushel; straw, 15 to 20 cut. 1W CEREAL AND OTHER CROPS OF SCOTLAND FOR 1939. 189 more ; seed sown, 4 bushels per acre. Oats—An average crop, yielding 48 to 52 bushels per acre ; natural weight, 40 to 42 lb. per bushel; straw, 25 to 28 cwt. per acre ; seed sown, 6 bushels per acre, and up to 7 bushels per acre for thick-skinned varieties. Harvest—Barley cutting began on 21st August, and oats a week later. Hay—Crop was not so heavy as last year; clovers were deficient ; yield, 25 to 30 cwt. per acre. M cadow H (lg—Practically none grown. Potatoes— A good crop of excellent quality, yielding 8 to 10 tons per acre; no disease ; no new varieties planted. Turnips—A very poor crop, and quality poor; 10 to 12 tons per acre; winter frosts destroyed large quantities ; brairded well, but had to be resown owing to dry, frOsty weather towards end of May. Insects—No injury caused. ll'crds——No damage done. Pastures—Of average growth. I/ive Stock —-Did fairly well; cattle and sheep were free from disease, and there were fewer deaths among horses from grass-sickness. Clip of Wool—Quality good, and quantity up to average. BANFFSHIRE (Upper). Wheat—~None grown. Barley—Very little grown, as home barley is not much used. Oats—Quite a good crop on acreage cultivated; 38 to 40 bushels per acre; bushel weight lighter than usual owing to rainy, cold summer, 38 to 41 lb. per bushel; seed sown, generally 6 bushels per acre. Harvest—Com- menced about 10th September ; in many cases hardly a finish made owing to incessant rainfall. Hay—About same as last year, if any- thing rather lighter ; ryegrass and clover fairly well mixed ; quantity, from 1% to 12 tons per acre. Meadow Hay———None grown. Potatoes— Not so heavy as last year ; disease rather prevalent as weather kept ground so wet all through the summer. Turnips—Crop much less ; about 8 to 9 tons per acre; blanks in brairding never filled up; no second sowing required. Insects—No particular damage except that some of the weaker turnip seedlings were eaten off as they came through. W ecds—Turnips rather choked up with yarr and skelloch owuig to wet conditions. Pastures—Quite average; came well and kept up well all through the grazing season. Live Stock—Throve quite well all through, and no disease was recorded. Clip of Wool—- About the average. INVERNESS DISTRICT. MORAYSHIRE. Wheat—Below average; 35 bushels per acre ; quality not so good as in 1938; straw, average crop, 30 cwt. per acre; seed sown, 3 to 4 bushels per acre, according to whether drilled or broadcast. Barley—Very disappointing yield in most cases ; 30 bushels per acre ; quality fair, not so deficient as quantity ; straw, average about 20 cwt. per acre of fair quality. Oats—Average crop to look at on the ground, but yield very poor in threshing; 40 bushels per acre; unusual amount of lights, and bushel weight below average; straw, 23 cwt. per acre; fair quality where well harvested; much of it damaged by standing too long in stock; thls applies to barley too, especially in the uplands; the poor yield 0f grain is reckoned due to extra dry early growing period and, later, ’00 much rain and lack of sunshine. Harvest—Began a week later glam year before; from 14th August, according to district. Hay— t1ether less than in previous year ; Lower Moray, 40 cwt. per acre ; 1e hlghel' country, 23 cwt. per acre ; quality very good Where early M w I .. . v i .' , m): |
| Title | Transactions of RHASS Volume 1940 - Page 100 |
