The Agricultural Outlook in Scotland

Southland Times, Issue 13501, 18 July 1896, Page 2 (Supplement)

The Agricultural Outlook in Scotland

In an article entitled ‘ln Borderland’ the North British Agriculturist has the follow - ing particulars of a famous Border farm and the opinions of its owner : — Descending into the valley of the Tweed we reach the homestead of Kerchesters, which is delightfully situated on rising ground, from which a magnificent project is had of Tweedside, from the Eildons on the west to Haledon Hill in the east. The mansion-house is old-fashioned, but ample and convenient. The steading, however, is old, rambling, and not at all convenient or up to date. The land on this side the ridge which divides the farm is good, kindly, and in very high condition. Thefields of old pasture around tho steading were alive with immense stocks of feeding sheep in preparation for sale, the ewes and lambs being in fields rather farther off. The steading, too,was crowded with cattle of all ages from young calves to aged cows, Mr Olay has always followed the principle of having his farm self-supporting in the matter of stock,a ram or a bull being practically the only animal he ever required t o buy. In regard to cattle bo followed the plan of having a large stock of ‘Bucklers,’ that is, queys which were mated with a good bull,and were allowed to suckle their calves till both dam and calf were ready to go to the butcher together. The large stock of work horses are heavy, strong, sound animals, and the stock of implements include all the appli«nces suitable for tho efficient working of a farm of 1250 acres.

In regard to the prospect* of British agriculture, Mr Clay expres*ed bis conviction* freely and without reserve. While admitting that even in these days of agricultural depression there were not a few farmers who, by means of ample cipital, good betaines* abilities, and close attention to buiinea*; were making farming pay fairly well, taking the one year with the other, he held that for an indefinite number of years, at any rate, the competition from foreign countries would keep prices foragricultural produce atja very low level; while on the other hand, the ‘land hunger’ would keep rents too high for leaving more than a very modest ‘living wage’ to eyen the best farmers. Mr Clay fonnd no difficulty in accounting for this ‘land hunger’ in the face of the keen agricultural depression. For one thing, farmers in former times could uend their sons to push their fortunes in America or tbe colonies ; but the agricultural depression Was now oven mors acute in these countries than it was in the home country,so that this groat field of enterprise for farmers’ sons was now practically closed, and they wore, therefore, forced to try to obtain farms at home. Besides, owing to the failure of so many foreign securities—foreign insecurities they might have been called—there was now a great difficulty in finding safe investments for money at very moderate rate* of interest, and men who had been bred to country life and had a bit of money were led into becoming competitors for farms as an investment for their capital, A man who had,say,Lsooo, could only now get from Ll5O to L2OO per annum of in. terest on that capital if invested in the ordinary securities open to non-speculative investors, and he would have a high rent to pay for a dwelling-house, whereas if he bad that money invested in the stocking and working of a farm he would have a fine country house, and practically the status of a country gentleman, Farming life ba* great attractions such as no other business possesses, and nothing gives a man a social status so readily as does the possession of a farm well stocked and well managed. The commercial and manufacturing intarests of the country have been expanding and prospering, as was fully proved by the record-breaking national Budget laid before Parliament a few weeks ago; and on account of the groat attractions of farming life, many men who have made, and are still making, money at other businesses are swelling the competition for farms, mainly for the sake of the fine country residence and tbe social status which tbe possession of a farm gives them. In fact,Mr Clay did not hesitate to say that farmers should now set themselves to induce some of tbeir sons to go in for commercial or professional pursuits as being more lucrative than farming. He has set a good example himself, for bis elder son —Mr John Clay, jun.—is the Cattle King of Chicago, and his younger son is a member of the firm of Messrs Pringle and Olay, W.S., Edinburgh. Besides, the ploughmen, shepherds, and other farm labourers are now so highly paid, and can live so chsaply, that they are able to save money, and the’more saving men of this class are now a great factor in increasing tho rents of tha smaller class of farms. In the

(Border counties of recent years quite a large number of farms have been taken by farm grieves, shepherds, and ploughmen, who by their industry and thrift had managed to eave as much money as enabled them to rise to the position of farmers. These men and their families having been accustomed to steady, earnest work and thrifty living, can make ' farming pay, where others, who aim at a higher style of living, would find it unprofitable. For these reasons, therefore, Mr Clay is clearly of opinion that for the time to come the profits that can be looked for out of the investment of capital and skill in the farming industry will be of the most moderate order, and that in every case ample capital, good business abilities, und close attention to business, will be required to make farming yield even a very moderate profi’.