OF SCOTLAND.
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§ 5. Produce and application. —No crops whatever are moreuncertain in produce, or so dependant on seasons, as beansand peas. A good crop of beans, on a fit soil, well managed,and in favourable seasons, may sometimes exceed 42 bushelspei- statute acre; but from 24 to 32 bushels are reckoned asatisfactory produce. In unfavourable seasons, even on verygood soils, the crop sometimes turns out almost an entireblank, so far as the grain produce is concerned, and notworth threshing, except to clean the straw from soil andmouldiness, before using it as fodder.
The straw, especially when mixed with peas haum, is ofgreat value as fodder to the working horses; and when wellharvested is reckoned very hearty feeding. But this fooddoes not suit well for riding horses, as it is apt to hurt theirwind. In some horses, both bean straw and peas haum isapt to occasion cholic pains, or the disease which is provin-cially called halts t for which the most effectual remedy is adose of laudanum, about half an ounce, or the fill of a tablespoon, given in a warm drench. Both of these evil effectsfrom bean straw and peas haum are probably occasioned byflatulency.
The grain produce of the bean crop, is partly applied inpayment of the gains of farm servants, in those districts wheregrain payments prevail, and where the ordinary householdbread is made of barley mixed with peas or bean meal; part-ly in feeding farm-horses, mixed with oats, either whole orbroken. Sometimes bean-meal has been employed in carryingon fattening cattle, between the close of turnips and the com-mencement of pasture, when markets were not favourable forthe disposal of stock. On such occasions, great care ought tobe taken, that each beast eats its own allotted portion, and nomore; as a master ox will often devour a great proportion ofthe quantity intended for all his neighbours in the same yard,and may die of a surfeit. The surplus produce is sold tocorn-dealers, or millers, or to other farmers, for payment oftheir servants, for horse-corn, or for seed. The price of beans