John Stevenson 1828 - 1893
The Highland Society published its Transactions, annually, and this essay appeared in 1865, written by my great-grandfather John Stevenson. He received a gold medal from the Society for it, and since it was entered to win a prize I presume it was not edited for him, but published as he wrote it. I think the language and style is quite impressive for a man who presumably left school at the aged 14 at the latest, very possibly lets-say around 1840-42. I note he doesn't use many Scots words, other than "chipping" for the bursting of the seed, and "brairds" for the emergence of the seedlings.
Dad seemed to know about this essay but I was always amazed that carrots were grown successfully as a field crop up at Garrallan Home Farm , which is 650-700 feet above sea level, and fairly heavy clay.
