The week-to-week business of the paper was to report the various machinations of the industry, which it did so with some gusto.

– In 1895, there were reports that balloonists and parachutists were becoming a nuisance to farming – "They have no respect for crops or fences," the editorial thundered.

– The end of the horse cometh. In 1896, students of the Glasgow Technical College travelled to Edinburgh to see first hand the demonstration of a steam plough at work on John Dobbie's Compend Farm, at Millerhill. The plough was drawn by the Robey traction engine of 16hp and weighing a colossal 11 tonnes.

– Early in 1897, the Scottish National Fatstock Club was formed and John Gilmour, of Montrave, in Fife, was voted in as its first chairman. A few years later, in 1905, Sir John – as he had become – was also made president of the newly formed Scottish Agricultural Organisation Society – which aimed to 'formulate a scheme for extending the benefits of co-operation to Scottish agriculturalists'.

– A year later, 1898, though, the very existence of what the SNFC was tasked to do, ie set up a national fatstock show, was queried when it was reported that 'there were too many agricultural shows.' We reported on an 'excessive' number of shows – 307 in England; 180 in Scotland and 13 in Ireland – which 'absorbed valuable time and energy that might better be spent on ordinary farming operations with more certainty of profit'. It was ever thus!

– One of the 'big' stories of 1899 was the fact that the West of Scotland Agricultural College was opened and kitted out throughout the year, with Professor Wright at the helm.