12 oil THE AGllICULTUEE OF THE COUNTY OF FIFE. 



variable, is kindly and fertile. On the farm of Scotscraig there 

 are a few fields of very superior land. 



The Progress of the fast Twenty- Five Years. 



The total acreage reclaimed in Fifeshire since 1850 is very 

 small, almost every suitable tract of land having been brought 

 under the plough long before that time. The spirit of improve- 

 ment dawned early on the county of Fife, and hence all the 

 important reclamations date much further back than the range 

 of this report. In dividing and squaring up fields during the 

 past twenty-five years, many small patches and out-of-the-way 

 corners that previously produced only rough pasture have been 

 made into cultivated laud, while around the base of hills on 

 the borders of Kinross a few fields have been reclaimed partly 

 from moss and partly from strong pasture land. Draining of 

 course was the first operation in all those improvements, the 

 stronger land being trenched to a considerable depth. But 

 though the acreage is not greatly increased, the progress of the 

 past twenty- five years has nevertheless been very great. Those 

 who recollect the state of agriculture previous to 1850 can trace 

 in the farms of the present day many wonderful improvements. 

 In fact, though a few of the older farmers still retain many of 

 the ancient customs, — customs that will in all probability die 

 with themselves, — it may almost be said that an entire change 

 in the system of farming has taken place in Fife during the past 

 quarter of a century. The science and practice of agriculture 

 have of late years been receiving considerable attention from a 

 large section of the Fifeshire farmers, and in the increased pro- 

 ductiveness of the soil the result is showing itself more and 

 more strikingly every year. The expenditure for improvements 

 since 1850 — and it has been very large — must be noted mainly 

 against draining, building, and fencing. Having been naturally 

 very wet and swampy, and next to useless in its original state, 

 the greater portion of the land was thoroughly drained early in 

 the present century. Naturally, however, these drains, never 

 perhaps of the first order, required mending after having done 

 good service for perhaps a nineteen years' lease; and during the 

 last twenty-five or thirty years, almost the whole of the county 

 has been redrained. 



A great deal has been done since 1850 in the way of improv- 

 ing the buildings in the county. The farmer's dwelling-houses 

 have been immensely improved, while a very large number of 

 as fine farm-steadings as are to be seen anywhere in Scotland 

 have been erected. A very considerable amount of money has 

 also been spent in the erection of labourers' cottages. Almost 

 every farm of even moderate size in the county is now provided 

 witli servants' cottages of the most approved construction, and 



