ESTATE OF BAEBRECK, ARGYLLSHIRE. 63 



often met with in old arable ground. If something of the kind 

 is not done, the soil closes round the pipes, and the water must 

 come to the surface as before. 



The value of the land before drainage could not be more on 

 an average than 4s. ; but it must be remembered that on a great 

 part of it, at certain seasons, the stock were subject to disease 

 and accident. The present value is at least 25s. per acre, the 

 flow of grass last summer on part of it, which was before the 

 most wet and sour, having been beyond anything I have ever 

 seen in the way of unsown grass. If it were not for the few 

 acres of moss being of comparatively little value, this average 

 might be stated considerably higher. 



I make these few remarks to account for the heavy expense, 

 but feel convinced that money could not be more profitably laid 

 out. 



ON THE RECLAMATION OF WASTE LAND. 



By Walter Kidd, Balleny, Ciu'rie. 



[Premium — Tlie Gold Medal] 



The following report has reference to improvements made on the 

 farms of Eamslacks and Balleny, in the parish of Currie, and 

 county of Edinburgh, and especially in regard to the reclamation 

 o/ 60 acres of waste land, part of Eamslacks. 



I obtained a lease of the farms for nineteen years from INIartin- 

 mas 1862, from Ealph Erskine Scott, Esq., trustee for Carteret 

 George Scott, Esq. of Malleny, the then proprietor, and, owing to 

 the bankruptcy of the out-going tenant, I got possession in April 

 preceding. 



Eamslacks contains about 230 acres imperial. Elevation above 

 sea-level about 800 feet. At the date of my entry it was an open 

 muir, apparently in its natural state, without fences and un- 

 enclosed, except by the boundary walls on the north and south 

 sides, and, with the exception of about 20 acres, covered with 

 heather. Patches of the land had, at a remote period, been under 

 cultivation, and 60 acres, now enclosed as two fields, had never 

 been ploughed. The value of the land at this time will be after- 

 wards given. 



Balleny contains 160 acres imperial. Elevation above sea- 

 level about 700 feet. This farm had been wrought as an arable 

 farm, was enclosed in small fields of from 5 to 15 acres, and was 

 in a wet, sour state for want of drainage. 



Generally the improvements were — 



1. Trenching, — A good deal of trenching was necessitated 



