18 ON' THE AGRICULTURE OF THE COUNTY OF FIFE. 



Falkland, which lie on the west of the line, are very irregular 

 oil the surface and variable in soil, the predominating kind 

 being light, friable, fertile loam. These parishes contain several 

 very large farms, rented at from L.l to L.l, 15s. per acre. Close 

 to the Collessie Railway Station lies the compact valuable estate 

 of Melville, belonging to Lady Elizabeth Melville Cartwright. 

 Mr Cartwright (Lady Elizabeth's husband) is an enthusiastic, 

 experienced agriculturist, and the estate is a model of regularity 

 and system. Considerable improvement has been effected on the 

 estate in various ways during the past twenty-five years. A 

 large breadth of very fine wood was cut down, part of the land 

 thus cleared being replanted and part reclaimed. One farm of 

 250 acres has been lined off and fenced. Of this, 100 acres w^ere 

 trenched at a cost of about L.6 an acre, and having been put 

 into regular rotation, the farm was let to Mr Birrel for nineteen 

 years at a rent of 15s. per acre for the trenched land, and 3s. per 

 acre for the unreclaimed land, which is intended to be 

 brought under cultivation immediatelv. Before the tenant 

 entered a new dwelling-house and farm-steading were built. 

 The land is so dry and porous that very little draining was 

 required. Besides these improvements Mr Cartwright has just 

 erected about 12,000 yards of very superior wire fencing. The 

 posts and strainers are all unusually heavy and strong, while the 

 wire is of the best galvanised plaited description. The wires are 

 six in number, and are placed so as to keep in sheep. Mr Cart- 

 wright has also erected a number of very superior labom^ers' 

 cottages throughout his estate, while at his home farm, which is 

 under the able superintendence of his factor Mr Andrews, he 

 has most successfully established a herd of polled cattle. Of the 

 herd, however, more anon. Adjoining his magniiicent gardens 

 Mr Cartwright has a neat little nursery, into which he plants his 

 3'oung trees for a short time before planting them permanently. 

 The plants are brought in at the usual stage for transplanting, 

 but are put into the nursery for a short period to strengthen the 

 rootlets, a system that is found to be most advantageous to the 

 growth of the trees. One of the principal farms on the jNIelville 

 estate is Nisbetfleld, a very carefully cultivated holding, lying 

 in close proximity to Melville House, the ancient baronial resi- 

 dence of the Leven family. The tenant is Mr Archibald, and the 

 rent about L.l, 7s. per acre. The soil generally is light loam, 

 with a few spots of clay. In our route from ]\Ielville towards 

 Cupar we pass a number of very excellent farms, large and well 

 cultivated. In the parishes of Dairsie and Kemback there are a 

 few as fine farms as can be seen anwhere in the county. 

 About the centre of the latter parish, and close to Dura Den — 

 that classical spot so famous among geologists — lies the valuable 

 little estate of Blebo, the property of Mr Bethune, an agricul- 



