110 LAND IMPEOVEMENTS. 



unconsumed at the said terra of Whitsunday is to be left to the 

 incoming tenant at valuation. The incoming tenant is to cut, 

 harvest, stack, thrash, and cart to market the waygoing crop, for 

 which services he is to receive the straw thereof." 



The large farms were then advertised, but none of the farms 

 under fifty acres were so. 



Eligible offers were received for all the farms advertised, and 

 they were let at rents which, on the whole, slightly exceeded the 

 valuation. The remaining farms and lots were then let at the 

 valuation to the sitting sub-tenants. 



Some little time before Whitsunday 1859 (the commence- 

 ment of the new leases), the reporter was asked to undertake 

 the carrying out of the improvements arranged for with the 

 tenants. 



In Caithness there is an immense extent of improvable land, 

 ranging in depth from 3 feet to 18 inches, which, when pro- 

 perly drained, bears remunerative crops. The great peculiarity 

 of this land is, that very little of it requires trenching ; not one 

 acre of upwards of 2000 improved upon Sir Robert's estates 

 within the last six years required to be trenched. 



After the land is drained it is ready for ploughing, and if 

 ploughed in autumn it is ready for an oat-crop the following 

 spring ; and with an application of 2£ or 3 cwt. of guano per 

 acre, it yields from three to four quarters of oats per acre. 



This is in striking contrast with the improvement of land at 

 Ardross, in Ross-shire, where the average cost of trenching was 

 £8 13s. per acre; that of blasting rock and boulders, £5 2s. per 

 acre ; and that of clearing the stones off the ground, £2 8s. 3d. 

 per acre ; the average cost of draining being £6 10s. lOcl. per 

 acre — making the total average cost per acre, £22 14s. Id. 

 After this the land was limed and heavily manured before dop- 

 ing. The return of oats per acre was from five to six quarters. - 

 See Society's Transactions, January 1 858. 



Drainage. — The reporter has executed about 500 miles of 

 drains. The average depth of drains is about three feet — the 

 sub-stratum being flagstone. The drains are cut down to the 

 rock unless the soil exceeds four feet in depth, which in a few 

 cases it does. Where the drains are not over two feet in depth, 

 the tiles are laid in a groove cut out in the rock for them. When 

 so placed, they are beyond the reach of damage from agri- 

 cultural operations. 



The minor drains are all laid with 1^ inch pipe tiles, and the 

 leaders with 3 and 4 inch pipe tiles, according to circumstances. 

 Collars are not used unless the land is very soft. 



The distance between the drains must ever be regulated by 

 the depth of drain, the porosity of the soil, and its wetness. 

 From the reporter's experience, he considers 24 feet apart a fair 



