LAND IMPROVEMENTS. Ill 



average for drains ranging in depth from 2 to 3 feet The 

 average cost of draining land in Caithness with tiles, may be 

 safely put down at £6 3s 4d. per imperial acre, exclusive of car- 

 riage of tiles. This is the outlay required to fit it for the 

 plough. 



Buildings. — There have been 15 new farm steadings erected 

 in connection with the improvements— two for farms of about 

 400 acres of arable land each, and the others for farms ranging 

 in extent from 40 to 200 acres. There have been four new farm 

 houses built at old steadings, the smallest at a cost of £250, and 

 the largest £800, besides additions and repairs to the old farm 

 steadings. The stables and byres are all open to the roof. The 

 byres generally contain two rows of cattle, with a centre pas- 

 sage from which they are fed. The fittings consist entirely of 

 flagstone. The flag divisions between the cattle measure 6 feet 

 by 4 feet, and are from 2\ inches to 3 inches thick. The feeding 

 troughs consist of pavement, and the floors are all paved. These 

 fittings are the cheapest and most durable that can be used. 



All the cottages erected by the proprietor at the farm stead- 

 ings, are for married men, with the exception of a " bothy" at the 

 Mains of Murkle. The cottages are substantially built, and com- 

 fortably finished, all the walls and ceilings being properly plas- 

 tered. They are of two sizes. One size containing 2 rooms with 

 presses, and outside accommodation ; and the second size con- 

 tains 4 apartments, 2 rooms on the ground floor, and 2 attics, 

 with outside accommodation. 



At the Mains of Murkle there is a " bothy " for young men. 

 It contains 6 separate sleeping rooms, and one large common, 

 sitting room. It is situated between the cottages for married 

 men, and in the immediate vicinity of the Grieve's house. 



Fencing. — There have baen 22 miles of dykes built, ranging 

 in height trom 3 to 5 feet, exclusive of coping, besides 11 miles 

 of flag fences, and 8 miles of ditches on which flags have still to 

 be set. Whins are generally sown along the sides of the flag 

 fences. Flag fencing is peculiar to Caithness. The flags are 

 generally obtained from the quarries worked for marketable 

 pavement. They are coarse and uneven on the surface, but 

 durable, and make a good fence for sheep. They are sold at a 

 penny per lineal yard, each flag being not less than 4| x 3 feet. 

 The cost of erection ranges from Is. lOd. to 2s. per chain. There 

 is generally a ditch 5 feet wide, and 3 feet deep, cut alongside 

 the flag fence at a cost of 4s. 6d. to 5s. per chain. The cost of 

 ditch and flag fence may be put down at 8s. 4d. per chain exclu- 

 sive of carriages. 



Roads. — The extent of farm and service roads made is about 

 8 miles. A considerable quantity of the materials for the roads 



