1G8 EEPOET ON THE AGEICULTUEE OF PEETHSHIEE. 



how second-rate land could be maintained in any sort of condi- 

 tion under such a system of cropping, more especially when the 

 grass division was made into hay, the potatoes sent to London, 

 and as little of the produce consumed on the farm, and as much 

 as possible converted into cash by sale. With the exception of 

 farms occupied by enterprising men, who carted dung from Perth 

 and Dundee, or got it by sea from London, or used bones for 

 their turnips, the land was generally in poor condition, always 

 becoming poorer, and the tenants keeping pace with their farms, 

 and going to ruin along with them — in many cases unable to 

 finish their leases without reduction of the rent, and too often 

 not able even with that. What rent the same men would have 

 been able to pay by this time, under the continuance of such a 

 system, it is impossible to say — probably none at all ; but fortu- 

 nately for proprietors in Perthshire, however badly one tenant 

 succeeded in a farm, there have always been abundance of others 

 ready to take it at no great reduction of the rent. 



Had, therefore, the farming of these lighter lands in Perthshire 

 remained to the present time as it was, without improvement on 

 the old system, its case would have been poor indeed ; but it has 

 wonderfully improved, and we shall now consider the steps and 

 occurrences which have led to its improvement — both what has 

 been done with that view by the proprietors, and also the man- 

 ner in which the tenants have seconded their efforts. The first 

 in elate and in importance was the introduction of tile draining, 

 which before 1847 was executed by the tenants themselves ; but 

 the Government loans to proprietors after that date enabled them 

 to relieve the tenants of the expense, and enforced a deeper and 

 more effectual system of drainage. The drainage, after the broken 

 stone epoch, was executed with horse-shoe tiles, and sometimes 

 soles ; but it was too shallow, rarely exceeding 2 feet in depth. 

 The drainage executed under loans from Government has been 

 done with pipes and collars, and at greater depth, and it has 

 been found to be both more effectual and permanent. The sum 

 spent on drainage in the county has been fully in proportion to 

 the other counties in Scotland of similar quality of land. 



Besides the thorough drainage of the greater part of the arable 

 lands of the county, a great work in the way of arterial drainage 

 was executed about fifteen years ago. The pow of Inchaffry, 

 running to the Earn from the west end of a large peat morass 

 situated south of the village of Methven, through the estates of 

 Bachilton, Balgowan, Gorthy, Abercairny, and others, was deep- 

 ened and straightened, at the expense of L.15,000, under an Act 

 of Parliament obtained for the purpose, and the improvement 

 on the district has fully warranted the expenditure. The arterial 

 drainage in the Carse of Gowrie has also been improved by a 

 similar process, but on a less scale. The " Pows" in that district 



