322 KEPOET ON THE AGEICULTUEE OF DUMFRIESSHIRE. 



the tenants, who went to work with great energy and good- 

 will. 



A bed of clay of very moderate depth was discovered at Corrie 

 Common, but of sufficient extent to warrant the proprietor erect- 

 ing a tile kiln and drying sheds. At this place, which is a very 

 central one for the property, and 680 feet above sea-level, all 

 the tiles that have been used in draining operations since 1854 

 have been manufactured. 



The 2,'eneral agreement entered into between landlord and 

 tenant was as follows : — That three years' rents of the farms were 

 to be expended by the proprietor in tile draining during the first 

 four or five years of the leases, and that the tenants were to cart 

 the tiles free of charge, and pay 5 per cent, on the whole outlay. 

 Draining has been executed at various depths and distances, from 

 3 feet deep and 18 feet apart to 3| feet deep and 24 feet apart, 

 and in a few cases to 4 feet deep and 30 feet apart. We 

 believe the most satisfactory results have been obtained when 

 the drains have been made 3 feet deep and 18 feet apart. And 

 here it may be necessary to explain that the soil of the pasture 

 land of Corrie is of a strong, deep, retentive character. The 

 drains are very easily cut for the first two spadings, but the soil 

 is very stiff and tenacious farther down. 



The rates per rood have varied according to the character of 

 the soil and subsoil, but the average rate for cutting and filling 

 three-feet drains, including generally main drains, has been, we 

 understand, about 8cl per rood. At 18 feet apart, there are 134i 

 roods in a statute acre, and 



134| roods at 8d per rood, . . . .£498 

 2133 tiles, 13 inches long, will be required 



for an acre, and these at 19s. per thousand, 2 6 

 Laying tiles, occasional extra cutting, and 



large tiles for main drains, may be stated at 9 10 



Thus the cost per statute acre has been about £7 



About four millions of tiles have, we believe, been manufactured 

 on the estate since 1854, and the extent of land drained has been 

 about 1700 acres. 



So much for drainage. As regards liming, the general rule 

 was for the proprietor to allow one year's rent for lime to be 

 applied in the first instance to drained meadow or pasture land, 

 and secondly, to dry pasture land lying adjacent to or interspersed 

 among tile-drained land. The tenants were bound to lay out 

 also one year's rent, and to cart the whole quantity at their own 

 cost, either from the neighbouring lime kilns or from the Caledo- 

 nian Railway station at Lockerbie. It was stipulated that the 

 lime was all to be applied in the course of the first five or six 



