42 ON THE AGEICULTUKE OF THE COUNTY OF SUTHEELAND. 



ewes in the time of lambing, and the sheep generally in the time 

 of storm." In regard to the cost of these reclamations, Mr Greig 

 estimated it at under £20 per acre for arable land, and £10 for 

 the pasture land. In forming that estimate he allowed £5 per 

 acre for drainage, and included, besides draining, trenching or 

 ploughing, clearing, building, and fencing. He also recommended 

 the making of 35 acres of plantation at a cost of £300 on the 

 high side of the farm, the object being to afford shelter and im- 

 prove the climate. 



Operations were commenced on these sections early in March 

 1877, and were carried out on the lines laid down by Mr Greig. 

 The alteration contemplated in the Sutherland plough was 

 effected, and found thoroughly successful. The aim w^as to take 

 sand froiQ under the vegetable matter and throw it on to the 

 surface, so that the peaty substance and the sandy subsoil might 

 be mixed together. This object was accomplished most satis- 

 factorily by attaching a huge mould-board to what is known 

 as the " Duke's Toothpick," or the anchor-shaped subsoiler which 

 follows in the furrow behind the main plough. Tliis new appli- 

 cation brought a very large additional strain on the engine, 

 and during the summer of 1877 frequent consequent breakages 

 liindered the progress of the work, and also tended to increase 

 the expense. In course of time, however, the adjustments of 

 the plough were made so thoroughly efficient that the share or 

 other part catching on a boulder or any such obstacle involved 

 no risk of breakage, the j)lough, by its own action, rising and 

 creeping over what resists an ordinary strain. The manager 

 here had a difficulty to contend with in regard to the dramage. 

 As indicated in his report, he was unable to say where drainage 

 might be necessary, until, b}^ the breaking of the surface, the 

 water was allowed access to the subsoil ; and, owing to the diffi- 

 culty in carting material over land newly ploughed to a depth 

 of about 2^ feet, the cost of forming the drains after the land 

 was turned over was greater than it would otherwise have been. 

 Th&se two difficulties, the breakages and drainage, added con- 

 siderably to the cost of the work ; but still it is believed that 

 when the 5000 acres laid off' on Auchintoul have been reclaimed, 

 the entire outlay will not much exceed the sum mentioned in 

 Mr Greig's report, and which, it may be remarked, is consider- 

 ably less than one-lialf of the average cost at Lairg. It will 

 have been observed that the cost of liming has not been in- 

 cluded in Mr Greig's estimate of £20 per acre. English lime 

 can be obtained at Kinbrace railway station, within two miles 

 of the works, at 21s. per ton ; but the cost of applying it to 

 land so soft and turned over to such a depth as that at Auchin- 

 toul is nearly three times as much as in the case of ordinary 

 arable land. The quantity of lime allowed to each acre is as 



