46 ON THE AGRICULTURE OF THE COUNTY OF SUTHERLAND. 



face of a great part of Sutherland. All sorts of implements were 

 tried, along with many new designs, but with no success, until 

 the " discer " was thought of. 



The removal of the stones from the surface of the land proved 

 a difficult task, in as far as it was impossible to get animals to 

 walk on land which had been moved to such a dej)th. This, 

 however, was most successfully overcome by the construction of 

 a very ingenious steam-sledge, which carries from 4 to 5 tons of 

 stones at a load. This sledge is provided with a pulling lever 

 hung from its centre on both sides. To this lever are fastened the 

 pulling ropes of the two engines. When No. 1 engine has drawn 

 the load to the end of the field where it is desired to be emptied, 

 No. 2 engine starts pulling the lever from a horizontal to a 

 vertical position. At this point it is received by a catch and 

 held, so that in going further it takes the sledge round with it. 

 By this means the sledge is rolled on to its face, catching the 

 ground by two snugs, which cause it again to roll on to its 

 bottom empty. When this is done it has thus made a complete 

 somersault without even the stoppage of the machinery, and re- 

 turns without further trouble for another load. 



Another implement in connexion with the reclamation worthy 

 of notice is the Sutherland water cart. A large quantity of 

 water being required for the engines, and from the fact of its 

 having to be drawn on many occasions from deep ravines from 

 which the ascent was difficult, the ordinary water cart, with the 

 single barrel placed longitudinally on the wheels, was found 

 most unsuitable for the work. It is well known that half a load 

 of water cannot be taken by a cart of this description, from the 

 fact that, in attempting to go up an incline, the water runs to 

 the back end of the barrel, almost lifting the horse from the 

 ground, and this applies to some extent even although the barrel 

 is full. The Sutherland water cart, instead of having one large 

 barrel, has two small ones across the frame, one before the wheel 

 and the other behind. The two barrels are connected by a pipe 

 at their bottoms, and this pipe is fitted with a cock in the centre. 

 It will be seen at once by this arrangement that the cart can be 

 loaded suitably to the ascent. If the gradient is a heavy one, 

 only the front barrel should be filled, so that the water would be 

 partly puUed and partly carried, giving the horse great tractive 

 orce. As soon as the ascent is made, all that has to be done is 

 to turn the cock and allow the half of the water to pass into the 

 second barrel. The cart has been found a most perfect arrange- 

 ment, allowing the carter to balance his load to the greatest 

 nicety, and to alter on the road from time to time as he may 

 desire. This cart, it is understood, has since been copied by the 

 AVar Office for military purposes. 



