ON THE AGRICULTIIHK OF THE mUNTV OF SFTIIEItLAND. 



49 



one twenty-fifth part oF the county, or about 48,300 acres. 

 As will l)e seen, little more tiian one-half of that area has 

 been brounht under the ])lon^li. T\u'. following!,' tubh; shows 

 the estimated arable area in the county at various periods since 

 1808:— 



1808, . 18,125 acres. 

 1853, . 22,022^ „ 

 1870, . 23,122" „ 



Increase since 1808, 

 „ 1853, 



1875, 

 1879, 



26,788 acres. 

 29,441 „ 



11,316 acres. 

 7,418* „ 



The only part of the county in which arable farming in the 

 fuhiess of its character is carried on, is on an irregular narrow 

 fringe along the south-east coast, not at any point more than 

 2 miles broad, and in general barely half a mile. On the northern 

 and western coasts there is a considerable area of cultivated 

 land, but it is nearly all in the form of crofts, ranging from 2 to 

 10 acres in extent. Though even on the south-east coast the 

 arable area is small, yet it exhibits a system of farming quite 

 abreast of the times. The advance that has been made in this 

 respect during the last rpiarter of a century has been very 

 marked and highly creditable to the Sutherland farmers. The 

 best modern farm implements of all kinds are now in general use 

 in the county. There are a good number of double-furrow 

 jjloughs and a good many grain-sowing machines, broad-cast 

 sowers being most in favour. Eeapers and mowers are now em- 

 ployed on all farms. One point in connection with the division 

 of Sutherland deserves remark — the almost entire ^vant of what 

 are generally known as middle-class or middle-sized tenants, 

 that usually large class that in most other northern counties 

 links the few large farmers to the many small tenants or crofters. 

 The thirty or forty sheep-farmers who hold the interior of the 

 county, likewise lease and work in connection with their grazing 

 farms the greater part of the arable land, leaving little or no 

 room for the hona^fidc middle-sized arable farmer. The county of 

 Caithness is similar in this respect. The following table indi- 

 cates what has been said : — 



Number of Holdings in 1870 :- 



Not exceeding 5 acres, 

 From 5 to 20 acres. 

 From 20 to 50 acrei^. 

 From 50 to 100 acres, 

 Above 100 acres, 



Total, . 



1676 



543 



53 



22 

 44 



2338 



The percentage of holdings under 20 acres in extent is 95 ; of 



D 



