n\ Tin: AGi;i('ii;ni;K oi' tiik county of sutiikiilam'. r*9 



either for breeding purposes, or are young- unbroken iininials. 

 The miniljer used solely for anricultural purposes has increased 

 by 40. The farm horses generally througliout Sutlicrland are 

 not heavy, but are of moderate size, very active and durable. 

 They go smartly with fair loads, and are well-suited for cultiva- 

 tion work. On the better farms they are mostly of the Clydes- 

 ilale stamp, and throughout the county generally tliey have been 

 much improved recently l)y the introduction from the south of 

 uood (h-auoht stallions. The Duke of Sutherland at one time 

 kept entire horses of the most suitable descri])tion, both for road 

 and farm, and many good horses were reared from these. The 

 blaster of Blantyre has introduced two excellent stallions on liis 

 new farms at Lairg, and their progeny will no doubt effect still 

 further improvement in that neighbourhood. At the local 

 ploughing matches, wdiere from 40 to 50 pairs of horses turn 

 out well-groomed and well-harnessed, the display is indeed 

 iiighly creditable to the county. The extent of arable land 

 attached to each pair of horses ranges from 50 to 90 acres. 

 Among the crofters there is a useful small-sized class of ponies 

 that suit the work on crofts admiral)ly. 

 Cattle. — The numljer of cattle was, in 



1853 . . . 12,.j92 cattle 

 1S70 . . . 10,3G7 „ 



1875 . . . 13,198 cattle 

 1879 . . . 12,343 „ 



Decrease since 1853, . . 249 



It will thus be seen that the cattle stock of the county has not 

 changed much in numbers during the past quarter of a centur}'. 

 Tiiese figures also show that the rearing of cattle is not prose- 

 cuted very largely in Sutherland. Indeed, the county stands 

 only twenty-fourth among the other Scotch counties in regard to 

 the niimber of its cattle stock. There is great variety among 

 the cattle of the district. The ancient black cattle that at one 

 time "razed in the straths in such large numbers have dis- 

 appeared, and have been succeeded by a ndxture of West High- 

 land cattle, polled cattle, shorthorns, and crosses. Of the pure 

 breeds the former predominates greatly, and originally the most 

 (if these hailed from Argyleshire and from Skye. In 18G5 the 

 Duke of Sutherland had the distinguished honour of carrving 

 away the gold medal and £100 prize for the best fat animal in 

 the Great Smithfield Christmas Show, the only occasion on which 

 that highly coveted honour has been won by an animal of the 

 West Highland breed. The crofters, as a rule, have cows of the 

 Highland breed, and, in most cases, they mate these with High- 

 land bulls, sent throughout his property by the Duke of Suther- 

 land for the use of his tenantry. In this way His Grace sends 

 out, on application through the factors of the various districts, 



