86 ON THE AGKICULTURE OF THE COUNTY OF SUTHERLAND, 



and sow it with .some strong variety of oats and a mixture of 

 vigorous grasses, the grain to be consumed by the sheep as it grows. 

 That cure would perhaps be as effective as any, but would also 

 be expensive. In the settlement of this important question — 

 and it will sooner or later press itself for settlement — the Duke 

 of Sutherland and his tenantry have, indeed, a stubborn difficulty 

 to deal with. 



In regard to the other positions of disadvantage taken up by 

 the sheep-farmers of the county little need be said. There is no 

 doubt that the restrictions latterly put on heather burning have 

 had a decided deteriorating tendency on the grazings. It is 

 well proved that the interests of sheep and game are identical as 

 to heather burnino;. What is beneficial for the one is also 

 beneficial for the other ; and, therefore, it is somewhat strange 

 that sportsmen should be so much oj^posed to heather burning. 

 It has been shown that a much greater number of young sheep 

 have now to be wintered out of the county than formerly, and 

 that the cost of that wintering has doubled during the past 

 quarter of a century, or advanced to an average of about 9s. 

 a-head. The death-rate has increased by nearly 50 per cent, 

 since 1852. The causes of this are stated to be partly bad 

 seasons, largely limitation of heather-burning, and, perhaps, to 

 some extent, the deterioration of green pasture. Shepherds' 

 wages and other working expenses have increased fully 30 

 per cent, during the past twenty-five years. The decline in 

 the price of wool has been material. The average top price 

 of Cheviot laid w^ool at the Inverness Wool Fair durino; the 

 past ten years was a little over 25s. per stone of 24 lbs. 

 During the preceding ten years the average was over 28s. per 

 stone. As has been seen the prices this year are far below these 

 averages. The colonial wool has to a large extent taken the 

 place of Scotch Che^dot wool in the making of tweeds, and 

 there is, therefore, a somewhat bad prospect of Scotch Che\aot 

 wool attaining to its old position. The value of mutton has also 

 got a decided check, and it is to be feared the American supply 

 may prevent it from again reacliing the maximimi price of 

 recent years. The rate of rent, as has been shown, has increased 

 100 per cent, since 1852, or from 3s. to from 4s. 6d. to 7s. a-head. 

 With the deteriorated condition of the green laud and the 

 numbers charged for on each farm, the present rate of rent is 

 generally considered from 25 to 30 per cent, too liigh. 



Cottar Farming. 



According to the Eeturns collected by the Highland and 



Agricultural Society in 1853, there were at that time in the 



county of Sutherland 2680 crofters. Of these there were 557 in 



the parishes of Assynt, Eddrachilles, and the western portion of 



