104 IMPKOYEMENTS 0\ THE ESTATE OF DENBRAE, FIFESHIEE. 



about 200 or 300 feet, consequently the crops are long in coming 

 to maturity. 



The lease of the farm expired in 1858, the tenant, who was 

 then an old man, having occupied it for nineteen years. He 

 being a farmer of the old style, did not keep sufficient force to 

 work the land, consequently it got completely exhausted for want 

 of manure, and overrun ^vith weeds ; the farm roads were getting 

 impassable, and the fences falling out of repair, and the crops so 

 bad that they were scarcely worth reaping. Seeing that the 

 farm was in such a bad state, my father and myself agreed that it 

 would be in vain to endeavour to re-let it before having it 

 thoroughly improved. This I undertook to do, and to reside on 

 the place until the work was completed, considermg it my duty, 

 and for our mutual advantage, to put the farm and buildings in 

 good repair. I therefore took possession, and the farm was 

 stocked with five pairs of excellent horses, and implements of 

 modern principle, and as many cattle as the turnips and straw 

 then on the farm would admit of, so as to make as much manure 

 for the succeeding crop as possible. I remained there for eleven 

 years, making the improvements, which I will now describe. 



As a great deal of carting would be required, such as wood, 

 lime, tiles, &c., for carrying out the necessary improvements, I 

 considered the first thing most necessary to be done was to repair 

 the road to the farm, leading ofi" the liigh road, and about half a 

 mile in length, it being almost impassable with holes and wheel 

 tracks. A large quantity of stones, gathered off the land, had 

 been allowed to accumulate for many years pre\'ious by the sides 

 of the road ; I immediately employed men to break them into 

 rough metal, and as soon as a quantity was ready, the largest 

 holes were filled up by degrees, and following the same course 

 for at least twelve months, a good road was made, without 

 requiring to give it a co\'ering of metal all over. The expense 

 of this was at least £40. A good footpath was made alongside 

 of it, with engine ashes from coal pits in the "sdcinity, some of 

 wdiich were also used to cover the road metal where most 

 required. 



The next most necessary improvement was to drain the land, 

 which was often a very difficult and arduous process. All the 

 fields required to be gone over, notliing having been previously 

 done in this respect, except a few stone drains, wliicli were of 

 httle or no avail. I resolved to have this work done in a thorough 

 and efficient manner, and took each field as was most convenient, 

 until all were gone over, which covered a period 6f four years, 

 the extent of t^round beiuQ- about 200 acres. Between 20 and 

 30 men were employed during that period, at suitable times, 

 to cast the drains, at a fixed rate per chain of 22 yards. Two or 

 three men were also specially employed on weekly wages .to lay 



