BUTE AND ARRAN. 9 



little need be said on the subject. Frost seldom continues long, 

 and is never very severe ; and snow lies a very short time even 

 in the worst seasons. The salubrity of the island is so well 

 known that Eothesay has been called the " Montpelier of Scot- 

 land." There are two very extensive hydropathic establish- 

 ments, well-frequented — one at Eothesay, and the other at 

 Port-Bannatyne. 



The following figures give the rainfall over a period of years, 

 ;as measured near Eothesay : — 



Comparing these figures with the returns made for other parts 

 'Of Scotland, we find that in 1855 the average rainfall in Bute 

 was 34-50 ; in Dumfriesshire, it w^as 35 '63 ; in Midlothian, 

 21-43 ; in Strathearn, Perthshire, 19-20 inches. In 1870, Bute 

 rainfall averged 38-10 ; in 1876, 56-314; in 1877, 68,597 ; and in 

 1878, 42-416 inches ; whereas the gauge at Dunrobin Castle, in 

 i^utherlandshire, gives the following measurements for the same 

 years, viz:— 1870, 26-75; 1876, 34*62; 1877, 41-65; 1878, 

 34-36 inches. The results of this comparison prove that the 

 moisture of Bute is about the same as that of Dumfriesshire, and 

 that it is very much greater than the moisture of Sutherland- 

 shire. To take a particular point in each of the two first-named 

 counties, the rainfall in the town of Moffat measured, in 1855, 

 o5-60, and the rainfall in Eothesay measured in the same year, 

 -34-50 inches. These figures speak for themselves, and give a 

 very good idea of the general nature of the climate of Bute. 



Retrospective Glance at the state of Agriculture prior to 1850. 



From a valuable " History of Bute " written by Mr John 

 Blain (who for sixty years previous to 1820 was intimately 

 connected with the island), and recently published by Mr 

 Harvey, Eotliesay, very full particulars of the agriculture of 

 Bute at the ])eginning of tliis century can be obtained. It 

 •appears that about 1748 the Karl of Bute introduced farmers 

 from the mainland, in the expectation that the natives would be 

 induced to adopt their system of farming. The introduction of 

 .these strangers did not, however, have such a beneficial effect as 



