122 ON THE AGRICULTURE OF 



first being the most general. By far the largest farm on the 

 Altries estate is Ashentilly, held by Mr James Duguid. Well 

 laid off and efficiently fenced, with stone dykes, this farm has 

 latterly been stocked mainly by sheep and dairy cows, for both 

 of which it seems well suited. Though his farm is fully 10 miles 

 from Aberdeen, Mr Duguid carries on dairy farming extensively 

 and with success. The dairy produce is driven to Aberdeen 

 every morning. 



Proceeding westwards along Deeside we enter the parish of 

 Durris, wdiich extends to 15,435 acres, and has a rental of 

 £9902. The increase since 1855 amounts to £3532, or close on 

 5s. per acre of the total area. Almost the wdiole of this parish 

 belongs to Mr James Young, wdio about eiglit years ago purchased 

 the extensive estate of Durris from the trustees of the late 

 Mr A. W. Mactier, for the sum of £300,000. The estate 

 extends to 16,659 acres, and yields a rental of £10,104. Mr 

 Mactier expended a very large sum of money in reclamations, 

 draining, fencing, and building, thus adding very largely to the 

 value of the estate. A good deal of the land reclaimed by Mr 

 Mactier was of a rough nature, and in some cases the cost w^as 

 as much as £50 per acre. The soil consists mostly of loam of 

 various texture, rich in some parts and thin and moorish in 

 others ; but the subsoil is for the most part cold damp clay, 

 which has required close and thorough draining. The greater part 

 of the estate, indeed, has been twice drained within the past thirty 

 or thirty-five years ; a good deal of it twice within the last 

 twenty years, being done mostly by the proprietor, but partly 

 also by the tenants. Since Mr Young obtained possession, he 

 has expended a large sum on improvements of various kinds, 

 particularly on planting, wdiich he has carried out perhaps to a 

 larger extent recently than any other proprietor in either of the 

 two counties to which this report refers. The arable land is 

 rented at about an average of 30s. per acre, the highest being 

 £2 and the lowest £1. The rent of one farm let recently fell 

 about 8s. per acre. On the whole, few estates are in a better con- 

 dition as to houses, fences, draining, &c. ; but, as is the case 

 generally in these bad times, the tenants complain of rents being 

 somewhat high. Near the side of the river Dee the soil varies 

 from a light to a medium loam, all being fertile, sharp, and early. 

 On the higher parts back from the river the soil is a trifle stiff, 

 and the climate rather cold and late. One of the best farms on 

 the estate is that of Nether Balfour, which is leased by Mr 11. 

 Salmond at a rental of £608, and managed with commendable 

 skill and enterprise. The seven-shift rotation is pursued on this 

 farm, wheat and potatoes being grown with success. Another 

 admirably managed farm is that of Quithelhead, which is rented 

 at £253 by Mr James Cowie Thom, whose system fairly illus- 



