THE COUNTIES OF FOEFAR AND KIKGAEDINE. 121 



past twenty-five years, and now owned by Mr John Stewart ; 

 Coul and Loirston ; Altries ; and Kingcausie. On the desir- 

 able little estate of Hillside, Portlethen, owned by ]\Ir E. S, 

 Kynoch Shand, there is some very good sharp loam, let in 

 small holdings to industrious tenants, who devote the land to 

 dairy farming and thus pay high rents. On the adjoining 

 small property of Portlethen there is also some very fair land. 

 The largest farm, the Mains of Portlethen, is leased by Mr E. 

 B. Walker at a rent of £456, 6s. For the long period of forty- 

 eight years this farm, and, for the greater^ part of that time, 

 several other adjoining farms, were held by the late Mr Pi. 

 Walker, one of the most enterprising and experienced agricul- 

 turists of his day. In addition, to carrying on several arable 

 farms, which he improved very greatly by reclamation, draining, 

 building, and fenciuGf he managed with distingruished success 

 during the greater part of his career as a farmer a large and well- 

 bred herd of polled cattle, w^hile he also, at the earnest solicita- 

 tion of his many friends both among proprietors and tenants, 

 devoted no little time to estate management and to the valuation 

 of estates and farms. In the valuation of estates the benefit of 

 his long experience and accurate knowledge was often solicited, 

 and in many instances the fixing of the price between the buyer 

 and seller of landed property was left entirely to himself. On 

 the Kingcausie estate extensive improvements were carried out 

 by the late Mr John Irvine Boswell; while the present proprietor 

 has also improved the condition of the property. The largest 

 estate in Maryculter is that of Altries, belonging to Mr Kinloch 

 of Park. Tow^ards the river Dee the soil is sandy loam, of 

 moderate depth in some parts but generally light, while back 

 from the river moss and clay predominate. The rent of the 

 arable land averages about 20s. per acre. The extent under 

 wood is about 364 acres, of which 60 acres were planted between 

 1865 and 1870 at a cost of £1, 2s. per acre. Between 1864 and 

 1878 about 90 acres of new land were reclaimed by trenching, 

 draining, &c.,'at a cost of £11 per acre ; while, since 1865, £2200 

 has been expended on farm buildings ; £460 on the erection of 

 13,000 yards of stone dykes, 8Jd. per yard ; £825 in making 

 66,000 yards of furrow drains, £1, 5s. per 100 yards; £180 on 

 9000 yards of leader drains, £2 per 100 yards; and £110 in 

 forming 2200 yards of roads, Is. ])er yard. The total outlay on 

 estate improvements during the past fifteen years has thus 

 amounted to about £4900. Iminovements have always been 

 made under i)rivate arrangement ])etween the proprietor and 

 each individual tenant. ParuLS on this estate range from 30 to 

 400 acres in extent, there being sixteen crofts lield under lease 

 and rented at an average of about 25s. per acre. The five, six 

 and seven shift rotations, with one green crop, are pursued, the 



