112 ON THE AGRICULTURE OF 



5 qrs. per acre, weighing about 54 lbs. per bushel ; oats from 

 5 to 8 qrs., weighing from 40 to 42 lbs. ; potatoes from 5 to 8 

 tons; turnips, 14 to 20 tons; and hay from 100 to 150 stones 

 per acre. Turnips get 12 loads of farmyard manure per acre, 

 with two cwt. of bones, and 2 cwt. of superphosphate ; while 

 potatoes get about the same quantity of farmyard manure, with 

 2 cwt. of a potato manure and 1 cwt. of sulphate of potash. A 

 good deal of beans are grown on the farm, and these are sown 

 early in March. Potatoes are planted between the middle of 

 March and the second or third week in May. Mr Myles prefers 

 to plant them early. During summer, about 100 head of cattle 

 are kept, the stock in winter being increased to 130 or 140. 

 Few are bred on the farm, the large majority being purchased 

 in the south. Cake and grain are liberally used in the winter 

 feeding. The farm steading has lately been improved by the 

 proprietor, the tenant performing the carriages. The tenant has 

 also carted on to the farm a good deal of lime and manure, since 

 he entered, two years ago. The fields are all well watered, but 

 badly fenced, almost all the fences being of wood. There is a 

 pretty fair supply of servants' cottages on the farm. 



Turning southwards, we enter the somewhat cold hilly parish 

 of Garvock. On the slopes of the Garvock hill, which, almost 

 in a direct line between the villages of Laurencekirk and St 

 Cyrus, rises to a height of 915 feet, the soil is mostly either thin 

 or medium loam, resting on a hard subsoil, or stiff clayey loam 

 lying on a cold sour bottom. Extending to 7982 acres, this 

 parish has a rental of £7134, the increase since 1855 amounting 

 to no less than £2919, or about 7s. 6d. per acre of the total 

 extent. Considering that a large portion of this parish consists 

 of uncultivated hilly ground, this iacrease must be regarded as 

 very large. As already indicated, a large extent of land has 

 been reclaimed on the slopes of the Garvock hill during the 

 last twenty-five years, and this in a great measure accounts for 

 the long stride in the rent-roll in that period. A very large sum 

 of money has also been spent since 1855 in improving the old 

 lands and farms by draining, building, and fencing; and this, 

 of course, had likewise done much to increase the annual value 

 of the parish. 



On the west of the southern end of Garvock, lies the fine 

 agricultural parish of Marykirk, comparatively level and low- 

 lying, the greater portion being under 200 feet above sea level. 

 Marykirk extends to 9912 acres. The rental is £11,653, or 

 about 23s. 6d. per acre. The increase since 1855 is equal to 

 nearly 6s. per acre of the whole area. The principal estates in 

 this parish are Inglismaldie, Kirktonhill, Thornton, Luthermuir, 

 Balmakewan, and Balmaiu. A large portion of the land consists 

 of good sound fertile loam, lying on decomposed red sandstone, 



