106 ox THE AGEICULTUKE OF 



after drainage. Where these bars do not decompose, they are 

 raised by the subsoil plough and lifted off the field along with 

 the stones. Part of the estate, lying into the valley of Lethnot, 

 rests on gravel, and is retained in grass on account of its suit- 

 ability for sheep. The new land is cropped in the six-shift rota- 

 tion — three years grass, one gi^een crop, and two grain crops, 

 partly oats and partly barley. Oats yield about 4 to 5 J qrs. per 

 acre, and barley 4 qrs. The climate is wonderfully good, the 

 land being comparatively free from hoar frosts which do damage 

 in the valleys. The crops generally ripen as soon as any in the 

 district, unless in the parts near the sea. The elevation of the 

 arable land ranges from 300 to 700 feet, the greater part being 

 about 400 feet. The new land yields very satisfactorily when 

 treated (as a large j^i^oportion has now been) in the manner 

 indicated. The old land has required similar treatment as to 

 draining, stone clearing, manuring, and in other respects, and as 

 a rule yields equally as well as the new land. In addition to 

 the reclamation of these 400 acres, about 4000 yards of roads 

 have been made, at a cost of 2s. per yard. A dwelling-liouse, 

 cottar houses, and farm steading have also been erected. When 

 the estate was bought there were no houses upon it. It was 

 held as a sheep-run by adjoining farmers. The threshing-mill 

 is driven by water, obtained from a bog about half a mile distant. 

 About 60 acres have been planted, while hedgerows with trees 

 at intervals divide some of the fields. The soil is admirably 

 adapted to the gi^owth of w^ood. Larch and Scotch fir are thriv- 

 ing beautifully on the highest portion, about 800 feet above sea 

 level. A good quarry has been opened on the estate. Here a 

 very fine quality of red sandstone is easily obtained. It is light 

 in colour, easily wTOught, very durable, and is almost entirely 

 free of the hard pebbles that abound in much of the sandstone 

 in the neighbouring districts. The stock kept consists of cattle 

 and sheep. Irish cattle are bought in lean, and fattened on the 

 holdincf. Blackfaced ewes are boudit in the higher reaches of 



O CD <0 



the North Esk and AVestwater, and from these and Leicester 

 tups a good class of lambs is reared, which when sold in the 

 autumn bring from 2os. to 29s. a head. 



Most of the land in this neighbourhood suitable for reclama- 

 tion has already been brought under the plough. Almost all the 

 recent reclamations have been carried out by tenants, and have 

 as a rule turned out well. Much of the old land would be greatly 

 improved by more thorough drainage and by deeper cultivation. 

 On the farms of Longhaugh and Kilgarie, on the estate of Balna- 

 moon, and in the parish of ]\Ienmuir, Mr David Fairw^eather, the 

 enterprising tenant, has, within the last twenty years, reclaimed 

 over 300 acres by ploughing and trenching, at a cost of from 

 £12 to £15 per acre. The land before being reclaimed consisted 



