96 ON THE AGRICULTURE OF 



David Buttar at a rental of £700. The late Mr Thomas 

 Biittar, then in Baldinny — still held along with Corston — 

 took Corston for his son, the present tenant, in 1851 at a 

 rent of £400. The farm was then in J:)ad condition, and during 

 the earlier part of the lease the whole' was redrained, and about 

 20 acres reclaimed by trenching from patches of whin bush. A 

 large stretch of fencing was also erected, the proprietor, then the 

 late Lord Hallyburton, supplying wood. In 1870 the lease was 

 renewed, arrangements being made for the erection of a new 

 farm steading, threshing mill, and servants' cottages. These 

 buildings were forthwith erected, and cost in all about £2800. 

 The steading is one of the most commodious and convenient in 

 the county — the cattle courts being wholly covered, and very 

 large and well ventilated. The threshing mill is driven by a 

 turbine-wheel, which proves a great convenience in pulping 

 turnips. The dwelling-house is large and handsome, and is 

 surrounded by beautiful gardens and grounds formed by Mr Buttar. 

 The main portion of the house is about a hundred years old, an 

 important addition having been made in 1879 by the proprietor 

 under arrangements entered into in 1878, when the leases of the 

 two farms, Corston and Baldinny, were extended and renewed 

 for nineteen years. The addition to the liouse cost between 

 £700 and £800 exclusive of the carriages, which were performed 

 by the tenant. The house was at the same time supplied with 

 water by means of hydraulic power. On the farm of Baldinny, 

 which adjoins Corston on the north-east, extensive improvements 

 have been executed, both by the landlord and tenant, within 

 the past twenty-five years. Considerable difficulty was long 

 experienced in getting the lower lying fields thoroughly drained, 

 and to obviate this, Lord Hallyburton in 1878 constructed a 

 large culvert at a cost of about £200. By this means a much 

 better outlet has been obtained, and now the drains work 

 admirably. The proprietor also gave £200 in 1878 to extend 

 and improve the farm steading of Baldinny, besides wood for 

 fencing, the wire being supplied and the fence erected by the 

 tenant. Baldinny was twice drained by the late Mr Thomas 

 Buttar and the present tenant, — first, with stones on wooden 

 soles, and then with tiles. The fields have all been rearranged, 

 old ditches filled up, old hedges uprooted, and many other 

 improvements effected. In all, the present tenant and his father 

 have spent over £4500 on improvements on the two farms. All 

 this is in addition to the large sums spent upon them by the 

 proprietor. They are now in the best of condition, and make a 

 compact desirable holding of 560 arable acres, rented at £1050. 

 The soil consists of varying loam resting on rotten sandstone 

 rock. On some parts the loam is thin but sharp, in others, 

 particularly on the haughs of Baldinny, somewhat clayey. On 



