THE COUNTIES OF FORFAR AND KINCARDINE. 91 



system of cropping. As is the case in the district generally, the 

 cattle he feeds are larger and finer than twenty-five years ago, 

 while they are also fed off more quickly. He now buys in tw^o- 

 year-olds instead of yearlings as formerly. Since he entered, 

 twenty-eight years ago, he has effected considerable improvement 

 both in the drainage and manurial condition of the land. The 

 rent of land in this district ranges on the averat^e from 25s. to 

 40s. per acre. 



On the west of Forfar lie the Earl of Strathmore's Glamis 

 estates, which form one of the choicest blocks of landed property 

 in the country. Compactly and beautifully situated in the very 

 heart of Strathmore, this property comprises 16,850 acres of 

 arable land, 4000 of natural pasture, and 2000 under wood, 

 making in all 22,850 acres. The gross rental amounts to 

 £25,000, and the average rental of the arable land 27s. per acre. 

 The increase during the past twenty-five years is about 10 per 

 cent. Since about 1860 very extensive improvements have been 

 carried out on this property, involving an outlay of over £43,000 

 exclusive of from £150 to £180 expended every year on planting 

 for some time back. Betw^een 1862 and 1870 about 200 acres 

 of woodland, mostly near Glamis station, have been reclaimed at 

 a cost of about £15 per acre. The land was drained and trenched 

 by spade, and for two years cropped with potatoes, stimulated by 

 artificial manure, costing about £3 per acre. Both crops did 

 well, and each sold for £15 per acre, thus in two years doubling 

 the cost of reclaiming the land, less the outlay in raising the 

 crops. One crop of grain followed, the land being sown down 

 with grasses, fenced and planted with Scotch fir, larch, oak, 

 spruce, and other varieties. The soil on the lower lying portion 

 of the reclaimed land is thin, sandy loam, but on the slopes it is 

 a good black loam, lying on Red Sandstone. The greater part 

 of the 200 acres was reclaimed by the proprietor himself ; about 

 40 or 50 acres being let free of rent for four years to a contractor 

 who trenched the land, and drained part of it, the proprietor 

 sujijJying tiles. During the four years lie was allowed to crop 

 the land in any way he pleased. Almost every year since 1860 

 some building, fencing, and draining has been going on on the 

 property. As leases have expired the land has been drained and 

 fenced where necessary, and new houses built, or the old ones 

 repaired, according to their condition. In the course of the next 

 three years the whole of the estate will have been gone over in 

 tliis way ; and, judging from tlie ])ortion finished, it will by that 

 time be in a condition e(pialled l)y few, and, pt*rha])s, surpassed 

 by none in the county. Covered courts are erected on every 

 farm, and the steadings in all other resju'cts made commodious, 

 substantial, and convenient. The dwclling-liouses of the tenants 

 are also made large and handsome, whih^ the su]»i)ly of servants* 



