80 ON THE AGRICULTUEE OF 



greater part, however, is on high ground, and, though sharp and 

 sure, is rather wanting in body. Not far away, in the same 

 parish, is the farm of East and West ]\Iurroes, leased by Mr 

 David Smith at a rent of £873, 12s. Situated on the Gagie 

 estate, this farm is maintained in very high condition, and 

 produces good crops of potatoes, wheat, barley, oats, and turnips.. 

 In drains, stone dykes, and other improvements, Mr Smith has 

 expended over £1600 on the farm, and every year uses a large- 

 quantity of city dung and artificial manure. He follows a 

 seven-course rotation, which is by far the most general course 

 in al] the wheat and potato districts excepting in the neighbour- 

 hood of Dundee, viz. : — oats, potatoes, wheat, turnips, barley, and 

 two years' grass. Mr Smith also holds the fine farm of Grange- 

 of Monifieth, which lies nearer the sea, and consists of very rich, 

 friable loam. Here he produces beautiful crops of wheat and 

 turnips, and also, as at the Murroes, grazes and feeds a large 

 number of cattle. Mr Smith's father, the late tenant of Leshade 

 in Murroes, was one of the most enterprising farmers in this 

 part of the county. He transformed the farm of Leshade from 

 swamp and moss into one of the best laid out, and most effi- 

 ciently fenced holdings in the county. The system of drainage 

 which he carried out on the farm is most extensive and unique, 

 and has worked admirably. A great stretch of substantial 

 dykes were also erected at a heavy outlay. 



Passing into the parish of Tealing we find ourselves on a 

 higher elevation and in a colder climate. This parish, leading 

 up to the Sidlaws, extends to 7231 acres, and gives a rental 

 of £7832, or £2007 more than in 1856. The rental in 1683 

 was £1886 Scots. In the lower lying portion of the parish 

 there is a good deal of strong rich land, that yields well when 

 skilfully managed and when the seasons suit. It is a clayey 

 loam with a subsoil of clay and gravel, in some parts rather 

 retentive. In part of the hollows there is also very poor soil, 

 thin, hard, and unproductive, with very stiff subsoil. There 

 are several instances in this parish where the land on the one 

 side of the road is worth 2os. or 30s. an acre, and not worth 

 more than 15s. or 20s. on the other. On the higher lying parts 

 there is also a good deal of variety of soil, but in general it is a 

 moderately fertile loam, resting on a clayey or gravelly subsoil 

 which in some parts is not so open as could be wished. Mr 

 Alexander Bell, Kirkton of Tealing, better known as the late 

 tenant of Balnuth,has been one of the leading farmers in Forfar- 

 shire for many years. For a long time he has been extensively 

 employed in the valuation of land and farm crops, and has thus 

 acquired a most extensive and accurate acquaintance with the 

 agriculture of the county. Entering Balnuth when a young 

 man, he at once commenced improvements, and in the course of 



