74 ON THE AGRICULTURE OF 



acres in Kincardine, must be regarded as hightly creditable^ 

 especially when it is considered that, as previously stated, 

 agricultural improvement in these counties had been carried to 

 a great length long before the period to which the above table 

 refers, so far, indeed, as to leave comparatively little to be done. 

 In Forfar, the main portion of the new land lies in the Braes of 

 Angus along the foot of the Grampians, but there is also a fair 

 proportion on the Sidlaw range. Throughout all the higher 

 lying parts of Kincardine there has been less or more reclamation 

 since 1854. On the slopes of the Garvock Hill there has been 

 a good deal, and also on the hard heights and mossy hollows of 

 Glenbervie and Fetteresso. Along the foot of the Grampians, in 

 Edzell, Fettercairn, Laurencekirk, and Fordoun, there has been 

 a narrow fringe reclaimed within thirty or forty years ; a small 

 portion within twenty years ; while in each of the parishes in the 

 northern division of the county there has been a certain extent 

 reclaimed. Strachan and Durris claim the larger portion. 



The reclamation of land, however, has not constituted the 

 whole of the agricultural improvement in these counties during 

 the last twenty-five years. Indeed, it is doubtful if it has not in 

 outlay been far exceeded by the improvements in farm buildings, 

 draining, fencing, road making, and other accessories which tend 

 to develop the resources of the soil. In both counties there has 

 been a great deal done in the improvement of farm buildings,, 

 and these are now on the whole fully abreast of the times. In 

 several parts of Forfar, and also in some parts in Kincardine, 

 re-draining might be carried out with advantage ; but still, since 

 1854, a great improvement has been effected in the condition of 

 the land in this respect. In the wheat and potato districts there 

 is yet a large stretch of open land, but in the parts where the 

 pasturing of live stock holds a prominent place in the economy 

 of the farm, a great extent of fencing, mostly wire and stone 

 dykes, has been erected within the last twenty-five or thirty 

 years. In service or farm roads, too, as well as in the county 

 roads, there has been considerable improvement ; while not a 

 little has been done in the way of straightening watercourses, 

 squaring fields, draining small pieces of lake or swamp, clearing 

 the land of stones, and in other small but useful works. 



The progress in the cattle department sustained a most 

 serious check by rinderpest in 1865-66. It was several 

 years after that dreadful scourge before the rearing and feed- 

 ing of cattle were pursued with the same energy as formerly,, 

 but within the past ten years a good deal of the lost ground has 

 been made up. The number of cattle in Forfar has decreased 

 since 1854 by 1699 head, and in Kincardine by 202 head. In 

 the character of the stock kept, however, there has been a con- 

 siderable improvement since 1854. There is no doubt a greater 



