68 ON THE AGEICULTUEE OF 



quality until, on the banks lying partly on the trap rocks and 

 partly on the Ked Sandstone, it becomes very sound heavy 

 reddish loam, well adapted to the cultivation of wheat and 

 potatoes, and rented at from 35s. to 50s. per acre. With the 

 exception of a small stretch of mossy land near the west end of 

 the valley, the soil of Strathmore is, on the whole, true to the 

 character of the formation to which it belongs. On unbroken 

 belts of Old Eed Sandstone, the soil is generally a reddish loam 

 of medium texture, very fertile and not difficult to work, with 

 a sub-soil of sand, gra^'cl, or friable clay. This is as near as 

 might be the general character of the soil along the valley of 

 Strathmore ; but while the composition does not differ greatly, 

 there are many degrees of depth and value. It is evident that 

 large portions of the lower-lying parts of Strathmore have been 

 scoured by water, for in several of these parts the soil is very 

 thin and gravelly ; in a few spots, indeed, so much so that it is 

 scarcely worthy of being cultivated. On the Mains of Glamis 

 and some other farms in the bottom of the valley, the soil is 

 both deep and sound, but, as a rule, the heavier and richer soil 

 lies on the banks and lower parts of the slopes. In the Guthrie 

 and Farnell districts there is great variety of soil. Indeed, 

 there are few farms on which there is not both very rich and 

 very poor land. The most of the land here lies on a clayey 

 subsoil, some of it rather stiff, and resting on the sandstone. 

 Towards Montrose, the soil becomes easier and lighter, but on 

 many farms it is heavy and fertile, being mixed with decom- 

 posed trap rocks. In the Howe of Kinnaird there is some very 

 stiff clay, which, in these untoward times, is proving a rather 

 stubborn subject to work. Part of the Howe lies so low that 

 it has been found almost impossible to drain it sufficiently well 

 to admit of its undoubtedly high productive powers being taken 

 full advantage of. It is understood that the redraining of part 

 of the Howe is being contemplated, and much improvement 

 would certainly result were that carried out. On the rising 

 ground in this neighbourhood the soil is generally a fertile 

 friable loam on a clayey, sandy, or gravelly subsoil. Along the 

 Braes of Angus, which include a large range of country, the soil 

 varies from a thin poor loam, resting on a close red " pan " 

 coming very near to the surface, to good, deep, sound, black loam 

 lying on limestone, trap, sandstone, primary rocks, or a mixture 

 of two or more of these. A friable black loam of medium depth 

 and fertility predominates, the most general subsoil being gravel 

 mixed with clay. Dr Page's graphic description of the configu- 

 ration of districts adjoining beds of the Old Ked Sandstone, 

 applies so truly to the Braes of Angus that we produce it here. 

 He says : — " The hills of Old Eed districts, partly composed of 

 traps and partly of soft sandstones and hard conglomerates^ 



