28 ON THE AGRICULTURE OF 



and there is every prospect of its progressing as rapidly in future. 

 Leaving now the beautiful islands of Bute and Cumbrae, it only 

 remains for us to add that, with the maintenance of the same 

 cordial relationship between landlords and tenants, which has so 

 long obtained, and the fostering of that spirit of enterprise which 

 has actuated the labours of the farmers during the past twenty- 

 five years, still further improvements may be made, and we have 

 ^very confidence will be made, in agriculture and all other 

 industries. 



Arran. 



The island of Arran lies about 8 miles south-west of Bute. 

 It is about 20 miles long from north to south, and about 10 

 miles broad. It is divided into two parishes — Kilbride forming 

 the eastern section of the island, and Kilmory the western. The 

 northern part of it is crowded with lofty granitic mountains of 

 a conical form, connected by sharp, serrated ridges, and inter- 

 sected by deep gulleys and ravines. Tlie highest point in the 

 island is Goatfell, which is 2,900 feet high. The southern part 

 of the island, which is geologically divided from the northern 

 by a band of Old Eed Sandstone, crossing the island from 

 behind the village of Brodick, is formed of undulating hill}^ 

 |,^round, sloping gently to the sea. The whole, with the exception 

 of the small estate of Kilmichael, belongs to His Grace the Duke 

 of Hamilton and Brandon, who, according to the " Parliamen- 

 tary Eeturn of Owners of Land in Scotland," furnished to the 

 House of Commons in 1873, holds 102,210 acres in the county 

 of Bute, the gross annual value of which then was £18,702. The 

 Kilmichael estate consists, according to the same authority, of 

 3,632 acres, the value of which was £622. 



The climate upon the whole is mild and moderate. Snow 

 never lies very long ; the heat in summer is not long very intense, 

 and neither is the cold in winter. Kain falls copiously, and the 

 prevailing winds are south and west. The soil varies greatly ; 

 one field may sometimes be found which contains patches of stiff 

 clay, soft moss, and loam or gravel, or both mixed together. In 

 many places along the shore, especially in the north end of the 

 island, it is little else than granitic sand washed down from the 

 mountains and driven back by the sea. In the more fertile 

 regions loam is in most cases mixed with gravel, and interspersed 

 with patches of moss. In Whiting Bay the soil is chiefly sharp 

 the shingle resting on a subsoil of red till. The best land is in 

 Southend and Shiskan on the west side of the island. The road 

 to Lagg leads over the hills from Lamlash, and the road to 

 Shiskan leads over the hills further north from Brodick. 



The Holy Isle, lying in the entrance to Lamlash Bay, grazes a 

 few sheep and goats, and the small patch of arable land at the 



