BUTE AND AREAX. 27 



its breadth is 2 miles, and its circumference from 10 to 11 

 miles. According to tlie measurement of the last Ordnance 

 Survey it contains 3120'597 acres. 



The climate is agreeable, being less moist than the mainland 

 or Arran, and very salubrious. The geological formations are 

 whinstone, freestone, and limestone. The soil is varied ; on the 

 higher parts of the island it is light, gravelly and thin, bedded 

 on moss, and covered with heath ; in some of the valleys rich 

 loam pervades, and produces good crops. Along the east coast 

 it is light and sandv, and in the south of the island it abounds, 

 in marl. 



The island is owned by the Marquis of Bute and the Earl of 

 Glasgow. All the old part of Millport is built on Lord Bute's 

 estate, which extends from Newton Bay across by Barbary Hill 

 to Fintry Bay, and includes all the land betw^een this line and 

 the west coast ; the rest of the island belongs to Lord Glasgow. 



Along the north end of the island, on the farm of Port Pioy,. 

 great improvements have been effected within recent years by 

 draining and liming. Good crops are raised on the new land,, 

 and vrheat is very extensively grown. Early potatoes are culti- 

 vated with somewhat similar energy as in the east of Bute. 

 Cumbrae potatoes, however, are about a fortnight later of being 

 ready than those in the earliest parts of the sister island. On 

 the top of the second terrace which rises on the west side there 

 is some very deep land, and good crops of turnips are raised on 

 it. Lime has not been very largely introduced into Cumbrae^ 

 but great quantities of sea-weed are spread on the fields. 



All the farms on the island carry stocks of dairy cows number- 

 ing from 20 to 40. The milk is for the most part sold as sweet 

 milk in Millport, where there is a brisk demand for it during 

 summer. A few of the dairy-farmers churn, but not regularly, 

 and one sends his milk to Glasgow. 



The stocks on the farms are in good condition ; there is only 

 one sheep-farm in Cumbrae, and it carries a blackfaced stock of 

 average quality. The horses are much the same as in Bute, and 

 Ayrshire cows alone are kept for the dairies. 



The burgh of Millport, situated at the south end of the island^ 

 is one of the best frequented watering-places on the Clyde. The 

 influx of vistors durhig summer is very large, and communication 

 between Glasgow and Millport is kept up six times a day by the 

 steamers in connection with the Wemyss Bay liailway Company's 

 trains. 



The assessable rental of Millport in 18G5, the year following 

 that in wdiich it was created a l»urgh, was £5,451 ; in 1870 it 

 was £7,519 ; in 1872 it was £8,710 i'^in 1875 it was £10,581 ; in 

 1877 it was £11,401 ; in 1880, it is £12,998. In lifteen years, it 

 will be seen from these figures, it has more than doubled its rental,. 



