THE COUNTIES OF FORFAR AXD KINCARDINE. 



143 



these crops in Forfar in 1854 was 835, and in Kincardine 218. 

 Vetches are used mostly in assisting to feed the cattle stock 

 when the grass begins to fail. Only a small area is left under 

 bare fallow. The extent in Forfar was, in 1854, 623, and this 

 year 694 acres ; the figures in Kincardine being 319 and 141. 



Cattle. 



The following tables show the number of cattle of different 

 -classes in the tv/o counties at various times since 1854 : — 



Forfar. 



Decrease in total since 1854, 1699. 



Kincardine. 



Decrease in total since 1854, 202. 

 In the returns of 1854, the class " Under two years" comprises calves only. 



It will be seen that the number of cattle in Forfarshire twenty- 

 five years ago, was considerably greater than now. This is mainly 

 due to the dreadful manner in which rinderpest devastated the 

 herds in that county in 1865-66. To recount the progress of that 

 terril)le scourge would perhaps serve no good end. ►Sutfice it to 

 state that wherever it a|)])eared it swept away almost every animal 

 of the cattle tribe, dealing out ruin to many a man who would 

 otherwise have been in comfortable circumstances. It also 

 spread into the Mearns and some other parts of Kincardineshire, 

 but this county, as a whole, suilercd less severely than its neigh- 



