CATTLE OR SHEEP TOGETHER OR SEPARATELY. 239 



that glen early in summer, and taken back before the end of 

 autumn. The cows were well summered, and the sheep stock 

 were very little if anything the worse, and the gain there was 

 ten or twelve cows with their produce. 



Farther up the loch is Glenkinlass, and the farm of Acharn is 

 occujjied by D. and A. M'Callum, father and son. Mr D. 

 M'Callum, a most intelligent farmer, w^as in his younger days 

 on Lord Breadalbane's lands in Perthshire, and can well 

 describe tlie system carried on there, and can testifiy that no 

 effort was made to keep cattle away from sheep ranges. 



After finishing Glenetive and returning to Taynuilt, a trip to 

 Glenlonen would be interestincj. At the entrance into the aien 

 is the farm of Barguillen, possessed by the widow and son of the 

 late Mr M'Xaughton, who in early life was, like Mr D. M'Callum, 

 in the employment of the late Marquis of Breadalbane. He bad 

 the charge of a sheep stock, but was allowed to keep cows for 

 himself, and he made excellent use of the privilege, so that he 

 was able to take a good farm for himself, and left his family in 

 a comfortable position. It may be mentioned, in passing, that 

 the tenants who were in possession of this farm when the price 

 of sheep rose very high about fifteen years ago, were carried 

 away with the notion of putting all the land under sheep ; and 

 accordingly they sold off their black cattle. This was soon 

 found to have been a grievous mistake. Any advantage to the 

 sheep stock made up but a small proportion of the loss of the 

 cattle. It was seen there and elsewhere, that a projjer propor- 

 tion of each kind of stock suited best, in such cases as are now 

 under consideration. 



Next to Barguillen are the grazing farms of Duntanachan and 

 Barglass, mentioned at page 54 of the report for the county. 

 The range of hills forming the south side of the glen rises to a 

 considerable elevation, the highest being nearly 2000 feet above 

 sea level, and snow lies pretty heavy there. The system followed 

 during the long time the place has been in the same occupation 

 (fully seventy years), is to keep the sheep to the hill in summer, 

 but tu allow them the use of the low grounds along with the cattle, 

 in winter and spring ; and when snow lies heavy on the hills they 

 are allowed to pass to Barglass or the sunny side of the glen. 

 Sheep are excellent weather ])rophets, insomuch as they know 

 when a snowstorm is a])proaching. It is curious to observe on a 

 (lark winter day how the sheep that were grazing on the strath 

 during the day will, towards the evening, turn their back ujion 

 their own home, and seek the lower or sheltered side of the glen, 

 ([uite contrary to their onlinary habits. A\'luii this occurs a 

 snowstorm may be ex))ected, although no human eye could see 

 any sign of its approach. Jt is said that the fibre of the wool is 

 very sensitive to the changes of the weather, like mercury and cat- 



