THE COUNTIES OF FOPtFAR AND KINCARDINE. 168 



here and there with month or mosses. On the lower parts, how- 

 ever, there are many bogs and swamps, which, when surface 

 drained, afford rich pasture. Passing into Kincardineshire, the 

 hilly range retains its black heathy aspect on the heights all 

 through Glendye, and as far north-east as the junction of the 

 parishes of Durris, Fetteresso, and Glenbervie. As in Glenesk 

 and Lethnot, there is a good deal of green land in the valleys in 

 the Kincardine range ; but here also the hill tops as well as the 

 sides far down are covered almost solely by heather. It is, 

 however, a peculiar but proverbial fact, that the heather in 

 Glendye is of hner quality than in most other parts of the 

 Grampian range. It is supposed to be sweeter, and not so rough 

 and strong as in the greater portion of the higher hills in Forfar- 

 shire. The larger part of the hilly range of both counties is 

 devoted to sheep farming ; but in Forfarshire there are several 

 extensive deer forests, the dimensions and number of which have 

 been considerably increased since 1855. 



The following table shows the number of sheep in both 

 counties at various times since 1854: — 



It would seem that the number of sheep in Forfarshire has 

 iDeen gradually increasing, and it is equally clear that latterly 

 Kincardine has been going the other way. Between 1854 and 

 1870 there had been an increase in Kincardine, the number in 

 1869 having been 41,031. The increase in the arable area of 

 the cattle stock is no doubt partly to blame for the decrease 

 in the sheep stock since 1870. A good many farmers who for 

 several years after the outbreak of rinderpest fed or wintered a 

 large number of sheep, have now abandoned this system, and keep 

 cattle for all. The sheep stock paid pretty well, but many farmers 

 found that under sheep their land was beginning to produce too 

 much straw, and that the grain was becoming lighter in weight 

 than formerly. As in regard to cattle, the stock kept and 

 general system of management in the two counties are very simi- 

 lar. The Blackfaced breed has tlie field almost entirely to itself. 

 Occasionally a few Cheviots have been kept, but at present there 

 are no regular flocks of this breed. Tlie stock consists mainly 

 of wethers of different ages, bought in as lambs at the great 

 Lanark market. Breeding is carried on only to a very limited 

 extent. Most of the small tenants along the lout of the hills 



