lis ON THE AGKICULTURE OF THE 



man, because the property of all, nothing could be done by way 

 of either reclaiming or planting. Several attempts were made 

 among the proprietors of the Black Isle, nearly a hundred years 

 ago, to have Mulbuie divided, but new difficulties were continu- 

 ally cropping up, and proposal after proposal fell to the ground. 

 By agreement among themselves, a few of the proprietors, towards 

 the west end, made a sort of an interim division of what lay 

 opposite their possessions ; and part of the land thus apportioned 

 off was planted. Before the present century had advanced many 

 years, the agitation for division again manifested itself, and this 

 time with more success. The subject came up in the Court of 

 Session, and on the 10th July 1827, the then Lord Ordinary 

 (Mackenzie) issued an interlocutor, dividing the whole commonty 

 (including what had been already extra-judicially apportioned) 

 among the various proprietors in the peninsula. The royal burgh of 

 Fortrose claimed a right of commonage, and on the division got 

 the largest portion of any, namely, 687 Scots acres. To the Cro- 

 marty estates 577 Scots acres w^ere apportioned, 550 to Kilcoy, 

 523 to Flowerburn, 446 to Sir James Mackenzie of Scatwell, 

 411 to Newhall, 370 to Ferrintosh, 358 to Eedcastle, 245 to 

 Allangrange, 196 to Conanside, 158 to Drynie, 127 to Avoch, 

 the remainder going in smaller portions to the other proprietors 

 in the district. 



That the division of this commonty had beneficial results there 

 can be no doubt. A great extent of the 7000 acres has been 

 brought to produce very fair oats, turnips, aud potatoes ; while, 

 with a few exceptions, almost all that was found unsuitable for 

 reclamation has been planted, and is now carrying thriving 

 wood. There is still a considerable extent of moor and waste 

 land throughout the Black Isle; but compared to the im- 

 mense tract that existed before the division of Mulbuie, it 

 seems little more than a mere handbreadth. The improvement 

 these reclamations and plantations have effected on the scenery of 

 the Black Isle is very marked. Before the division a dark 

 dreary shade was cast over the whole peninsula by the bleak 

 heathy moor, which then ran along the ridge ; now, the many 

 green fields and thriving plantations that occupy the greater 

 part of old Mulbuie, lend a pleasant, smiling aspect to the 

 Avhole district. The greater portion of the better land, after the 

 division, was let to crofters, in holdings varying from 10 to 30 

 acres. In most cases leases of nineteen years' duration were granted 

 to these crofters, and other substantial encouragement held out to 

 them to bring their holdings under cultivation. By patient toil 

 and untiring energy, these small tenants have reclaimed many 

 hundreds of acres, and converted into a pleasant agricultural dis- 

 trict what w^as before a wilderness of stunted heath and bent. 

 The soil generally is light, and very susceptive of drought, but 



