4 ON THE AGEICULTUEE OF THE 



*tlie site of an ancient castle is the splendid mansion of tlie Duke 



•of Buccleuch, with its beautiful and %Yell-wooded grounds. 

 Musselburgh, a royal burgh, is situated upon the eastern bank of 



^the Esk, where it enters the Firth of Forth, 5 J miles east of 

 Edinburf^h. The manufactures are haircloth and sailcloth. It 

 has also a small amount of trade in tanning and leather-dressing. 



■ The neighbourhood is rich in historical lore. A little to the east 

 is the battle-ground of Pinkie, where the English defeated the 

 Scotch in 1547. In the immediate neighbourhood was also 

 fought the battle of Prestonpans, in 1745, when the royal army 

 sustained a signal defeat by the forces of Charles Edward. The 

 port of Musselburgh has no vessels of its own, but is resorted to 

 by coasters, which bring in timber, oil-cake, bark, seeds, and 

 hides; the export trade being chiefly in coal. The links are much 

 resorted to for racing, golfing, and other sources of amusement. 

 The population of the town in 1861, was 7423. Many of the 

 inhabitants are engaged in the "harvest of the sea." Situated 

 about 2 miles north-east of Edinburgh is Leith, whose commercial 

 importance lies in its colonial and foreign trade and imports of 

 grain, for which it is the great emporium in Scotland. It has also 

 considerable manufactures of glass, ropes, sails, and artificial 

 manures. Fish-curing may be ranked among its industries like- 

 wise. So far back as the 11th century it was a port ; in 1541 

 the town was burnt by an English fleet ; in 1549 it was taken 

 possession of by French troops; in 1567 it was sold to Edin- 

 burgh, and in 1838 it was made independent of that city. 

 There are also several \dllages in Mid-Lothian, each of which 

 has interesting associations, but scarcely such as come within the 

 scope of an agricultural j)aper. 



The county town of West Lothian is Linlithgow, a place of 

 great antiquity and an early seat of the Scottish kings. It has 

 a weekly market, and fairs are held at certain times of the year. 

 Other places of note are Bathgate, a market town with a larger 

 population than Linlithgow, and Borrowstounness or Bo'ness, a 

 burgh of barony, situated on a tongue of land stretching into 

 the Firth of Forth. At one time the town was in a flourishing 

 condition, but it declined after the opening of the Forth and 

 Clyde Canal, on account of the trade being turned into another 

 channel. 



Both counties are intersected by good roads, which are kspt 

 in excellent repair. 



The population has gradually increased during the pre- 

 sent century, as will be seen on reference to the following 

 table : — 



