122 ox THE AGEICULTUEE OF THE 



Balfour of Stratliconon, and Mr Mathiesoii of Arclross. The 

 most of the arable land ou the estate of Coul lies in the Contin 

 valley, one of the prettiest of straths. A gentleman who- has 

 been a resident in this valley for many years writes — " From my 

 windows I can see at a glance about 140U acres of land, reclaimed 

 within the last thirty years, now bearing rich crops of all kinds. 

 One old farmer in my neighbourhood actually took in 400 acres 

 himself. All the modern improvements, such as using reapers 

 and artificial manures, are greatly in vogue, by which reaping is 

 much accelerated, and crops greatly improved." In 1868 the 

 rental of the Coul estates in Contin was L.3766, now it is L.4180. 

 One of the prettiest situated farms on this estate is Achilty, oc- 

 cupied by Mr P. Eobertson, and lying along the banks of the 

 Black Water, around the base of Tore-Achilty, a rugged perpen- 

 dicular elevation looking down the valley of Contin, and beau- 

 tifully covered with richly foliated weeping birch. The farm 

 extends to about 300 acres arable and 100 acres pastoral, and is 

 rented at L.300. Mr Piobertson also holds several sheep farms, 

 but these shall be referred to afterwards. The soil on Achilty 

 is chiefly sharp light brown loam, slightly mixed with sand. 

 The five-course shift is generally followed, though occasionally 

 it is varied into a six shift-rotation. Turnips are sometimes 

 grown after lea, and they are found to do very well. In Novem- 

 ber of 1874 a six-year old field of grass was ploughed, and in 

 the spring sown with yellow turnips, manured liberally with 

 bone meal and dissolved bones. The plants came away very 

 satisfactorily, but mildew interfered with them towards the end 

 of summer, and the crop turned out only a moderate one. The 

 turnips were all eaten off by sheep, and the land ploughed again 

 in April across the old drills. In the end of May it was 

 thoroughly harrowed, and the sods reduced to a fine tilth. It was 

 then drilled up, manured with about 7 cwt. per acre of crushed 

 and dissolved bones, and sown with turnips. The crop was still 

 in the field when we visited Achilty, and the appearance was 

 most promising. Barley is generally grown after turnips, and oats 

 after grass. The average yield of jjarley is from 4 to 6 quarters 

 per acre, and the weight from 53 to 54 lbs. per bushel. The yield 

 of oats ranges from 5 to 6 J quarters, the weight from 42 to43Jbs. 

 The favourite variety of barley is chevalier, while sandy oats are 

 grown almost entirely. These remarks apply pretty generally to 

 the whole of Contin valley. Mr Eobertson keeps four or five cows 

 to supply the farm with milk, and rears six calves. He buys in 

 from forty to fifty Highland heifers in October. They are 

 wintered at Achilty, sent to the hills to graze during summer, 

 and sold when the markets are favourable. 



The Stratliconon estate extends to about 72,000 acres, chiefly 

 hill gTound taken up by a deer forest, sheep farms, a few crofts. 



