130 ON THE AGEICULTUEE OF THE 



Mr Tennant of Auchnasliellacli. The entire combined property- 

 is generally known as the Ardross estates, though it may be 

 mentioned that the original Ardross is on the east coast, in the 

 parish of Eosskeen. The original Ardross was bought in 1846 

 from the Duke of Sutherland, and along with the other smaller 

 properties acquired in the neighbourhood, has been the centre of 

 the principal improvements by Mr Matheson. 



In 1 858 Mr William Mackenzie, factor on the estates, under 

 whose able management the improvements have been carried out, 

 reported to the Highland and Agricultural Society what had been 

 done at Ardross up till that time ; but, notwithstanding, it would 

 perhaps be as well to give a general resume of the improvements 

 from their very commencement. We shall first, however, contrast 

 the Ardross of 1846 with the Ardross of 1876, and then attempt 

 to describe the elaborate improvements that led up to the present 

 result. When Mr Matheson obtained possession of these estates 

 the land w^as held principally by small tenants, whose arable 

 areas varied from 6 to 20 acres. The houses were small and 

 uncomfortable, the stock kept w^as of inferior quality, and the 

 general system of cultivation was of a very primitive order. The 

 configuration of the land was rough, stony, and uneven, and not 

 at all inviting for cultivation. Now Ardross is a picturesque, 

 rich-looking, fertile agricultural district, laid out in moderately 

 sized farms and crofts, w^ell fenced, well arranged, wdth handsome 

 commodious houses, and bearing profitable crops of all kinds. 

 In all, about 4000 acres have been reclaimed from waste land, 

 by draining, trenching, liming, &c. This land is situated along 

 the north side of Alness river, and stretches back from Cromarty 

 rn-th, a distance of ten miles, to the top of Strathrusdale, and 

 embraces the off-shooting valleys of Auchnacloich and Strathy. 

 The elevation varies from 50 feet to 900 feet above the level of 

 the sea. The first step in the improvements was a thorough 

 survey of the whole land, and the drafting of a plan to 

 guide the operations. New farms for the old tenants were 

 laid out, the boundaries of plantations were traced out and 

 lined off, the positions of farm offices were indicated, the 

 sizes and forms of fields were decided upon, and the courses of 

 all the principal leading drains were staked off on the ground 

 {vide Mr Mackenzie's Eeport in " Highland and Agricultural 

 Transactions " for 1858). These preliminaries over, the real work 

 of reclamation was begun. The supply of native labour being 

 wholly inadequate for the work, men were procured from 

 other districts, and housed in a large and commodious barracks 

 built for the purpose. About 200 men lived in these barracks 

 during the whole period of the improvements, and this system 

 was found to work very satisfactorily. In addition to these 200 

 labourers, about 100 of the residenters were usually employed at 



