64 ON THE AGRICULTUEE OF THE 



Other Sources of Industry. 



Before drawing our report on the agriculture of Edinburgh 

 and Linlithgow to a close, we may just briefly refer to other 

 sources of industry which give employment to no inconsiderable 

 part of the population. 



Mines and Quarries. — The counties are both rich in minerals. 

 Coal has been wrought in some localities for a long period. In 

 the parish of Lasswade, Mid-Lothian, collieries had been opened 

 about the beginning of the 17th century, and history in- 

 forms us that in the county of Linlithgow several mines were 

 worked as early as the reign of Alexander TIL About forty years 

 ago, the annual average amount of coal j)roduced in West Lothian 

 was 44,000 tons, but within twenty years after, it had vastly 

 increased, and now is far beyond that limit. It may here be 

 stated that the coal-fields of Scotland are divided into an 

 eastern and a western district. In 1866, the former, which 

 includes Edinburgh and Linlithofow, contained 254 collieries and 

 21,200 miners, being an average of about 83 workmen to each 

 colliery. The total amount of coal raised was 6,100,000 tons, or 

 an average of 287 tons to each miner. The quantity of coal an- 

 nually raised in the valley of the Esk a few years ago was said 

 to yield a royalty of L.12,000 to the proprietors of the mines. 

 In this locality are 15 collieries, the coal-bed being 15 miles by 

 8 in extent. A large portion of the produce is shipped coast- 

 wise at Musselburgh. Coal is extensively wrought at Vogrie, in 

 the parish of Borthwick, and yields a large annual revenue. The 

 aggregate quantity shipped from Leith and Granton during 1875 

 was in — 



These figures give a total of 463,766 tons, or a little more than 

 one-thirtieth part of the whole amount raised in both the eastern 

 and western districts of Scotland. Coal mines may be said to 

 have gone up in value 30 per cent, in ten years, and 40 to 50 in 

 twenty or twenty-five years. The mining poj)ulation are mostly 

 well-behaved and industrious, but like too many of the class to 

 which they belong, are somewhat improvident in their habits. 

 When wages were at theu^ height three years ago, and from 8s. to 

 10s. or even 12s. per day could be made, very few saved any 

 portion of their earnings; consequently, little, if any money is 

 laid by in ordinary times, and a period of depression is too often 

 marked by privation and suffering. In 1852, wages were about 



