144 ON THE AGRICULTUEE OF THE 



parishes of Eosskeen, Fearn, Tarbat, and Tain. The Cadboll pro- 

 perty extends to 12,000 acres, all arable, with the exception oi" 

 1500 acres chiefly in the lands of Fendorn, in the parish of Tain. 

 The total rental of the property, which contains several of the 

 finest farms in Eoss-shire, is L.11,568, the increase during the 

 past twenty-five years in the acreage rental being about 25 

 per cent. Since about 1850, 1000 acres of w^oodland and 

 rough pasture have been reclaimed and converted into arable 

 land of fair quality, worth from 15s. to 25s. per acre. A large 

 portion of the reclaimed land was trenched to a depth of 14 inches, 

 at a cost of about L.12 per acre; and the remaider was ploughed 

 with a substantial implement. The soil generally in the pro- 

 perty is light, sharp land, either on boulder clay, gravel, or the 

 Old Eed Sandstone. The quality varies a good deal throughout 

 the property, and in some parts the rent per acre is only 15s., 

 while in others it reaches L.2. The rotation generally followed 

 is the five-course shift, with two years' grass. Few cattle are 

 bred, but a large number of crosses are bought in and fed for the 

 winter and spring markets. The farms vary in extent from 

 small holdings of 10 acres to large farms of 600 acres, all arable. 

 The number of small holdings is very large, the proprietor being 

 anxious to hold out inducement to careful ploughmen, labourers, 

 and others to take crofts or small farms equal to their means, 

 and thus to retain the working population in the country. 

 Many important changes have been introduced in the general 

 system of farming on the property since 1850. Artificial manures 

 are now very largely applied, the turnip break has been doubled 

 in extent, and on many farms double the num^ber of cattle and 

 sheep are kept now, as compared with twenty-five years ago. In 

 addition to the reclamation of these 1000 acres, Mr Macleod has 

 • erected a number of excellent farm steadings, repaired and ex- 

 tended others, drained 5000 acres with tiles, and erected two 

 wooden piers at Invergorden Harbour, at a cost of L.5000. The 

 most correct idea of the extent of these many improvements will 

 be had from the fact that since 1850 Mr Macleod has expended no 

 less than L. 40,0 00 upon his property ; and in addition to this, the 

 tenants themselves have expended a very large amount which 

 it would be difficult to calculate. 



The larger farms on the Cadboll property lie near to Tarbat 

 Point, but for convenience one or two of them may be noticed 

 here. Mr James Young, the able and enterprising factor on the 

 property, holds the farms of Cadboll, Cadboll Mount, and Loch- 

 slin, which together extend to 1000 acres, and are rented at 

 L.1080. The course of cropping generally pursued on these 

 farms is the five and seven shift, with two years' grass. Turnips 

 are never repeated without an interval of at least five years, but 

 the lighter land is allowed to remain in pasture as long as it re- 

 tains the grass, and then it is broken up and sown with turnips, 



