152 ox THE AGEICULTURE OF THE 



from bog and moss, and partly also from lochs. Lochs were at 

 one time very numerous in this district, and in consequence the 

 inhabitants were frequently troubled with ague and kindred 

 diseases. Mildew used to prevail greatly, but the thorough 

 draininsf of several of the smaller lochs and the land around 

 them has done away with it entirely. In 1843, the rental of 

 the estate was L.2160 ; now it is L.4397. The mansion-house 

 of Geanies is beautifully situated on the top of a mound, ter- 

 minating abruptly in the !Moray Firth. The garden and grounds 

 are maonificent, and from the lawn in front of the house a most 

 delightful view is obtained across the Moray Firth, and all 

 around on the right and left. An eminent Scotch professor, who 

 happened to \isit Geanies shortly before the death of Mr Mur- 

 ray last summer, remarked to the writer, that, " without doubt 

 it is the finest view of the kind in Britain, if not indeed iu 

 Europe I " 



The land reclaimed by Mr Murray turned out exceedingly 

 well, and of this one notable instance may be given. About 

 thirty years ago a field of 20 acres, near the public road from 

 Fearn to Tarbat, was reclaimed and cultivated according to the 

 advice of the late Mr George Middleton, and manured well with 

 farm-yard manure and fish garbage, and sown with wheat in the 

 month of November. The crop came away very well, and no 

 less than 5 quarters of very fine grain were reaped off each acre, 

 the variety of wheat being Eed Lammas, supplied by Mr Monro 

 of Allan. For this very fine sample of grain, weighing 64 lbs. 

 per bushel, Mr Murray obtained only 86s. per quarter ! 



The home farm of Geanies is leased, along with the large 

 farm of Ardboll ]Mains, by Mr William Douglas. Both are 

 worked on the usual five-shift rotation, and by liberal and 

 systematic farming the richest crops of all kinds are usually pro- 

 duced. The farm of ArboU has already been referred to as the 

 scene of early agricultural improvements, and within the past 

 thirty or forty years it has been greatly improved by draining 

 and fencing and the like, chiefly by the late Mr Douglas, father 

 of the present enterprising tenant. On the compact little estate 

 of Piockfield, the proprietor, 'Mv Munro, has executed considerable 

 improvements of late. 



Eetracing our steps from Tarbat, through Fearn, and turning 

 away northwards into Tain, we pass from a rich agricultural 

 district to an immense stretch of thin, barren, mossy land, inter- 

 sected here and there with small patches of arable land. The 

 small estate of Bogbain, containing one moderately-sized farm 

 and four crofts, lies only about a mile northwards from Fearn 

 Station, around which the land is rented at about L.2 per acre ; 

 and yet the soil on Bogbain is so very thin and unproductive as 

 to be worth very little more than 10s. per acre. The subsoil is 



