198 ON THE AGRICULTUEE OF THE 



week of October, and a few " Dinmonts " are brought down to 

 Achilty for turnips in the month of December, and in a very 

 severe winter a second draaoht is sometimes taken down in 

 February, the whole being returned about the middle of March. 

 The tups from the various farms are brought in from the ewes 

 about the 1st of January, and kept on turnips at Achilty until 

 the 12th of April, when they are sent back to the hills. Mr 

 Eobertson does not approve of giving turnips to tups during 

 close time, as he thinks it has a tendency to make them soft and 

 lazy. Mr Eobertson smears all his old sheep, commencing 

 about the 12th of October, and dips the younger lots. The 

 yeld sheep are dipt from the 15th to the 22 d of June, and the 

 ewes shortly after. 



Our next route through the hills will be along the Dingwall 

 and Skye Eailway. Passing Ben Wyvis on the right and black 

 bare pasture land on the left, we very soon enter the Kinloch- 

 Luichart district ; and here on the north side of the Bran some 

 very good grazings are under red deer. To the west of Loch 

 Luichart the Bran is joined b}^ a river which drains the valuable 

 grazing lands of Fannich forest, while on the south of the Bran 

 there is a considerable extent of mixed heath and grass land 

 occupied by sheep. Around Auchinault station there is a 

 beautiful green plain, very inviting for cultivation, but under 

 Cheviot sheep. On the south side of the line lies the extensive 

 sheep-farm of Strath Bran, occupied by Mr George Cruickshank, 

 Ardmere. It extends to about 14,000 acres, is on the estate of 

 Mr Matheson of Ardross, and is rented at L.670. Mr 

 Cruickshank keeps a breeding stock of Cheviots here, and takes 

 down the lambs to be wintered at Ardmore. About the upper 

 reaches of the Bran the land becomes blacker, and is occupied 

 chiefly by Black-faced sheep. Passing Auchnasheen, around 

 which there is some very good pasture-land, chiefly under Black- 

 faced sheep, we reach the farm of Ledgowan, tenanted by Mr 

 William Mackenzie, Auchandunie, factor for Mr Matheson of 

 Ardross. Ledgowan is also on the Ardross property, is very 

 good pasture land, and carries an excellent stock of Cheviot 

 sheep. At the west side of this farm we again reach the 

 watershed, and proceeding on we enter Strathcarron, the property 

 of Sir Ivor B. Guest, Bart., in which strath there is a large 

 extent of fine green pasture. Between Strathcarron and the west 

 coast the hill pasture becomes blacker and the surface more 

 uneven and rocky. Before arriving close upon Strome Ferry the 

 hills are very steep and rocky, and along the side of Loch Carron 

 there are a few irregular patches of arable land, with hill 

 grazings attached, on which a mixture of Black-faced and 

 Cheviot sheep is kept. Passing Strome Ferry we land upon the 

 Lochalsh Hills, which are mostly low and covered with rich 



