118 THE AGKICULTUEE OF THE 



town, and Nairn are the chief seats of cattle markets. Gran- 

 town market is the principal one for sheep for Morayshire, and 

 also for the upper reaches of the counties of Inverness, Banfi', 

 and Nairn. Some of the better class of farmers in the lower parts 

 of Morayshire, as well as regular dealers, kill cattle and send them 

 to London as dead meat. They generally find this the most 

 profitable way of disposing of beef. The cost of transmitting 

 dead meat is considerably lower than that of live stock. 



Labour, 



There is a lack of ordinary farm servants in these counties, 

 but, as we have already noticed, in some districts there is a 

 great difficulty experienced in getting a sufficient supply of 

 labourers. 



During potato planting and lifting, hoeing, and harvesting, 

 farms in the vicinity of towns or villages have little difficulty 

 in getting day labourers ; but in some of the more inland districts 

 casual workmen are not so plentiful as could be desired. There 

 is still a deficiency of servants' cottages, although much has 

 been done in the erection of them within the past twenty-five 

 years. It is a very essential matter indeed to have good accom- 

 modation for married men. It is very probable that great and 

 needful improvements will be effected in providing servants' 

 cottages in these counties before many years have come and 

 gone. Tenants fully realise the value and need of them. A 

 well-known farmer in the " Laigh of Moray," in referring to the 

 scarcity of cottages, remarks — "Advertisements too frequently 

 appear in newspapers wanting first-class horsemen, married, 

 without encumbrances." Generally speaking, single men are 

 most plentiful, and the majority of these sit, eat, and sleep in 

 " bothies." Several of them board in the farm kitchen, and 

 with married fellow-workmen. Married men have been getting 

 more numerous within the past few years. The rate of wages 

 in 1855 was about an average of 70 per cent, less than in 1878 ; 

 but since then, on account of the agricultural depression, the 

 cost of labour has fallen at least 15 per cent. On a farm in the 

 neighbourhood of Elgin the tenant paid the following half-yearly 

 wages in 1855 and 1881 : — 



First ploughmen generally get from £24 to £28 ; second ditto, 

 from £20 to £44 ; and third ditto, about £20, with an allowance 



