84 THE AGRICULTUKE OF THE 



Bents — Leases — Botation — Size of Farms. 



Bents.—Ovev these counties generally, as we liave already 

 hinted, there is great variety in the value of land. Eents rise 

 and fall in accordance with the situation and the nature of the 

 soil. Beginning at the most eastern side of Morayshire, we find 

 the rental along the bank of the Spey, from Boat of Bridge ta 

 the sea, varying from 10s. to £2, 10s. per acre, the average being 

 about 26s. Along the coast side in the parish of Urquhart, it 

 rises hioher in some cases and declines in others. It rancres 

 from 15s. to SOs., and, roughly speaking, the average rental of 

 the district is about 2os. In the parish of St Andrews the 

 rent varies considerably. In the lower parts it ranges from 17s, 

 to 37s., and averages about 25s., while in the upper end of the 

 parish, where the land is not so heavy and the climate colder^ 

 it varies from 12s. to 25s. per acre. The soil in Drainie is- 

 stronger and the climate more agreeable, and consequently the 

 average rental of the district is about 25s. or 26s. There is no- 

 material increase in the actual value of each acre of land since 

 1857, but there is a yearly increase in the rental from the feu- 

 duties collected at Branderburgh. As high as 40s. is realised 

 for an acre of very good land. Further w^est into Duf!'us, the 

 " Granary of Moray," where the land is valuable and the climate 

 favourable, the rental runs from S-Os. to 40?. per acre. On Sir 

 Archibald Dunbar's estate, the average rental is 31s., the highest 

 being SOs. and the low^est 10s. The rentals on some of the 

 farms on this estate are regulated to a small extent by the 

 liars prices. For example, if the price of wheat is under 42s., 

 £10 is deducted off the rental of one farm ; if under 40s., £20 

 is deducted from another rent; if 55s., another tenant pays £10 

 of additional rental; if below 48s., £25 is deducted frora the>. 

 rental of another farm ; if under 42s., another tenant gets a- 

 reduction of £10 from his rent ; and if below 42s. per quarter^ 

 £10 is deducted from another tenant's rent. The rental of the 

 parish of Elgin is extremely variable. It ranges from 7s. 6d. to- 

 35s. per acre, the average being about 24s. or 25s. Throughout 

 the western seaboard districts of the county of Elgin or Moray 

 rents are much higher than in the eastern parishes. The land 

 is more fertile, and consists of sandy loam and black loam, with 

 a gravelly subsoil. In the Alves, Kinloss, and Forres districts, 

 where wheat is pretty extensively grown and the climate line, the 

 rents vary from 20s. to 60s. per imperial acre. The average, 

 however, is from 32s. to 40s. In the vicinity of the burgh of 

 Forres, every acre of first-class land costs the tenant 50.s. Even 

 more than this is obtained in some cases, some residents in town 

 paying as much as £5 or £6 per acre for conveniently situated 

 land. In Dallas parish the rental varies from 20s. to 303. per 



