COUNTIES OF ELGIN AND NAIRN. 75 



districts are thickly wooded, and present a pleasant aspect, more 

 particularly in the autumn. The upper reaches are more of a 

 rugged and mountainous character, and the scenery is uninterest- 

 ing. We commenced our tour on the eastern border in the parish 

 of Auldearn, which was rented at £9650, 12s. lid. in 1866-67, 

 and now at £10,091, 15s. 5d. The most extensive proprietor is 

 Mr Hugh Brodie of Brodie, Brodie Castle, whose property in 

 this parish brings a rental of £2606, 15s. 



The farm of Easter Clune, occupied by Mr James Russell, 

 extends to 700 acres, of which only 150 acres are arable. The 

 rental in the district generally is about £1 per acre. The soil 

 on this farm consists of a black loam, with a clay subsoil, and 

 the climate is rather cold but dry. The five-course shift is 

 adopted, viz., two grasses, a white crop, a green crop, and again 

 a white crop sown with grass seeds. Corn crops yield about 

 4^ quarters of grain per acre, and about 300 stones of straw; 

 turnips yield about 16 tons, and hay about 110 stones (23 lbs. 

 per stone) per acre. The systems of cleaning and preparing 

 land for turnips seem to be universally the same as are 

 adopted by the Morayshire farmers. About 18 loads of dung, 

 accompanied by about 7J cwt. dissolved bones, constitute the 

 manurial allowance per acre of turnip land. Potatoes receive 

 the same treatment as turnips. Mr Eussell has reclaimed about 

 15 acres of moorland during the past twenty-five years, and the 

 landlord has drained about 12 acres, for which the tenant pays 

 interest. Cross cattle are the prevailing breed. From 6 to 8 

 calves are reared on the farm yearly, and about 20 cattle are 

 fattened. The heifers are tied up about the middle of October, 

 and sold off in January, and the stots in April. Besides liberal 

 supplies of turnips and straw, from 2 to 4 lbs. of oilcake and a 

 little corn are given to each iimm?i\ pe?' diem. Heifers when fat 

 weigh generally about 4^ or 5 cwt., and stots about 6 cwt. Mr 

 Ilussell thinks farmers might breed more cattle with advantage. 

 About 4UU hoggs are wintered on the farm. The stud is very 

 superior, j)0ssessing a good deal of Clydesdale blood. The 

 customary allotment of land to a pair of horses is about 75 

 acres. Farm servants in this district are mostly single, being a 

 pr(j{)ortion of two to one married man. Wages range from £30 

 to £40 a year, and have doubled at least since 1855. Cottages 

 average about li to each farm. Bents have risen about 15 per 

 cent, within the [)ast thirty years, and have been too high for 

 about live years. Barley is the most profitable cereal culti- 

 vated. 



Tiiough only 67 arable acres in extent, the farm of Oarliokhill, 

 occupied by Mr Alexander Mackintosh, is one of the model 

 farms of tlie day. It is rented at £109, 10s., or about 33s. per 

 acre, and is on the estate of tlie trustees of the late John (Gordon 



