74 THE AGRICULTURE OF THE 



The farm of Burnside, occupied by Mr James Brace, extends 

 to 365 acres, and is on the Eichmond estate. The soil is chiefly 

 alluvial, and is in a high state of fertility. The rent is £520, or 

 nearly 30s. per acre. The five-shift course is adopted by Mr 

 Bruce, and his farm is very productive. He uses a great deal 

 of artificial food for stock, and his farm-yard manure, which is 

 devoted chiefly to turnips, is of the very richest nature. From 

 20 to 30 yards of it is given along with 8 cwt. artificial manure 

 per acre. He has an excellent herd of shorthorn cattle on the 

 farm, in all about 70 head, breeding at the rate of 30 animals 

 every year. His cows are of the most fashionable strains, and 

 are excellent breeders and milkers. For many years Mr Bruce's 

 bull calves have commanded the highest averages at Forres and 

 Perth sales. His stock bulls have been the famous " Baronet," 

 which never left its box but to conquer ; " Eoyal Windsor," 

 " Earl of March," and his present bull " Knickerbocker," the 

 champion national winner of 1881 at Stirling. In his breeding 

 stock Mr Bruce has repeatedly won the challenge and champion 

 cups of the Morayshire Farmers' Club, Spey, Avon and Fiddich- 

 side Farmers' Club, and the Royal Northern Agricultural Society; 

 and for many years has been an extensive exhibitor at the shows 

 of the Highland and Agricultural Society, winning the first 

 premiums for old and young bulls last year, along with the 

 Tweeddale gold medal at Stirling. There is, in addition to the 

 shorthorns, a few good cross feeding cattle kept, being chiefly 

 bought in young and sold off fat when two years -old, weighing 

 from 8 to 9 cwt. On the farm there is almost always to be 

 found a few choice animals in preparation for the great English 

 fat stock shows, at which he has been most successful. In 1871 

 Leeds presented him with a class prize and champion cup, and 

 Smithfield with a champion cup for heifers. In 1872 Smithfield 

 sent him a class prize and champion cup for an excellent ox bred 

 by Mr Macpherson, Auchlochrach, Glenrinnes, in addition to 

 which, and with the same animal, he gained the blue ribbon cup 

 for that year. In 1873, Hull presented him with a hundred 

 guineas plate, while in 1871 Newcastle sent him a beautiful 

 plate. In 1878 York awarded him a champion plate; and many 

 other trophies of lesser importance awarded to him could be 

 recorded. The farm houses are in good order, the dwelling- 

 house having been recently erected, partly by the landlord and 

 the tenant. 



Nairnshire. 



Having completed our Morayshire pilgrimage, we now proceed 

 to describe our recent tour throughout the county of Nairn. 

 The general configuration of the county has already been 

 noticed, but it may not be out of place to mention that the lower 



