28 THE AGKICULTUKE OF THE 



their farms. Allowances of money are agreed upon at entry, 

 vvliich, according to the regulations, has to be refunded at the 

 end of the lease. 



The extremes in the rental of this property are 7s. and £8 per 

 ' acre. Eents are all paid in money, but some thirty years ago, 

 grain payments were quite common. The five-shift is the pre- 

 vailing rotation, not only on these estates, bub over the counties 

 generally. 



The sort of cattle kept by the farmers on Lord Fife's property 

 is chiefly cross bred, with a sprinkling of pure bred shorthorn 

 and polled animals. Much more attention is bestowed on 

 the breeding and rearing of stock than twenty-five years ago, 

 and during the interval between 1857 and 1882 a striking im- 

 provement had been effected in the various breeds. 



Cattle feeding is now one of the chief, if indeed, not literally 

 the principal source of the farmer's income. The greater pro- 

 portion of the commercial cattle on the estate are bought in, and 

 these along with home-bred stock are partly fed in half-roofed 

 courts, and partly in stalls. Feeding generally commences 

 about the 1st of October. There are very few holdings on 

 this estate that could come under the head of sheep farms, but 

 large flocks of crosses between Leicester tups and Cheviot ewes 

 are bought in and fattened during winter. These, as well as a 

 few blackfaced sheep, are kept steadily on farms attached to 

 hillsides, where the pasture consists of heather and natural 

 grasses. The great body of crofters make a living by working 

 on their own crofts, and occasionally by day labour to neigh- 

 bouring farmers. They hold yearly leases as a rule, but in 

 Bome cases, when circumstances permit, longer leases are held. 



Eesuming our westward journey, we reach the farm of Upper 

 Meft, which is 230 acres, all arable, in extent; rented at £291, 

 15s.; is well laid off; well supplied with convenient houses, and 

 tenanted by Mr Cruickshank, who has improved the condition 

 of his farm materially since 1857. He works it on the five- 

 course shift, and the average yield of wheat is from 3 to 4 

 quarters, barley 5 quarters, and oats from 4 to 5 quarters. 



The beautifully situated and well-managed farm of Viewfield 

 tenanted by Mr Anderson, extends to 282 acres, — 279 acres 

 arable and 3 acres in pasture. It is rented at £305, or from 

 21s. to 22s. per acre. The soil consists of loam, black soil, and 

 moss, and is pretty well sheltered. The estate regulations 

 insist on the five-course shift being pursued, but Mr Anderson 

 would prefer to work at least part of his farm under the six- 

 shift system, which he is convinced would be instrumental in 

 preventing " finger-and-toe " and "canker," which frequently 

 destroy the turnip crop. 



The average yield of wheat ranges from 3 to 5 quarters, and 



