22 THE AGRICULTURE OF THE 



that the active agriculture which existed between 1830 and 

 1850 had left little room for improvement. The reclamation of 

 land during the previous twenty years had been very extensive. 

 The many intersected and unseemly patches of waste land 

 which were to be met with in these counties some thirty or forty 

 years ago, have mostly all been brought under the plougjh, while in 

 inland districts farmers have been extending their holdings very 

 considerably. The most noteworthy improvements executed 

 since 1857 have been in the way of squaring up farms, forming 

 drains, fencing, renovating farm steadings, and building farmers' 

 dwelling houses and servants' cottages. Perhaps few counties 

 are better supplied with good farm buildings than Moray and 

 Nairn. Tn this way the improvement has been very consider- 

 able both to landlord and tenant. In cases where farm 

 steadings were erected, the tenant had generally to provide 

 material for building ; and in many instances he also built the 

 steading, the proprietor compensating him by what is called 

 payment for " meliorations " at the expiry of his lease. It is now 

 more frequently the case, however, that the landlord erects the 

 houses and the tenant pays 5 per cent, of interest along with his 

 rent. 



Some twenty-five or thirty years ago, farms were very 

 irregularly laid off and cropped, but they are now much more 

 systematically and skilfully wrought. 



That the improvement in fertilising the soil within the past 

 twenty-five years has been great, is an unquestionable fact. 

 The principal agencies for the development of the farming 

 resources in this way have been the judicious and liberal 

 application of artificial manure, the systematic and enlightened 

 management of farms, and the wisdom and care exercised by 

 the tenants in maintaining the richness of the soil. There has 

 been a very marked improvement in cattle in these counties 

 within the past twenty-five years. Careful and judicious 

 crossing on the part of the breeder has greatly increased the 

 symmetry and beauty as well as the size and usefulness of 

 stock. Notwithstanding the serious losses sustained in some 

 districts in 1876, in consequence of the cattle disease, the 

 breeding and rearing of cattle has been kept going successfully 

 since then, and the effects of the disease are now almost 

 invisible. However, many people maintain that the disease laid 

 the foundation of the present agricultural depression in this 

 part of the country. Sheep farming cannot be said to hold a 

 more important position in Morayshire, than it did thirty years 

 ago ; but in parts of Nairnshire where the soil is of less value, 

 sheep farming is receiving more attention. The price of wool 

 for the past few years has been rather fluctuating, and on the 

 whole the tendency has been downward. 



