TRANSACTIONS 



OF 



THE HIGHLAND AND AGRICULTURAL 

 SOCIETY OF SCOTLAND. 



THE AGEICX^LTUEE OF THE COUNTIES OF ELGIN 



AND NAIRN. 



By Alexander Macdoxald, Sub-Editor, North British Agriculturist, 



Edinburgh. 



[Premiu7)i — Thirty Sovereigns.'] 



Introductory. 



The counties of Moray and ISTairn, if among the smaller in 

 Scotland, have long occupied a front place agriculturally. To 

 say nothing at this stage of the dryness of the climate on the 

 plains of Morayshire, of the richness of the landscape, especially 

 in the Forres district, or of the kindliness of soil over the greater 

 part of both counties, there are certain branches of rural industry 

 in which Moray men have latterly elevated themselves and 

 their county to a very distinguished position. The superiority 

 of the Moray and Nairn barley, and often also wheat and 

 potatoes, have long been topics of favourable comment among 

 agriculturists and traders. In these respects the combined 

 counties occupy the first place north of the Grampians, if not 

 north of the Tay. 



Much more celebrity still has been acquired for Moray in the 

 department of cattle rearing and feeding, particularly from the 

 great English Christmas fat shows. No fewer than three times 

 during the last sixteen years has the great prize of the year for 

 fat stock — the championship atSmithtield — gone to Morayshire, 

 — to Earnhill in 18G6, to Burnside in 1872, and to Altyre in 

 1881. No other Scotcli or even English county has accomplished 

 such ft feat. Moray and Nairn liave had their full share of 



A 



