146 THE AGRICULTURE OF THE 



became prominent, and there were thirty or forty looms con- 

 stantly employed in this work. Near the close of the century 

 cotton manufacturing was added; and about the year 1793 there 

 were 260 looms employed in weaving coarse muslin. At the 

 same date wool-spinning was added, and one firm had 100 

 persons engaged in teasing, combing, and scouring wool, making 

 it ready for spinning. The manufacturing industry has been 

 still further developed in various departments. There are four 

 woollen mills, all of considerable importance, in which there is 

 spinning of yarns for the manufacture of tweeds, shawls, and 

 fancy stuffs, at Forthvale Mill ; and at Parkvale and Hayford 

 Mills, dyeing, spinning, and weaving. The town has a good 

 reputation also for coachbuilding. In Stirling there is a weekly 

 grain market, w^here a large business is transacted. The sales of 

 grain in the three years beginning with 1880, as supplied by the 

 market clerk, were — 



Wheat. Barley. Oats. Beans. Tares, 



qrs. qrs. qrs. qrs. qrs. 



1880, . . 2375 9,686 17,012 1986 



1881, . . 811 10,459 16,056 1797 103 



1882, . . 1390 9,559 19,123 3205 27 



A good business is also done in malt, coals, wool, timber, bricks, 

 tiles, lime, and agricultural produce. 



Falkirk was in 1600 created a burgh of barony, and in 1647 

 was made a burgh of regality by King Charles I. It is likewise 

 a parliamentary burgh, and unites with Linlithgow, Lanark, 

 Airdrie, and Hamilton to elect a member of Parliament. The 

 present re^^resentative is Mr John Eamsay of Kildalton, island 

 of Islay. Falkirk is a flourishing town, with some good public 

 buildings and rich surroundings, both as regards agriculture and 

 ironworks. In 1871 the number of inhabited houses in the 

 parliamentary burgh was 1238, and the population 9547 ; in 

 1881 there were 2721 inhabited houses and 13,170 of a popula- 

 tion. For agricultural stock there is an auction mart, where a 

 good business is transacted in store and fat cattle. Partly in 

 Falkirk and partly in Bothkennar parishes is Grangemouth, 

 which has during the past thirty years risen to the position of a 

 high-class port, with accommodation for large vessels. In 1871 

 there were 132 inhabited houses belonging to Grangemouth in 

 Bothkennar parish, and 651 inhabitants; in 1881 there were 267 

 inhabited houses, and 1412 inhabitants. In Falkirk parish there 

 were belonging to Grangemouth 121 inhabited houses in 1871, 

 and 1659 inhabitants ; in 1881 there were 572 inhabited houses, 

 and 2918 inhabitants. Kilsyth is a burgh of barony; and other 

 towns, with a population of 2000 or upwards, are Lennoxtown, 

 Alva, Bannockburn, Bridge of Allan, and Denny. There are 

 about a hundred villages and hamlets. 



