152 THE AGRICULTUEE OF THE 



In this, as in most other Scottish counties, the earliest im- 

 provers of land were among the landed proprietors. In the middle 

 and latter half of last century gentlemen possessed of land worth 

 £200 to £1000 a year lived almost invariably on their estates. 

 Their education had been liberal, their views were enlightened, 

 and, as expenses tended to increase with the development of 

 civilised life, an increased income was needful to cover the gradu- 

 ally growing expenditure. They knew how to adopt the means 

 of improvement suggested by the progress of science, and they 

 had the good taste necessary for adding proper embellishments 

 to their estates. Farmers at that time had not the skill, the 

 capital, or the enterprise which they subsequently acquired, and 

 which transformed them into active and successful improvers of 

 land. At present the tenants are intelligent, industrious, and 

 thoroughly acquainted with the most improved modes of agri- 

 culture, which are carried out under strict personal supervision. 

 At the same time, the proprietors continue to interest them- 

 selves in the agriculture of the county and the management 

 of their estates ; and to the cordial co-operation of landlord 

 and tenant the success of Stirlingshire agriculture is in large 

 measure due. 



Entering the county from the east, one of the first conspicuous 

 estates is Callendar, — the second in the county in area and 

 rental It extends about fifteen miles from Slamannan on the 

 south and east to Denny on the west, and it comes down to 

 the Carron at Camelon and Larbert. It lies in four parishes, 

 and includes carse, dryfield, and moorland soil. The estate was 

 purchased by Mr Forbes in 1783 for £85,000 ; its present rental 

 is over £13,000 a year. Beginning to improve the estate, Mr 

 Forbes took 4000 of the 7000 acres of which it consisted into 

 his own immediate occupation. He first subdivided the land, 

 throwing that near Falkirk into fields of six or seven acres, 

 which were enclosed with hedge and ditch. The old-fashioned 

 ridges were levelled with five or six ploughings, and the whole 

 was limed at the rate of 100 bushels an acre. The proprietor 

 took one crop of oats, and, along with the oats, sowed clover and 

 rye-grass, after which the lauds were let on lease. The remainder 

 of the estate was let to tenants, who were bound to improve it 

 after the example of the proprietor. The total income, iu elud- 

 ing minerals, is now estimated at £19,811 a year. Of this 

 amount £9868 is in the parish of Falkirk, derived from sixty 

 separate subjects, including the mansion-house, garden, and 

 offices, valued at £550 ; the woods, copse, and underwood, £400 

 a year, and the colliery of Pilrighill and Standalane, rented at 

 £1463, 13s. 4d. Of the small farms laid out toward the close 

 of last century many have been united, but still the greater 

 number are of moderate size. The highest rent is £523, paid 



