COUXTY OF STIRLING. 175 



for work horses, which are roomy and well-ventilated. The horses 

 themselves are the best class of Clydesdales, well fed and 

 well kept. In the centre of the square, isolated from the other 

 buildings by a paved passage about 12 feet wide, is a large 

 covered court for cattle. The whole steading is supplied with 

 water by gravitation. 



For the site of a new mansion Mr Orr Ewingj chose a situation 

 high up on tlie hill side, with a most extensive prospect. 

 Nothing grew on the place but poor heather, the land had to be 

 thoroughly drained, and, in laying out the policies, a great deal 

 had to be done in the way of excavating at some points, and 

 levelling up at others. The cost is said to have been £100,000, 

 but the result is a magnificent mansion, with grounds and 

 gardens in the most superb style. The old mansion still stands 

 in a secluded, sheltered, but rather sunk situation not far from 

 the river Endrick. 



Of improvements other than agricultural within the past 

 twenty-five years, a notable example is furnished by Grange- 

 mouth. A sum of £600,000 has been expended on docks, and 

 there are now 12 acres of docks and 8 or 9 of basins. One 

 chief feature in the traftic is the extent to which steamers have 

 superseded sailing vessels. The Carron Company have steamers 

 three times a week to and from London, carrying all kinds of 

 goods. Next to them are the Eotterdam steamers, which take 

 out iron and other floods, brin^inc^ back vegetables, mancjanese, 

 and all kinds of produce. Messrs James Currie & Co., Leith, 

 have lately resumed the Hamburg traftic. About 300,000 tons 

 of pig iron are yearly brought from Cleveland, the principal 

 importers being Messrs James Watson & Co., Glasgow. In 1858 

 the number of vessels entering and leaving the port was 1010. 

 They were 125,000 tons register, and the cargoes were 202,000 

 tons. In 1882 there were 1G16 vessels, 437,000 tons register, 

 and carrying 800,000 tons of cargo. The amount of cargo has 

 therefore increased more than fourfold in twenty-foui- years. 

 The traftic in 1882 was the higliest ever recorded at tlie port; 

 but it was very closely approached in 1877, after which there 

 was some decline. Grangemouth was made into a Inirs^li of 

 police in 1872, and a water supply was introduced on the 19th 

 of September 1876. 



In implements for farm work there have been great improve- 

 ments within the past twenty-iive years; and in this department 

 the county is well represented by the firm of Kemp & Nicholson, 

 agricultural engineers, Stirling. This lirm began operations in 

 1848, and since that time there has been a great development of 

 implement manufacture. A good share of business has been 

 retained by the Stirlingshire makers. In 1860 they began to 

 construct reaping machines ; and these im})lements, with im- 



