The Lajidcd Proprietors of Great Britain 



^35 



;^4, and even ^^ an acre. The soil is a 

 deep rich loam, on a bottom of gravel, and 

 grows very luxuriant crops. About 1770 it 

 was common to divide the cultivated land 

 into six equal parts, each of which in succes- 

 sion got a summer fallowing, and all the dung 

 that the farm produced — lime being then little 

 used in agriculture. The crop immediately- 

 after the fallow was always wheat, the second 

 barley, the third oats, the fourth peas, the 

 fifth oats or wheat, after which it was laid 

 down in gi-ass or fallowed again. The land 

 was always foul, and the crops, except the 

 first and sometimes the second, were invari- 

 ably poor. The introduction of lime as a 

 manure, about 1777, along with turnip 

 husbandry, potatoes, and sown grasses, pro- 

 duced a change for the better. Land in 

 tillage was then divided into four parts, one 

 sown with turnips or planted with potatoes, for 

 which the land was cleaned, pulverized, and 

 manured ; a second sown with barley or 

 spring wheat ; a third bearing a hay crop, and 

 a fourth with oats or wheat, but in some 

 cases pasture. Occasionally the third crop, 

 was peas instead of hay. On some farms a con- 

 siderable proportion was kept in pasture, on 

 which sheep or black cattle were fed — a kind 

 of stock that had become profitable about 

 1794 through the high price of wool, and the 

 constant demand for beef and mutton at the 

 Edinburgh and Morpeth markets. Wages 

 for certain classes were somewhat higher than 

 in the rural districts. Masons and carpen- 

 ters had i6d. to 2 2d. a-day without victuals. 

 Working men had is. to i6d., but in hay time 

 and harvest they got i6d. to 2od. Male 

 servants, maintained in the house, got six to 

 eight guineas yearly, and female servants had 

 £0 to ;^4, I OS. The gains of a hind were 

 calculated at ;^i8 a-year, and turnip-hoers 

 had from 4d. to 8d. a-day. 



At the present time the Duke of Rox- 

 burghe's estate in the county, from which his 

 tide is derived, are extensive and valuable. 

 They are situated in twelve different parishes, 

 and vary considerably in situation and culture. 

 About the Bowden part of the estate there is 

 nothing remarkable ; and its interest is chiefly 

 derived from its history, the remains of its 



baronial residence, and the sepulchre of the 

 ducal family in the vault below the church, 

 In the parishes of Oxnam, Hownam, and 

 Morebattle, some farms are a mixture of 

 pasture and cultivation, while on some of 

 them there is almost nothing except pasture. 

 The pastoral range extends for many miles 

 along the north side of the Cheviots, extending 

 in some parts to the Border line. Near the 

 centre of this pastoral region is the Duke's 

 shooting-lodge, appropriately named Green- 

 hill, for there is not a ploughed field in the 

 neighbourhood — grass is gro^ving green even 

 to the boundary of the little garden on the 

 east side of the two storey cottage; and on the 

 steep acclivities which rise on every side are 

 fed some of the healthiest Cheviot sheep on 

 the Borders, while the whole district is one 

 of the best shooting-grounds for grouse in the 

 kingdom. At the western extremity of the 

 estate in this direction is Hyndhope, the 

 Cheviots from which, bred by the tenant, Mr 

 Elliot, have carried off the prizes at many a 

 competition ; while, to the eastward, in the 

 vales watered by the Kail and the Bowmont, 

 are numerous fine farms, with rents in one 

 case exceeding, and in others approximating 

 to ;^iooo a year. 



The farms in the parishes of Eckford, 

 Roxburgh, and Sprouston, however, are 

 worthy of special attention. In one of these 

 parishes the Duke is almost sole proprietor, 

 and in all of them he holds the largest stake. 

 It is not customary for the Duke to advertise 

 a farm when the lease expires ; but should 

 the tack not be renewed offers are invited, 

 and from these offers one is selected, which 

 may not necessarily be the highest. It 

 is wise to exercise discretion in the selection 

 of a tenant, so as to secure respectability, 

 capital, and skill, and on the Roxburghe estates 

 the method has worked remarkably well. 

 For the tenants suitable houses are provided, 

 and the farmers on this estate are generally 

 men who can hold the position of gentlemen, 

 but think it no degradation to manage their 

 own business at home or in the market. We 

 are not aware of any other estate which con- 

 tains in a large proportion farmers of energy and 

 enterprize, and well-earned reputation. For 



