^ Rctrcspectiie View of Agriculiiire-'-^Caithness. Fe%, 



ivitli a vievv' of raisin;;- winter provision for that valuable stock. 

 Unfortunately, liowever, tliere was no flat or low-lying mos^ 

 sy ground in that neighbourhood. It was necessary, there- 

 fore, to plough the sides of hills, considerably elevated above 

 that level of the sea. The seasons of late having been pecu 

 liarly unfavourable for this important species of improveuientv 

 its progress has been greatly retarded ; but, on the vv'hole, the 

 prospect of success is at present flattering. About 60 acres 

 liave been laid down with rape, turnip, and grass-seeds, and 

 the appearances of these crops are promising. A hardy spe- 

 cies of grass, peculiarly adapted for mossy land, has been 

 brought from the fens of Cambridgeshire, and it is proposed 

 to try a long small white oat, from the neighbourhood of 

 Whittlesea-Mere, in Huntingdonshire : which, from its hardi- 

 ness and earliness, will, it is believed, succeed. Next season 

 will certainly decide to what extent this system ought to be 

 prosecuted in a hilly district. In a flat country, abounding 

 with deep bogs, or mosses, there can be no doubt of its being 

 infinitely preferable to every other. 



4. Commons* 



An extensive common having been divided not far from the 

 town of Thurso, a considerable part of which, though rather ele- 

 vated in point of situation, yet was capable of cultivation ; one 

 of the proprietors^ whose share amounted to above 2cco Eng- 

 lish acres, v/as anxious to try what could be effected for the 

 improvement of so valuable a tract. The whole was,, in the first 

 place, divided into 50 lots, varying, in extent, from 12 to 20 

 acres, and upwards, according to circumstances, and the di- 

 visions marked by the plough, which was itself a troublesome 

 business. Three modes of improvement were then adopted. 

 .1. Some lots the proprietor himself undertook to improve, by 

 paring and burning, in the manner already described, in order 

 to provide settlements for some small tenants, to be removed 

 in the neighbourhood. 2. Some lots were let to new im- 

 provers, who became bound to cultivate them at their own 

 risk and expence j and, 3. A number of other lots were annexed 

 to the neighbouring farms, under the obligation of improve- 

 ment. Where this plan is practicable, it is certainly an ex- 

 cellent mode of improving commons, as a farmer has many 

 advantages, which it is unnececsary here to point out, for 

 bringing in, at a cheap rate, the waste lands in his vicinity. 

 One spirited improver (Mr George Miller of Whiteiield, near 

 Thurso) deserves to be particularly commemorated upon this' 

 occasion. Observinc^ tlie success of the new modes of rm- 



o 



pLoving wa:£tc lands, which had been introduced into the coun- 

 ty, 



