THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. 



107 



CONDITION OF THE RURAL LABOURERS IN SCOTLAND. 



A public meeting was recently held in Queen Street Hall, 

 Edinburgh, to take into consideration the condition of the 

 rural labourers in Scotland, There was a pretty numerous 

 attendance, principally composed of gentlemen engaged in 

 agricultural pursuits. 



Mr. Peter M'Lagan, of Piimpheraton, Mid Calder, proposed, 

 and Mr. Simpson, of Teawig, lavernesshire, seconded, the fol- 

 lowing resolution, which was carried :^ 



" That, taking into consideration the general improvement 

 in agriculture in Scotland, it is moat desirable that increased 

 atteution should be directed to improving the condition of the 

 rural labourers," 



Mr. Cowie, of the Mains of Haulkeston, proposed, and Mr. 

 Maitland Heriot seconded, the following, which was carried : — 



" That, as comfortable and commodious dwellings greatly 

 tend to promote morality, delicacy of feeling, and sound bodily 

 health, this meeting, while cordially admitting what has 

 already been done in this direction, would earnestly call the 

 atteution of landed proprietors and farmers to the necessity of 

 increased efforts to provide these in greater numbers than 

 exist at preseut, and to the facilities afforded for this purpose 

 by recent Acts of Parliament, enabling proprietors of entailed 

 and unentailed estates to build and to improve cottages," 



Mr. George Hope, Fentonbarns, moved the next resolution, 

 which was as follows :— 



" That, as improved cultivation necessarily implies an in- 

 crease in the amount and quality of the labour employed, it is 

 the duty and interest 3i both landlords and tenants that a 

 sufficiency of cottage accommodation be provided on every 

 farm, thus removing at the same time an impediment to the 



formation of those domestic and family ties so essential to the 

 happiness and welfare of the human race." 



It was seconded by Mr. Scott Skirving, and carried. 



Mr. Macduff, of Bonhard, proposed, and Mr. Sheriff Tait 

 eecouded the following : 



" That this meeting recognises the necessity of greater 

 attention on the part of proprietors and farmers to the im- 

 portance of education, both juvenile and adult, and espe- 

 cially to the disadvantages connected with the practice of 

 taking away children from Bchool during a pressure of field- 

 labour." 



Mr. Murray, of Philiphaugh, proposed that there should be 

 added to the resolution the following clause : 



" That this meeting views with deep regret the continual 

 announcement of the numerous illegitimate births of most of 

 the rural districts of Scotland, and strongly urges upon pro- 

 prietors, clergymen, and tenants (aud farmers' clubs), the 

 necessity of a most searching enquiry into the various causes 

 which conduce to this frightful evil. This meeting is of 

 opinion that the present state of the hiring markets, the 

 general want of proper cottage accommodation for the la- 

 bourers, and the improper employment that females are called 

 upon to perform among sheep and cattle, may be reckoned 

 among the leading causes," 



The resolution was put with and without Mr. Murray's 

 clause, and the numbers being very nearly equal, the Chair- 

 man decided in favour of the additional clause. 



On the motion of Sir John Stuart Forbes, a committee was 

 appointed to carry out the above objects. Thanks were given 

 to the chairman, aud the meeting separated.] 



ON THE WINTERING OF HIGHLAND CATTLE. 



Turnips ad libitum at one time, straw at another, 

 corn and cake at a third, and water at a fourth, whether 

 the animal is tied in a stall, or loose in the strawyard, 

 is a questionable practice in the wintering of the Kyloe, 

 although one of every-day commendation. It is so for 

 more reasons than one ; for, granting that the articles 

 specified are of the very best quality, a condition seldom 

 or ever realized, and household accommodation satis- 

 factory, which is rarely or ever true, the quality of 

 such food, and the treatment that accompanies it, are 

 diametrically opposed to the quality of food and treat- 

 ment that produce those good qualities which gives to 

 the Highland ox his characteristic superiority when 

 placed before the artist, or when brought to the sham- 

 bles, the butcher's stall, and the table, to serve the pur- 

 pose for which he was reared and fattened by his owner. 



The question of quality of food is inseparable from 

 that of quality of carcase. If the superiority or infe- 

 riority of the former is admitted the superiority or in- 

 feriority of the latter must be granted, other things being 

 equal. The fine quality of meat, peculiar muscular de- 

 velopment, symmetry generally, and long woolly coat of 

 the Highland ox, are not matters of chance, or even of 

 geography, as the diversity of quality amongst the dif- 

 ferent breeding herds throughout the highlands of the 

 mainland and isles of Scotland proves. On the other 

 hand, the inferiority of the meat of our improved Short- 



horns, Devons, Herefords, Southdowns, Leicesters, 

 Cotswolds, &c,, is to be attributed to the inferiority of 

 the quality of the food they consume, with the impro- 

 per treatment they otherwise receive. These are facts 

 acknowledged by the every-day experience of all, who, 

 like the writer, have bred and fed Highland cattle 

 amongst their own hills, and our improved breeds in 

 the low lands. 



It would be highly interesting to know the chemical 

 and medicinal properties of the herbage upon which our 

 Highland catt'e feed when grazing in their native pas- 

 tures. From the large quantity of plants, from the 

 diversity of soil, altitude, and other influencing causes 

 that affect such properties, the question, when viewed in 

 all its details, is a very comprehensive one, not likely to 

 receive a practical solution for a long time locome; 

 but, nevertheless, the medicinal properties of the different 

 plants are generally known, and were medical bota- 

 nists to investigate the subject as far as the present pro- 

 gress of science permits, it would tend to throw much 

 daylight, not only upon the dietetic quality of the Sum- 

 mer food of our Highland stock, but also upon what 

 we should give them daring the Winter, so as to im- 

 prove their breeding properties, as to early maturity and 

 weight, without deteriorating the quality of their meat. 



Into this medicinal investigation we shall not enter at 

 present, beyond one plant which occupies a more than 



