SMALL HOLDIKGS IN SCOTLAND 109 



able importance with regard to the system of land tenure established by 

 the Acts of t886 to 191 1. 



Ip other cases the Board co-operated with landlords in carrjdng out 

 schemes of land settlement — usually involving the sub-di\nsion of large farms 

 by making grants for the necessary fencing, etc., and by making loans to 

 new holders for the purpose of erecting buildings. 



Altogether they assisted in providing G40 new holdings and over 1,100 

 enlargements of existing holdings. The whole amount expended in grants 

 and loans in connection with these schemes was about £220.000. 



Large sums were also expended by the Board on public works of vari- 

 ous kinds in the congested districts — piers, roads, bridges, etc. The assist- 

 ance thus given usually took the form of a grant of three-fomths of the 

 total cost of such works, made to the local authority which undertook the exe- 

 cution of the work and the subsequent upkeep. In several cases the grant 

 amounted to £5,000 and in one case to £10,000. The whole amoimt 

 actually paid in this way up to 21st. March, 1912 was about £ 130,000 be- 

 sides considerable sums granted but not yet paid over. 



In their schemes for the promotion of agriculture the Board had re- 

 gard mainly to the improvement of live stock, as the Western Highlands 

 and Islands are more suited to pastoral farming than to the grovvdng of 

 crops, lender these schemes the Board purchased nearly 700 bulls and 

 lent them out to the committees in charge of the common grazings. 

 Over 2,000 rams, the property of the Board, were lent out in the same way, 

 and a certain number of Highland pony stallions were also pro\dded. As 

 a result of these arrangements, a marked improvement has taken place in 

 the quahty of the live stock in many of the congested districts. Further 

 encouragement was given by grants in aid of local agricultural shows. 

 For the improvenient of poultry, it was arranged that eggs of pure breeds 

 should be supplied from certain approved stations at a small charge, the 

 Board subsidizing the station-holders. Schemes were also undertaken for the 

 supph' of seed oats and potatoes of better ^'arieties than those commonlv 

 grown, and for instruction in the spraying of potatoes to prevent disease : 

 these ho\^ ever met with onl}- a moderate degree of success. iVbout £ 60,000 

 was spent on schemes under this head. 



Aid was also given for the improvement of the home industries of the 

 congested districts, especially the spinning and weaving of ' Harris " tweed, 

 and schemes were introduced for the apprenticing of boys to trades and for 

 the training of girls for domestic service. 



The public works, the provision of which was aided b}' the Board, 

 were in many cases of special service to fishermen. The Board also took 

 steps to secure the improvement of communications between the, islands 

 and the mainland and maintained a number of minor sea-Hghts at various 

 points. 



In addition to the work done by the Congested Districts Board, the 

 Fishery Board lent considerable sums to fishermen for the purchase or 

 repair of beats, on the security of the boats themselves. This scheme was 



