Early Agricultural Improvers. 107 



vicinity" (he had himself acquired his agricultural 

 knowledge in Norfolk), "his discipline was severe, 

 but it was very correct. He would admit of no slovenly 

 practice no slighting of the work. Nor did he require 

 anything of his people, but what he could do himself, 

 for while he delivered out his directions in the most 

 clear and distinct manner, he could with his own 

 hand show them the true mode of peformance. He 

 could even enforce his authority with something more 

 effective than verbal injunctions ; for it is said that the 

 clownish obstinacy of his people was not unfrequently 

 corrected by manual discipline. I have, indeed, met 

 with different people that confess (and even in some 

 measure glory in it) that they had the knowledge of 

 their work beat into them by Mr. Barclay. This strict 

 government had the happiest consequences, for not a 

 little of the general dexterity in the Kincardineshire 

 labourers is still to be traced to the original system of 

 their education, established by Mr. Barclay of Ury. To 

 have been in the service of Mr. Barclay always was, 

 and still is, a great recommendation to any servant." 



Sir William Nicolson of Glenbervie was the first 

 person in the Mearns who raised hay from sown grass, 

 about the year 1730, the seeds he used being the best 

 he could select amongst the natural meadow hay. 

 These he sowed among oats of the third or fourth crop 

 from ley ; and the result was so far superior to the 

 ordinary mode of allowing the soil to replenish itself 

 with wild herbage as to excite the astonishment of his 

 neighbours. For in the Mearns, as elsewhere, the only 

 hay obtained up to that time had been from the 

 natural grasses that grew in the swamps and marshy 

 spots to be found on almost every farm. It was not 

 till about 1760 indeed that clover came to be much 

 known in this country; and it was ten years later still 

 before sown grasses began to be commonly cultivated. 



