DUMBARTONSHIRE. 



197 



Dumbar- 

 tonshire. 



Rivers and 

 lake. 



Soil. 



Crop*. 



being stated, we need hardly add, that agriculture is 

 not in its most improved state. The lands, however, 

 are let on leases, and improvements are gradually creep- 

 ing in, although they must struggle at once with the 

 poverty and the prejudices of the inhabitants, in whose 

 character there is nothing very prominent to distinguish 

 them from those of the adjacent counties. 



The only river of any consequence which can be said 

 to belong to Dumbartonshire, is the Leven. This 

 stream is the outlet of Lochlomond, after leaving which 

 it runs with a rapid current for about five miles through 

 a fine valley, till it joins the Clyde at Dumbarton castle. 

 In spring and autumn there is an imperfect navigation 

 on the Leven for lighters and small craft, which float 

 down the stream, and are towed by horses in an oppo- 

 site direction. The other rivers are Froon, Luss, Fin- 

 lay's Douglas, and Falloch, all which are mountain tor- 

 rents, falling into Lochlomond and Laggie. 



In the parishes of Kirkintiilloch and Cumbernauld, 

 and also in the eastern part of the larger division of the 

 county, the predominant soil is what in Scotland is ge- 

 nerally called till ; a shistose clay mixed with a few 

 small stones, impervious to moisture, and generally in- 

 cumbent on sand-stone. Along the banks of the Clyde, 

 in the parishes of Dumbarton and west Kilpatrick, 

 there are many fields of a rich black loam, of the most 

 fertile quality, though suffering from moisture on ac- 

 count of their being but little elevated above the sur- 

 face of the river. Some fields of nearly a similar de- 

 scription are to be found on the banks of the Eiulrick, 

 in the parish of Kilmarnock, and of Kelvin near Kirk- 

 intulloch. On the river Leven, and to the northwest 

 of that stream, the arable hind is, for the most part, of 

 a light gravel, mixed on the sea-shore with shells and 

 other marine productions, and covered with a thin stra- 

 tum of vegetable soil. The extent, however, of arable 

 ground of every description is inconsiderable, as by far 

 the greatest part of the county consists of lofty moun- 

 tains, incapable of any thing like cultivation. In the 

 parish of Arroquhar, which is more than twelve miles 

 in length and four in breadth, and consequently must 

 contain 24,000 acres, there are not 200 arable, or ca- 

 pable of being made so. This parish is indeed singu- 

 larly mountainous, and rises in some places to the height 

 of no less than 3000 feet above the level of the sea ; 

 but the parishes of Rew, Roseneath, and Luss, are also, 

 for the most part, composed of mountains, and have 

 comparatively but a small proportion of arable or low 

 pasture. In Cardross and Bonhill, there is a consider- 

 able track of high moor ; and that part of the west di- 

 vision of the county which lies to the east of the river 

 Leven, is intersected by a continuation of the lofty 

 ridge, which crosses the island from Forfarshire to the 

 Frith of Clyde. 



Oats have been long the grain chiefly cultivated in 

 this county. Barley was some years ago raised to a 

 considerable extent, but the high duty on malt, and the 

 demand for wheat, have induced the farmers to give it 

 up in a great measure, and during that period a greater 

 quantity of wheat has been raised. Beans are sown in 

 greater quantities than pease, and their culture is daily 

 becoming more general. Spring tares are the only 

 kind to be seen, and these only on the farms of a few 

 gentlemen. Potatoes are cultivated in the most com- 

 plete manner, and with great success, and are planted 

 on every variety of soil. Swedish, common white, and 

 yellow turnip, and carrots, are cultivated. Rye grass is 

 universally sown for hay. White clover grows natu- 

 rally on all the dry land, and red clover is sown down 



with rye grass, but seldom by itself, "lax is less culti- 

 vated than formerly, but a little is raised on almost 

 every farm. 



There is very little rich land kept exclusively for pas- 

 ture. On most farms the improved husbandry prevails ; 

 and each field in rotation, after having been pastured 

 two or three years, is broken up and returned for 

 tillage. 



Cows and oxen are chiefly brought from the west 

 Highlands, and milch cows from Ayr and Renfrew : 

 only a small proportion are reared in Dumbartonshire. 

 The number of horses in the county, however, is by no 

 means considerable. The only sheep in Dumbartonshire 

 are of the black-faced or mountain breed, with the ex- 

 ception of a few English of the Leicestershire breed, 

 kept by some gentlemen around their houses. 



An abundant and truly valuable source of meliora- 

 tion to this county is found in the sea-weed, which 

 is oast in by the sea, and collected on its shores; but it 

 is reckoned much more valuable, when it can be cut 

 with sickles, at low water, in the spring, when it is in a 

 high state of vegetation, and full of sea salts. It can 

 only be cut once in two years, and so soon as it is cut, 

 it is spread very thin on the ground, and ploughed 

 down immediately before its fertilizing juices are ex- 

 haled. Lime is much used, and sometimes shell sand. 

 The soil and grounds are, in many places, well adapted 

 for irrigation. 



The wages of a farm-servant in 1811, was estimated 

 at L. 1 8, L. 22, L. 28, and sometimes L. 30 a year, and a 

 woman for farm -work will get from L. 8. to L. 12 a year, 

 and a day-labourer has 2s. and 2s. 6d. per day. 



The average price of beef may be estimated at 8d. 

 per pound, mutton 9d. veal, pork, grain, and vegetables, 

 are in projx>rtion still dearer. Salmon Is. 6d. per pound, 

 and salt herrings sell high, as well as every kind of 

 food, owing to its vicinity to large towns. 



Copse woods form a very important article in this 

 county. They cover some thousand acres of soil, 

 which would otherwise be altogether or nearly useless, 

 and yield an income to the proprietors almost equal to 

 what they derive from their best lands. Large tracts 

 of land formerly barren are made to yield a large and 

 useful produce. During the last thirty years large 

 plantations have been formed. 



Amongst the various and extensive manufactures esta- 

 blished in this county, the printing of cottons is the 

 most important. It is carried on by seven different 

 companies; and besides the bleaching of printed goods, 

 there are nine bleachfields for whitening cotton goods ; 

 three cotton spinning mills ; three paper mills ; and at 

 Dalnotter iron work, nails, edge tools, and all sorts of 

 wrought iron goods are manufactured on an extensive 

 scale. A large glass manufactory is carried on in Dum- 

 barton. Alkali is manufactured at Burnfoot of Dal- 

 muir. At Millburn there is a distillery ot' pyrolignous 

 acid. This liquor is employed in making colours for 

 calico printers, and while this liquor is distilling, a 

 quantity of tar and charcoal is produced ; and in the 

 town of Dumbarton there are a few tan works. 



The only branches of commerce which deserve to be 

 noticed are the importation of grain, and the exporta- 

 tion of the produce of the salmon and herring fisheries. 

 The former of these has long been the staple trade of 

 the port of Dumbarton. 



The total gross produce of the salmon fishings will 

 probably be rather undervalued if stated at L.I 000 a 

 year, and the gross value of the herrings annually 

 caught, (although there are no regular fisher s.> 



Dumbar- 

 tonshire. 



Pasture. 



Cattle. 



Manure. 



Prices of la- 

 bour. 



Prices of 

 provisions. 



Wod. 



Manufne 

 tures. 



Trade. 



