SCOTLAND 



5260 



SCOTLAND 



lies have usually held the same land for gen- 

 erations. This system has been a severe handi- 

 cap to the capable Scotch, but when the pres- 

 ent leases expire, the Smallholders' Act of 1911 

 will break up this historic land system. By 

 this act, the farmers with small capital may 

 obtain a holding of fifty acres, and the large, 

 private tracts, reserved as deer forests, will be 

 opened to cultivation. 



Although farming is not pursued upon an 

 extensive scale, intensive cultivation of avail- 

 able land produces large yields of cereals and 

 vegetables. Gate, the chief food of the Scotch 

 farmer, are by far the most important crop. 

 Turnips, another stock food, potatoes, barley 

 and hay are raised in large quantities. Orchard 

 and small fruits are cultivated especially in 

 Clydesdale, and market gardening is important 

 near the large cities. 



The grass-clad moors of the Uplands and 

 Highlands, covering almost one-half of the total 

 area of Scotland, are used for grazing, and stock 

 raising is an important industry. Fine breeds 

 of cattle, such as the Jersey, Ayrshire, Gallo- 

 way and Polled Angus, are native to the Scot- 

 tish Highlands. The Cheviot Hills and High- 

 lands are famous for their sheep, the number 

 of which is over six times that of the cattle 

 raised. The Clydesdale draft horses and the 

 Shetland pony are also famous Scotch stock. 



Fisheries. The replacement of sailing crafts 

 by steam trawlers and motor vessels in the 

 fishing industry is forcing out the poor, private 

 fisherman, who is not able to compete with the 

 well-equipped boats owned by large companies. 

 Owing to the proximity of all parts of Scot- 

 land to the sea and to the numerous sheltered 

 fiords, lochs and wide-mouthed rivers, as well 

 as inland lakes and streams, fishing has been 

 one of the important sources of livelihood of 

 many of the inhabitants. The salmon, whale 

 and seal fisheries are now chiefly controlled, by 

 large companies, and many Dutch and Nor- 

 wegian vessels fish in Scottish waters. The 

 most important catches are cod, herring and 

 haddock. Aberdeen is the center of the fish- 

 ing industry. The Fisheries Board of Scotland 

 regulates the industry. 



Mining. The large fields of coal and iron in 

 the central plain of Scotland are the founda- 

 tion of the national industry. Great quanti- 

 ties of coal are mined in Fife and Lanark 

 counties, in the latter of which Glasgow is 

 situated. Ayr and Renfrew counties produce 

 much of the iron product. From Linlithgow 

 County are taken millions of tons of shale, 



which yields great quantities of shale oil. An 

 increasing demand for this oil is assured by the 

 substitution of liquid fuel in place of coal in 

 the British navy. Granite, limestone, slate, fire 

 clay and lead are of importance. The total an- 

 nual value of the mineral product of the coun- 

 try exceeds $112,182,000. 



Manufactures. In the eighteenth century 

 Scotland's industrial interests superseded agri- 

 cultural activities, and over one-fourth of the 

 population are now engaged in manufacturing 

 and the coal and iron industries, a proportion 

 which is exceeded in few countries. The iron 

 production and maritime advantages of the 

 country have developed the largest shipyards 

 of the world along the Firth of Clyde, and 

 made great shipbuilding centers of Leith, Aber- 

 deen, Grangemouth and Dundee. The great 

 vessels of the Cunard Line and famous yachts 

 are built in the Clyde yards, which were an 

 important center of construction in the War of 

 the Nations, and noted merchant clippers are 

 constructed in the yards of the east coast. 



As in England, the textile industry shows a 

 slight decline, but it is still one of the. chief 

 manufacturing industries. Scotch yarns and 

 * woolens, including tartans, plaids and shawls, 

 especially those manufactured in the district 

 of the Tweed, are famous for their excellence. 

 Linens and cottons are also extensively manu- 

 factured, the latter especially in the vicinity of 

 Glasgow, and lace weaving and the manufac- 

 ture of silk are increasing in importance. 



Glasgow is also the center of the large iron 

 and steel industry. Scotland produces about 

 one-seventh of. the pig iron of the United King- 

 dom. Whisky distilleries are widely scattered 

 throughout the country. As a publishing cen- 

 ter, Edinburgh has been famous since the six- 

 teenth century. Glasgow has important chem- 

 ical industries, and the manufacture of paper, 

 glass, gloves and hosiery is also carried on. 



Transportation and Commerce. There are 

 over 3,800 miles of steam railroad in Scotland, 

 and there is a complete tramway system con- 

 necting the important industrial centers of the 

 Lowlands. The improvement of Scottish high- 

 ways has been regulated by law since the twelfth 

 century, and the roads are ktept in repair by 

 annual government grants. There has been 

 much improvement in water transportation. 

 The Caledonian Canal, between Moray Firth 

 and Loch Linnhe, extends navigation across 

 the country in the north-central section, and 

 the Forth and Clyde Canal opens a waterway 

 from sea to sea, passing Glasgow. The Union 



