1144 



STATISTICS OF AGRICULTURE. 



Part IV. 



^ 



814 



7059 WEST LOTHIAN or LINLITHGOWSHIRE. 71,580 acres of gently varied surface, without 

 hil^or mountains ; clayey soil, and rather cold and variable climate. The minerals are coal and lime in 

 abunL^erfreestone, whinstone, and some lead and iron, but the latter are not now worked. The coal 

 S BorfowstonS has been worked for upwards of five centuries. In an agricultural view, this county is 

 of no interest. {Trotter's General View, 1811.) 



Properly is in the hands of about forty proprietors. 

 Lord Stair is supposed to have introduced the culture 

 of clover, turnips, and cabbages, at Newliston, m this 

 county, as early as 1720 ; and also the Rotheram plough, 

 for which purpose he sent a mechanic to England, to 

 acquire the art of constructing them. A hay drag, of a 

 very simple but convenient construction is used in this 

 county. Plans of a more decent form of cottages (.fe. 814.) 

 are given, than are to be found in some reports. Each 

 cottage consists of two rooms (a, h) ; the one to be used 

 as a kitchen has a space tor two press or close beds (c), 

 and in the other room there is a space for one bed (d) ; in 

 each room is a cupboard (c), but no closet, which is a great 

 defect. 



The contrivance for making horses draw equally in 

 threshing machines ('2(53-2.), was invented in this county, 

 bv G. Henderson, of Bonhard. The culture pursued is the 

 E"ast Lothian husbandry on the clays, and the Berwick- 

 shire on the turnip soils. The chief commerce is from 

 the port of Borrowstonness, and there is scarcely any 

 manufactures, unless sjunning, knitting, and tambouring, 

 in private families may be named. 



ana ana 



n 



7060. CLACKMANNANSHIRE.' 30,720 acres, principally of carse land, on the north bank of the 

 river Forth ; but partly of hilly district, belonging to the Ochills. {Erskine's General View, 1795.) 



small proportion of stable dung; or the farmers spread it over 

 their cattle yards, and it forms most excellent manure. Thus, 

 what is a complete hindrance to improvement forty miles dis- 

 tant, is brought here by the river at no cost, and forms a most 

 valuable addition to the resources of the cultivator. Till 1760, 

 no wheat was grown in this county, though it appears by old 

 abbev rentals that wheat was paid as rent at Cambus Kenneth, 

 so early as 1147. Now wheat enters into almost every rotation. 



The carse lands are very fertile; but part of the hilly and 

 moory district of little or no value. The agriculture is similar 

 to that of Stirlingshire. After the invention of the threshing 

 machine, one of the first was erected at Kilbagie, by George 

 Meikle, in 1787; it is driven by water. A curious source of 

 manure is found in this county. The moss floated down from 

 Blair Dnimmond (4196.), accumulates in the bays, and is 

 mixed as deposited, by the sea weed driven on shore by the 

 tide. This moss and weed is taken out and fermented with a 



7061. KINROSS-SHIRE. 47,642acres, of varied surface, but generally low. There are extensive mosses 

 and muirs, and not much rich soil. Their agriculture is mixed, and of no great interest. ( Vre's General 

 View, 1795.) 



Lochleven occupies .'^.^08 acres ; three small streamlets 

 run into it, and the diff'erence between its highest and lowest 

 surface, at different seasons, is three feet. The trouts of this 

 lake in high esteem ; those of the river Leven larger, weigh- 

 ing five pounds and upwards. 



" Dr. Coventry, the learned Professor of Agriculture in the 

 University of Edinburgh, possesses an estate in this county. 



where he sets an example of knowledge, industry, and good 

 management, to all his neighbors." 



Adam, of Blair Adam, the son of the celebrated architect, 

 the most extensive improver in the county ; and draining, en- 

 closing, and especially by planting larches, and building com- 

 modious cottages. 



7062. FIFESHIRE. 322,560 acres, exhibiting almost every variety of surface and soil, from the moun- 

 tain to the plain, and from gravel to moss. The climate is generally mild, owing to the surrounding 

 waters ; and what adds to the value of the county, both for culture and for the formation of country-seats, 

 it is rather drier than that of other counties equally far north. The agriculture is mixed, and may be 

 said to excel both in the corn and cattle department. The reverend reporter displays more than the 

 usual share of adulatory phraseology for that " highly patriotic individual, Sir John Sinclair", our " gra- 

 cious Sovereign," the Board of Agriculture and the Government, " chalking out to the people a path by 

 which they may rise to opulence and consideration." {Thomson's General View, 1 0.) 



1. Geographical State and Circumstances. 



Coal, lime, and the usual rocks abound ; iron-stone and 

 lead and copper ore abound, but none worked. Nearer 

 Burntisland, upon the shore, and also in some other parts of the 

 county, there are quarries of hard stone, of a dark color, 

 with the peculiar property of resisting the force of fire. 

 It will endure for many years, without being wasted or broken, 

 though PTtposed to the most intense heat. On this account it 

 is used for the soles of ovens, and for the sides of chimney grates. 

 Common and fire bricks manufactured of an excellent quality. 

 (Thomson's General View, 1800.) 



2. Property. 



Estates moderate ; largest, 8000/. a year. 

 ' 3. Buildings. 



Few counties so richly studded with noblemen and gentle- 

 men's houses; about a hundred enumerated as deserving of 

 notice. Many magnificent buildings in ruins. Religious 

 houses, castles, and Falkland Palace. Farm-houses and cot- 



4. Occupation. 



Farms from 60 to 500 acres of arable lands, and some of 

 mountain pasture twice as large. Some of the largest and best 

 farmers are men who have emigrated from other counties to 

 this less improved district; but the greater number are sons 

 of local farmers, and not a few farms have been in the same 

 family for several generations. The reporter is an advocate 

 for corn-rents, a mode first revived in this county with the im- 

 provement of not taking the com, but payingin money, accord- 

 ing to the average prices. Leases for nineteen years; some 

 formerly for one or more repetitions of the period ; in general 

 the restrictions reasonable, for the managers of estates in this 

 county are generally resident factors, and not Edinburgh 

 lawyers. 



5. Implements. 



Ploughs with convex mould boards preferred for loose soils, 

 (>spt!cially when in a wet state ; thev free themselves more readily 

 of the earth, and make a neater furrow. An addition to the 



plough, called a ridder, ijig.?>\b a.) adopted in some places, 

 and found to clear away the stubble from the coulter. 



6. Grass. 



One-fifth of the county inaccessible to the plough, and m 

 store sheep and cattle pasture; some bog or coarse rushey 

 meadows on peat, and a few spots of good alluvial meadow. 



7. Gardens and Orchards. 



The remains of an orchard at Lindores, but none of modern 

 formation. Some market-gardens near the towns, but most 

 of the inhabitants have gardens of their own. Some good 

 nurseries. Sang, an eminent nursery-man, and manager of 

 gentlemen's plantations, a valuable man to the county has 

 introduced an excellent system of planting, pruning, and 

 draining. Some of the first private gardens in Scotland are in 

 this county, as that of Keith, Wemyss Castle, &c. 



8. Woods 



Not extensive, but young plantations very numerous and 

 well managed. More cellars and rare sorts of trees in this 

 county than in any other. 



