24 TIREY. GENERAL DESCRIPTION, 



of shells, and partly that of the regular and constant 

 moisture which it derives from its climate and exposure, 

 as well as from its flatness. It produces but little peat 

 for fuel, and this forms one of the greatest deductions 

 from its value ; the inhabitants being under the necessity 

 of bringing this important article from the opposite coast 

 of Mull. The regular state of moisture in the soil is eveiy 

 where indicated by the Iris pseudacorus, Polygonum 

 viviparum, and other aquatic plants, which are found 

 flourishing in every corn field; little concern being felt, 

 in the Highland system of farming, about the growth of 

 weeds. The natural pastures, which, from their position 

 and soil, are the driest, are surprisingly rich, and pro- 

 duce white clover in such abundance as nearly to exclude 

 the graminea; that plant being the invariable tenant of 

 all the calcareous soils of the Highlands. A remarkable 

 plain towards the centre of the island is known by the 

 name of the Reef, and comprises a space of 1250 Scottish 

 acres, (1562 English,) as flat as the sea, and scarcely 

 interrupted by a single eminence or even by a stone ; 

 offering a singular spectacle of richness and verdure. 

 This plain, from a dread of the effect of the winds should 

 the surface be once broken, is kept in a state of perpetual 

 pasture. In the want of wood, Tirey resembles many 

 of its neighbours, but is even more completely deficient 

 in this article than perhaps any one of them ; since, with 

 the exception of the Salix argentea of Smith, (the arenaria 

 of Lightfoot,) it may truly be said not to possess a ligneous 

 fibre. 



Tirey suffers but little from the sand inundations, except 

 towards its northern end. There is consequently but 

 little apparent change in the coast line, even on the western 

 side; where, if in any part, the changes from this cause 

 would occur; although, if we are to believe Martin, the 

 Reef was in his day subject to inundation from the sea. 



Although the want of shelter in the island may be 

 in many respects injurious to agriculture, yet it is 



