Changes in 



System 

 and Special 

 Industries. 



110 



parts of this district. Thirty years ago there were very few 

 dairies employed in the milk trade in Upper Strathearn, 

 whereas now between 20 and 30 farmers send milk into Crieff, 

 Courrie, and Perth every day from this district." Mr. Hutche- 

 son writes : " In some districts in Perthshire, notably Blair- 

 gowrie, market gardening, especially fruit growing, has 

 largely extended." 



SELKIRK. Mr. Elliot states that several cases of fruit farm- 

 ing, vegetable growing, and poultry rearing have been tried 

 in the county, and have been given up. The only industry 

 that has helped in any degree is dairying, which has increased 

 of late years. 



DIVISION VII. 



Comities of Argyll, Ayr, Bute, Caithness, Dumbarton, Dumfries, 

 Inverness, Kirkcudbright, Lanark, Orkney, Renfrew, Ross 

 and Cromarty, Shetland, Stirling, Sutherland and Wigtown. 



ARGYLL. Mr. Hunter writes : " There has been very little 

 change in the system of farming during the last 20 years, 

 except in more land being put under grass. ]N"o particular 

 agricultural industries have been started here, distance from 

 markets being very much against the likelihood of their being- 

 made profitable." Mr. Campbell writes : " There is no open- 

 ing, with our climate, for small industries such as vegetable or 

 fruit culture. Poultry, except as an adjunct, is in no way 

 profitable. Our only return is in raising store sheep and cattle, 

 with summer dairying near tourist resorts or shooting lodges." 



AYR. Mr. Hannah states that potato growing for the early 

 market has increased very much during the last 20 years, and 

 this has tended to make the demand for labour greater during 

 March, May, June, July, and August and less during the rest 

 of the year. 



CAITHNESS. Mr. Miller states that the alteration of the rota- 

 tion of crops from a six-course with three corn crops to a five- 

 course with only two corn craps, and then to a six-course with 

 three grasses, is resulting in increased production of crops at 

 less cost, and has decreased the number of labourers required, 

 especially ploughmen and shepherds ; at the same time the 

 permanent pasture is receiving more attention in the way of 

 manuring. 



DUMFRIES. Mr. Moffat writes : " I would put this question 

 the other way. The system of farming has had to be altered 

 for want of sufficient labour." 



KIRKCUDBRIGHT. There has been nothing to check the 

 decrease in the rural population, except, perhaps, the increase 

 of dairy farming, for which regular labour is a necessity. 



