Book 1. 



AGRICULTURE OF PERTHSHIRE. 



1189 



have been, or are, Lord Kaimes, the Duke of Athol, and Lord Breadalbane. 

 Fiew, 1813.) 



{Dr. Eoberison's Genera. 



1. Property- 



Estates are of all sizes, but the greater number large. The 

 manai^ement of the great estates was uniformly committed in 

 former times to the factor or chamberlain ; but agriculture 

 has become so much the amusement of the country gentlemen, 

 since the middle of the last century, that many of the proprie- 

 tors, besides the general superintendence of their estates, have 

 a farm in thwr own possession, which they manage by an over- 

 seer. Many of our improvements in agriculture are suggested 

 by the gentlemen of the army, in consequence of their remarks 

 on the practice of other countries. The gentlemen of the law, 

 during the recess Of their courts of judicature, turn much of 

 their attention to the cultivation of their estates ; and their 

 habits of application to the former study, quickens their ardour, 

 and ensures their success in pursuit of the latter. 



If the property be extensiv,-, besides an overseer on the land- 

 lord's farm, there is generally a factor or steward, and some- 

 times two or more are appointed to manage the more distant 

 parts of the estate. In these cases, unless the landlord have a 

 turn for business, he is apt to lose sight of the detail of his own 

 affairs ; and if he be indolent, he has a good apology for neg- 

 lecting his interest, because lie pays another person for taking 

 that charge otFhis hand. The prosperity of the estate, and the 

 comfort of the tenants, depend in these cases very much on the 

 disposition of the factor. 



The boundaries of estates are marked according to the na- 

 ture of the country. In the valleys of the highlands, different 

 properties are separated either by substantial stone-walls with- 

 out mortar (provincially dry stone dykes), or by a river, or a 

 brook, or a range of rocks, or some other natural limit. The 

 lower hills too are sometimes bisected by these walls; but 

 more generally by bounding stones, fixed in the ground, and 

 set up singly ; in other instances, if the stones be small, they 

 are piled in heaps. The higher mountams are frequently 

 divided in a similar manner, especially when different pro- 

 jjrietors occupy the same side ; but when they occupy different 

 sides of the same ridge or general line of mountain, as com- 

 monly happens between parallel glens, their properties are 

 determined as wind and water divides, which means the line 

 of partition on the top of the mountain between the windward 

 and lee-side, or as it is still more nicely marked by the tendency 

 of rain water, after it falls upon the ^ound. 



had recourse to wadsetts, or feued off a part of his property at 

 a quit-rent, which was greater or less, according to the amount 

 of the premium that was paid in hand. The wadsetts are paid 

 up ; but the feus, being irredeemable, remain. 



2. Occupation. 



Arable farms from 30 to 500 acres. Farms in the moun- 

 tains large, and their extent generally defined by miles. Leases 

 seldom shorter than nineteen years' endurance. Kent, in a 

 few instances, partly in money and pjirtly in the money value 

 of corn, on an average of two or three by-gone years, accord- 

 ing to the modem system. The culture requires scarcely any 

 remark, since there are only two kinds of aration in Scotland, 

 that of the clay soils of East Lothian, in which a fallow and 

 alternate com and green crops are introduced ; and that of 

 Berwickshire, which substitutes turnips for fallow, and alloivs 

 from two to five years of pasture, according as the soil is 

 weaker or stronger as resting crops. A fiill account of the clay- 

 land culture has been given by Donaldson. In the mountain- 

 ous region, cattle chiefly, and sheep to a certain extent, are 

 bred and sold for feeding in the low arable districts, and sent to 

 the south of Scotland and England. 



3. Gardens and Orchards. 



In the Carse of Gowrie, a number (perhaps thirty) of orchards 

 of apples and pears, the fruit of which is sold to the neighbour- 

 ing towns. A few other parts of the county adapted to open 

 orchards, as the banks of the Tay, Earn, &c. In the vallevs of 

 the highlands, geans and cherries abound. The trees thrive 

 well, live long, and carry fruit of the finest flavour and most 

 savoury taste; The cream-coloured cherry of Ardvorlich, and 

 the black gean of Castlemenzies, are highly esteemed in re- 

 spect of beauty and relish. 



4. Woods and Plantations. 



The Highlands of Scotland formerly covered with wood, as 

 the trunks of oaks and firs in the mosses, from that of Moss- 

 Hunders, near Stirling, to the bogs of Sutherland and Caith- 

 ness decidedly prove. Planting did not become general in 

 Perthshire till after the middle of the eighteenth century. 

 The county is now distinguished by its extensive tracts of larch , 

 common pine, and other trees, and by the enclosure of oak, 

 birch, and hazel ; copses and woods formerly left ojien to the 

 browsing of deer and cattle. Different accounts have been given 

 of the introduction of the larch into this county. Dr. Robert- 

 son states it as " said to be brought to Athol, from Camiola, by 

 oneofthe Dukes of Athol." Accoriling to others, the first plants 

 were obtained from a nursery at Edinburgh, and planted at 

 Dunkeld in 1741, having been previously introduced into Scot- 

 land, by Lord Kaimes, in 1754. {Encydopxdia ofGard. 2d edit. 

 7053.) Some of the first planted larches in the low grounds, 

 near Dunkeld, have grown to the height of 120 feet in fifty 

 years, which gives an average of two feet four inches and a 

 quarter a year. It is stated by the Duke of Athol, in a commu- 

 nication to the Horticultural Society, made in June, 1820, 

 that on mountainous tracts, at an elevation of 1,500 or 1600 

 feet, the larch, at eighty years of age, has arrived at a size to 

 produce six loads (300 cubic feet) of timl er, appearing in dura- 

 bility and every other quality to he likely to answer every 

 purpose, both by sea and land. {Hort. Trans, iv. 416.) 



" The largest larches in Perthshire, or perhaps in several 



circumference. There are larches of a great size at Blair 

 Drummond, Gleneagles, Rossie, and many other places in 

 Perthshire. Posts of larch, which had been put into a moist 

 soil about fifteen years a^o, seemed still to be rresh and strong. 

 It is onlv of late that this tree has been generally planted, and 

 its excellence known in this country. It is the most rapid in 



Its growth of any tree we have, an^ the most valuable species of 

 the pine, it is closer in the pores, has fewer knots, and the 

 wood is more durable than the common pine, and withal it in- 

 creases double the number of cubical feet, in any given time; 

 which is a singular property. It may vie in growth and profit 

 with the Huntington willow, which has been said to buy the 

 horse, before any other tree could buy the saddle." 



There is a natural^r rvooil on the south side of Loch Rannoch 

 which covers 2566 acres. One formerly existed on the Breadal- 

 bane estate, but there are now only a few gleanings. 



There are more nak moods, and of greater value, in this 

 county than in all the rest of Scotland. The counties of Dun- 

 barton, Argyle, and Stirling, come next to that of Perth. The 

 of oak ii 



copse < 



is cut once in twenty-four or twenty -six years. A 



best figure are left at proper distances, irom one cutting to 

 another, and sometimes for three or four cuttings. The 

 straightest are generally spared, without attending to this 

 circumstance, that crooked oak is more eagerly sought after 

 by ship-builders, and brings a higher price, than oak which 

 is straight. Yet as coppice wood is the object, straight trees 

 injure it least. Scotch oak has been found in general too close 

 in the grain to bend into planks for the sides of ships, and even 

 for the same reason it is found to snap when used as ribs to a 

 ship : its closeness in the grain is the eflfect of slow growth, 

 owing to frequent checks by early and late frosts. 



Before agiiculturid improvements were so well understood 

 as they are of late, or occupied so much of the attention of all 

 ranks in this country,many moorish tracts of lands were deemed 

 incapable of cultivation, or of making a return in any other 

 way equal to their being planted. Proprietors, even in the 

 Carse of Gowrie, and in the Stormont, being actuated by 

 this principle, about thirty years ago, planted the waste 

 lands of their estates with Scotch firs. They have now found 

 that this soil, by being wrought, will make good arable land, 

 and will be more profitably employed in tillage. Some thou- 

 sands of acres have accordingly been cleared ; the plantations 

 rooted up; and the soil subjected to the plough, which now 

 lets at a progressive rent, in some cases amounting already to 

 twenty shillings the acre. Betwixt Cupar, Angus, and Perth, 

 a tract of thirteen miles, the plantations on two thousand acres, 

 upon both sides of the public road, have been grubbed up ; 

 and the operation is still going on, both there and in other 

 places. So powerful is the principle of imitation, that we all 

 go frequently one way until we have gone too far. All men 

 can imitate example, but all men cannot reason so far as to 

 form a principle of action to themselves. In a certain degree 

 this operation is salutary; but if carried to excess, it will leave 

 the face of the country naked ; and, perhaps, in all cases, the 

 cost is not counted, nor the balance fairly stated between the 

 plantation and the produce arising from some poor soils by an 

 arable system ; yet it must be admitted, that no trees are equal 

 in value to com and grass, either to the landlord or the public, 

 where the cultivation of these can be prosecuted with success. 



5. Wastes. 



The mosses and moors of this county are very extensive, and 

 great and successful efforts have been made for their improve- 

 ment. The most remarkable is that of Kincardine moss, 

 commenced by the late Lord Kaimes, and already described. 

 (21S3.) Draining, paring and burning, irrigating, embanking, 

 and all the different modes of improving land, have been prac- 

 tised ; and some, as draining and burning, to a very consider- 

 able extent. 



6. Live Stock. 



Breeds of cattle very various ; none peculiar to the county; 

 Angus, Fife, and Argyle herds common among the farmers. 

 English, Ayrshire, and most of the approved breeds of the 

 south tried by the proprietors. Breeding is the chief object, 

 and next the butter dairy. 



Sheep. The ancient breed of sheep in this county were the 

 white-faced. They were few in number, compared to the flocks 

 at present ; and in the highlands were housed in cots every 

 night in winter zmd spring. About forty years ago, the black- 

 faced or mountain breed was introduced from the south, and 

 bought in, either when lambs, or at a year old. Their numbers 

 have increased beyond all expectation, since that time, over the 

 whole highlands of Scotland. In gentlemen's enclosures we 

 see difTerent kinds, according to their fancy, or the superior 

 profit expected from one kind more than others- 



Horses. The original breed were ponies, twelve to thirteen 

 hands high, and too light for two-horse ploughs. Four of 

 them were ustd abreast, as is still the ceise in some remote 

 places. In the Carse of Gowrie and other lowland districts 

 oxen were employed to draw the plough, till about 1779 ; and 

 the horses were only employed to harrow in the seed, to carry 

 out the dung, and bring home the corn to the stack-yard. 

 When oxen were discharged from the plough, it became neces- 

 sary to purchase larger horses than were then bred in the county ; 

 and the markets of (tlasgow, Falkirk, Stirling, and Perth were 

 resorted to for that purpose ; which practice still continues. 



At present some Northumberlana stallions have been pro- 

 cured by proprietors, and lent to their tenants in order to raise 

 an improved breed. 



Stviiie. The prejudice against swine's flesh was such, that, 

 not many years ago, no highlander would touch it ; that is now 

 fast wearing off', and the culture of swine extending. 



There is a rahbit warren at Dunkeld, and red deer and roes 

 in one or two places. There are also three or more kinds of 

 fallow deer in the county. 



Bees much attended to, and found profitable. Paterson of 

 Castle Huntley sows mignonette for his bees, which gives the 

 honey a most delicate flavour. Rosemary does the same. The 

 honey of beans is pale ; the honey of heath brown. Their fla-. 

 vour is also different. 



7. Political Economy. 



Roads wretched before 1745 : still only bridle roads In many 

 places of the interior. No canals ; salmon fishery to a great 

 extent on the Tay. Linen manufacture, bleaching, and va- 

 rious other manufactures and public woiks. "The principal 

 salmon fishery is rented by Richardson from diffisrent proprie- 

 tors, and for the sum of 7000/. a year. There are fiv* etben, 

 which produce from 100 to 200/. a jear. 



4 G 3 



