124 AYRSHIRE. 



Ayrshire is probably the most densely-wooded 

 county in Scotland, although most of the wood- 

 land was planted towards the close of the last 

 century and beginning of this. The growth is chiefly 

 of larch and Scotch fir, but generally having hardwood 

 trees intermixed, beech, ash, and elm predomin- 

 ating. 2 More than one half of the country may be 

 classed as unimproved, being occupied by hills, 

 moors, mosses, and lochs. 3 



Historically and statistically the county is divided 

 into three districts, from north to south. Cunning- 

 ham comprehends the whole of the county north of 

 the Irvine. It is much the most populous, and a 

 larger proportion of its surface is cultivatable than of 

 the other two, and it is the most fertile ; its whole 

 area is about 185,000 acres, of which it is estimated 

 about fifty-seven per cent is under cultivation. The 

 land rises from the sea-border by easy declivities, 

 and terminates in the pastoral and moorland county 

 of the eastern boundaries. Kyle occupies the cen- 

 tral portion of the county ; its boundaries are the 

 waters of the Irvine and the Doon. Its area is about 

 270,000 acres, of which about forty per cent are 

 under cultivation. It is less fertile than the Vale of 

 Cunningham, and more hilly. Carnck, or the rug- 

 ged, extends from the Doon Water to the southern 

 boundary. This division is generally hilly, with a 

 few fertile and productive valleys. Of its estimated 

 area of 280,000 acres, but thirty-four per cent are 



2 Archibald Sturrock, Pr. Essays High. Soc. 4th ser. i, 24. 



3 Archibald Sturrock, op. cit. p. 21. 



