cbap.XVl. THE COUNTY OF FIFE. 339! 



sufficiently fair and liberal on the part of the 

 landlord. 



', The injudicious position of corn-mills 

 has been found, in different parts of the county, 

 to have the effect of preventing the improve- 

 ment of some extensive tracts of excellent ground. 

 The dam-dikes raised to keep in the water, and 

 to conduct it to the mills, is frequently the cause 

 of flooding the adjacent fields, and keeping them 

 in a comparatively waste and unproductive state. 

 An instance of this I had occasion to see about 

 two years ago, in the western part of the coun- 

 ty. But, as I understand the affair is now set- 

 tled between the contiguous proprietors, and the 

 nuisance removed, I shall take no farther notice 

 of it. 



A similar case occurs in the parish of Kil- 

 many, on the north side of the county. There a 

 large tract of very rich and valuable ground, to the 

 extent, I am informed, of between 300 and 400 

 acres, is mostly flooded by the water employed 

 in turning three corn-mills, and the greatest part 

 of it thereby rendered entirely unfit for tillage. 

 Crops have been attempted on some of the driest 

 spots : but, except in very favourable seasons, 

 they have proved very precarious ; and in rainy 

 seasons have 1 been entirely lost. Were these 

 mills removed, the whole could be so effec- 

 tually dried, as to be cultivated and cropped, 

 without risk even in wet seasons. The sup- 

 pression of the mills could be no public disad- 

 vantage. There are other mills in the neigh- 

 bourhood, so situated as to occasion no damage, 

 and at the same time sufficient to manage all the 

 additional work, which the want of the milh in 



