GROUSE MOORS AND DEER FORESTS. 255 



within the last few years. Improved communication with our 

 colonies, and improved modes of conveying both live and 

 dead meat and wool to the English markets, have greatly 

 reduced the profits on sheep-farming ; while the introduction, 

 already alluded to, of the more delicate breed of Cheviot 

 sheep by the South-country graziers, to replace the old hardy 

 black-faced stock, has considerably increased the cost of pro- 

 duction in many parts of the Highlands. Take, for instance, 

 what are called the wedder farms, that is to say, land too 

 high and rugged for breeding ewes, and there is a vast 

 quantity of such land in many parts of the country, especially 

 in the wild districts of Rosshire and Sutherland, or on the 

 Grampian range. The stock on these farms consists of 

 wedder lambs, put on the ground in August, and sold when 

 three and a half years old. Some ten or twelve years ago 

 the number of trains on the Skye railway, laden with sheep 

 going in the early winter to the low country, was utterly 

 astounding to a stranger ; but the expenses connected with 

 rearing and wintering this wedder stock have so increased 

 of late, while the price of wool has fallen, that wedder farms 

 are no longer profitable, and the South-country graziers have 

 for the most part left Rosshire and Inverness, and even in 

 the comparatively mild districts of Sutherland but few are 

 now left. The results are serious in many ways. There are 

 but three elements of value in Highland property, strictly 

 so-called, viz. sheep-farm rents, sporting rents, and crofter 

 rents. If economic conditions destroy the first, as has already 

 happened in many of the districts, it is clear that, unless the 

 sporting rents can be maintained, the whole burden of local 

 rates and taxes must be borne by the crofters, and from 

 what source the money for these purposes is to be obtained 

 by men without capital, without experience or special skill, 

 where those who command all these requisites have failed, 

 it is hard to see. Even though the land were given rent free 

 to the crofters, the rates and taxes necessary to maintain 

 roads, police, schools, minister's stipend, etc., would far exceed 



