AGRICULTURE IN SCOTLAND — 1791-1796. 8/ 



The Society consisted mainly of landed proprietors, and 

 included the Earl of Erroll, Lord Saltoun, Captain Robert 

 Duff of Logic, W, Shand of Craigellie, Alexander Ogilvie, 

 James Ferguson of Pitfour, James Cumine, William 

 Urquhart of Craigston, Wm. Gordon, Thomas Russel of 

 Kininmonth, Lewis Gordon, Robert Arbuthnot of Haddo, 

 Alex, Fraser of Mormond. The Society offered premiums 

 for winter turnips, grasses, flax, fallows, and improvements 

 in implements. The earliest premiums for turnips were 

 awarded in 1770, the first prize (;^5) being assigned to 

 Patrick Hagart, in Nethermill of Cruden, factor for Lord 

 Erroll ; the second (£^) to James Bruce, in Inverquhomrie ; 

 and the third (^3) to Mrs Wildgoose, at Bridgend of Auch- 

 lee. We have no evidence of the date when the Society 

 came to a close, but the minutes show that there was diffi- 

 culty in collecting the annual subscriptions, and probably 

 the Society expired of inanition, due to want of funds, not 

 long after the date at Avhich its operations cease to be re- 

 corded in the minute book. The members of a Farmer 

 Friendly Society, which had been founded at Deer, in 

 Buchan, in 1793 (which a MS. seems to connect with a 

 similar society beginning in 1760), established, in Septem- 

 ber 1794, a section for the promotion of agriculture. The 

 agricultural section has its proceedings recorded in sepa- 

 rate minute book, still extant, which, through the kindness 

 of Mr John Ferguson, Brae of Coynach, we have been per- 

 mitted to consult. The Society instituted discussions on 

 practical farming, gave prizes to servants for length of 

 service, and held ploughing matches. Prizes to farm ser- 

 vants were first awarded in December 1796. The first 

 ploughing match by the Society was held on 14th March 

 1797, on the farm of Quartalehouse. The first prizes for 

 live stock were awarded on nth June 1805, and were for 

 bulls. Four appeared, and the first prize went to Mr Noble, 

 Cartlehaugh, and the second to Mr Mackie, Coynach.* 



* The Friendly Society was wound up in 1832, but the Agricultural 

 Section, which had in 1828 assumed the name of the Buchan Agricultural 

 Association, continued its operations with much vigour, -w-hich it still (1879) 

 displays. 



