92 HIGHLAND AND ACxRICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



the mountains. The implements were very imperfect, 'and, 

 with very few exceptions, were fabricated by the tenants 

 themselves.' It is unnecessary, he says, to describe the 

 clumsy awkwardness of the plough, in the construction of 

 which comparatively very little iron was employed. The 

 carts had wheels about two feet in diameter ; and the 

 kellach sledge, a conical basket frame of twigs, was still 

 commonly used, and, ' as its name imports, was sometimes 

 drawn without wheels of any kind.' While this was the 

 case on a great number of the farms, yet, on the farms of 

 proprietors, and on the large farms, the implements were 

 those constructed on the best principles known at the time. 

 Wages for farm labourers were at the same rate as those 

 prevalent in Morayshire. With regard to roads, the mili- 

 tary road from Strathspey to Fort George, having been 

 recently constructed, was in excellent condition. The 

 other roads were made and repaired under the authority of 

 the Act 1669, and of them, says Mr Donaldson, ' it is 

 unnecessary to observe that they merit no commendation.' 

 The ploughs were chiefly drawn by oxen, and Mr Donald- 

 son mentions that, when the seed season was over, towards 

 the end of June, they were boarded for about three months 

 at the rate of is. 3d. to is. 6d. a week each in the glens and 

 mountains of the Highlands. ' The breed remained un- 

 mixed, crossed neither with the Lancashire nor Dutch, and 

 they exhibited, when in flesh, a more handsome figure than 

 the herds of the county of Moray.' The horses, which were 

 reared by the most attentive farmers, sold at from ^7 to ;^ 10 

 stg. Sheep were, almost without exception, of the small 

 white-faced kind, which appeared to be the original breed 

 of the county. 



Sir John Sinclair himself furnished reports on the 

 Agriculture of Cromarty, Ross, Sutherland, Caithness, 

 Orkney, and Shetland, and the reports are published in 

 one volume, under date 1795. In speaking of CROMARTY, 

 along with which he also considers the Black Isle, he says 

 the average rent was i6s. an acre. The proprietors and 

 the principal tenants followed a regular rotation ; but the 



