450 
Sutherland Reclamation. 
at the shepherds' houses. Mr. John Kellie, of Achinduich, is also 
to some extent a dissentient, remarking, " it is considered poorer, 
but this may be attributed to the class of cows now kept by 
shepherds, and to the fact that all green patches are well, indeed 
too well, eaten down by sheep ; 25 or 50 years ago, sheep were 
kept Avell out from the shepherd's house and consequently the 
cows had richer feed." 
We have here direct evidence given bv fullv one-fourth of 
the number of the Sutherland sheep-farmers of the serious de- 
terioration of the herbasre of the countv within the last 50 
years. As regards the green-land the evidence is very strong 
and quite unanimous. Differences in the heath-land are, from 
its character, more difficult to note : the sheep have spread over 
it in their droppings some portion of the fertility stolen from 
the green-land, and the beneficial results of surface-draining 
have for a time to some extent counterbalanced that steady 
deterioration that has slowly but surely been going on. 
A return was requested from each farm of the number of 
sheep that had been respectively kept at home, and sent to be 
wintered away each jear. 
A second return was requested of all the losses each year in 
the 12 months preceding shearing-time. It was thought that 
a comparison of the total number of sheep on the farm each 
autumn with the number reported the next summer as lost, might 
show whether or not the percentage of loss is increasing or not 
upon the farms, and would materially aid in showing the real 
amount of deterioration in the land. Unfortunately there is 
a great objection to giving such returns. The rent of each 
farm is based upon an estimate of the number of sheep it 
will carry, and an exact statement of the sheep that have been 
kept upon it would be almost equivalent to a statement by the 
tenant of the extreme value of his farm. Under these circum- 
stances, my thanks are especially due to the one gentleman 
who has, with much public spirit and at considerable personal 
trouble, furnished me with a very valuable set of tables extending 
over 20 years. 
ISIr. Sidney Had win has occupied the sheep-farm of Killearnan 
in Kildonan for 28 years, and has given a return from the annual 
accounts kept by his head-shepherd during the whole of that 
time ; for the first eight years, however, the return of losses was 
not very accurately kept ; the figures given are much lower than 
those of subsequent years, but, as they cannot be fully relied 
upon, it has been thought best to omit them and only give 
the 20 years that are quite correct. Mr. Hadwin rents of the 
Duke the arable farm of West Garty, near to Helmsdale and 
to his sheep-farm. Unlike most of his neighbours, he was able 
