462 
Sutherland Reclamation. 
horse, and one of eight-horse power, were hired in 1877 ; in 
1878, a fourth, and more powerful set, of sixteen-horse power, 
was added to the others, and the hire of them up to September 
1878 amounted to 1334/., while the coal consumed, in addition 
to peat, from April 1877 to September 1878, was 806 tons. 
A certain quantity of this coal was consumed for domestic pur- 
poses in the manager's house. The number of hands employed 
upon the ground has varied from time to time, but the average 
for the whole time has been 115. Ten horses and twelve oxen 
are constantly' employed, and are lodged in rough temporary 
stables. No permanent farm-buildings are to be erected until 
the reclamations have been effected, and some experience has 
been obtained of the description of farm-management best suited 
to the land. A smithy has been put up, as well as several small 
houses and huts for the accommodation of the workmen. Ten 
small wooden houses were bought for 5Z. 5s. each ; and as most 
of the others are of a similar character, it will be seen that no 
extravagant expense has been incurred in building ; indeed the 
total outlay under this head up to the 31st of July, 1879, was 
only 939Z. 125. 2d. for buildings belonging to difterent farms, 
and loOOZ. for portable buildings forming part of the reclama- 
tion plant, but not intended for permanent use on any of the 
farms. An iron three-roomed house, lent by the Duke, is not 
included in this outlay. It was occupied by Mr. A. Keir, who 
was resident-manager of the works at Acliintoul and Bannock- 
burn in 1878. A night or two in the iron house has given me 
pleasant opportunities, when the day's work was done, of hearing 
from Mr. Keir his experiences of these and of other reclamations 
in which he has borne a part. 
A separate pay-sheet is kept on each farm, and in this the 
weekly wage paid to each man is divided and entered under 
the eight following heads or sections : — 
1. Draining. 5. Building. 
2. Trenching. 6. Liming. 
3. Clearing. 7. Roads. 
4. Fencing. \ 8. Farming. 
Every month an abstract is made of the total expenditure 
upon each of the five farms, and is sent in to the Duke. 
As a specimen, I may take the return for the month of 
June 1878. (See p. 463.) 
Mr. Greig's report, in which he submitted a scheme of re- 
clamation, is dated the 12th of April, 1877. No sooner was it 
approved than the work was commenced. The first pair ol 
engines arrived before the end of the month, and were at once 
put to work at Achintoul, the No. II. farm. It would have been 
iinpossible on many moors to have thus commenced without 
