Sutherland Reclamation. 
473 
and 1 cwt. sulphate of ammonia. These are the best oats on 
the farm. Their appearance in August would have promised 
more than 5 quarters per acre if thev had been growing on old 
land further south ; but, allowing for the probable deficiency 
of yield out of the straw on this new land, it would be safer 
to estimate them at 4 quarters per acre. A part of the field on 
the south-eastern side is deep peat ; here the oats are inferior to 
those on the rest of the field ; such spots pull down the total 
yield per acre. 
English lime is brought by sea to Helmsdale or to Wick, and 
thence by rail to the Kinbrace station. By taking whole 
cargoes of it the cost at Kinbrace is only 6f/. per bushel ; a very 
moderate price, making it, when the quality is considered, much 
cheaper than the lime brought from Erriboll. There is, on the 
other hand, some difficulty in dealing with 200 or 300 tons at a 
time. The plan adopted is to cart it into heaps of 40 to 60 
tons and there slake it. When slaked, the lime is carted to the 
field and spread. 
No. 9 (40 a. 1 r. 8 p.). The turf over the greater part of this 
field was from 12 to 18 inches deep, but on the eastern side it was 
fully 24 inches. It was ploughed from north to south in May 
1877, partly with and partly without the stirrer; not being 
covered w ith the subsoil the turf became very dry ; it was 
" disced " three or four times over in August 1878 by the 14-horse 
engines ; but the result was not satisfactory, the surface in 
many places being left with many dry, loose, sponge-like pieces 
upon it. The succeeding severe winter improved the state of 
things, but more time is needed to bring the field into the 
condition that it would have had if it had been, in the first 
instance, either autumn-ploughed or covered with subsoil to 
protect it from the drying action of the summer sun. In 1877 
the wet part of the field was drained 4 rods apart ; intermediate 
drains were put in during 1878. 
No. 10 (76 a.). The character of this field varies con- 
siderably ; in the south-western corner the turf or moss is about 
two feet deep, but on the northern side of the stream there is a 
considerable area of peat, varying from 6 to 16 feet deep. 
A considerable expense has been incurred in draining this 
land by day-work, with parallel drains 4 rods apart ; and 
as an experiment a few of the deep drains, from 10 to 
12 feet deep, have been put 8 rods apart. In digging the 
deep drains large roots of Scotch fir are found about 4 feet 
beneath the surface ; after digging through about 6 feet 
more of peat, a distinct layer is found of heath and birch- 
wood, the seeds and small twigs being perfectly preserved in 
shape, although they must have been buried for hundreds of 
years. The upper ends of the drains towards the eastern end 
