Scotland > 1837 - Pigot and Co.'s national commercial directory for the whole of Scotland and of the Isle of Man

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The natural forests, which formerly covered large tracts, have nearly all disappeared, with the
exception of the birch, and some oats, in different parts of the county; the remains of fir woods are
extensive, and the trunks of oaks of an immense size are still to be seen. Planting is prosecuted
with great spirit — large additions have been in progress for many years. The improvements effected
in farming, within the last forty years, have completely changed the aspect of the district of Easter
Ross ; and indeed this portion as well as other parts of the county may now compete, in the skilful
management of the land, with any other division in Scotland : to such perfection have the agricul-
turists of Ross-shire brought their system, that they now grow wheat to the amount of twenty
thousand quarters, and export grain in quantities of full ten thousand quarters. The mineralogy of
the shire is interesting to the geologist, but of little value in a directly useful point of view :
limestone occurs in several localities on the west coast, but there is a general destitution of coal
throughout the county. The salmon fishery is carried on to a considerable extent in the different
rivers and estuaries, and that for herrings is pursued with great success on the east coast.
Rivers and lakes. — The principal rivers on the east side of the county are the Conan, which
flows into the Cromarty firth, and the Oikel and the Carron, which pass into the Dornoch firth;
the largest stream on the west coast is the Ewe, which has a short course from Loch Maree. The
Conan and its principal branch, the Raney (or Blackwater), form some falls of considerable height
and beauty. The indentations of the sea, or salt-water lakes, on the west coast, proceeding from
north to south, are Loch Enard, Loch Broom, Loch Greinord, Loch Ewe, Gair-Loch, Loch Torridon,
Loch Keeshorn, Loch Carron, and Loch Alsh, with (its inner southerly arm) Loch Duich. The
county likewise possesses a great number of lakes of fresh water in the interior ; but none of them,
save Loch Maree, near the west coast, are of sufficient magnitude or beauty to excite interest.
Ross-shire comprehends thirty complete parishes, and three parts of parishes ; it has three Royal
Burghs, namely, Dingwall, Tain and Fortrose ; the two former, with the town of Cromarty, join
with Kirkwall, Wick and Dornoch in returning a member to parliament, and the shires of Ross and
Cromarty unite in sending another to the imperial legislature. The burgh of Fortrose is associated
with Inverness, Nairn and Forres in parliamentary reiiresentation.
CROMARTYSHIRE.
This county is so amalgamated with and intersected by Ross-shire, that, as is observed by respec-
table authorities, * there can hardly be a literary separation of the two, as there should certainly not
be a political.' The greater part of it lies in the ' Black Isle,' or that peninsula which is bounded by
the Frith of Cromarty on the north and the Moray Frith on the south and east. The length of the
district is about sixteen miles, and its average breadth between six and seven ; it is computed that
the superficies of land in the county amounts altogether to about three hundred and forty square
miles. Cromarty is mentioned, in the fifth parliament of James V, in the year 1537, as a separate
county ; and the same distinction is observed in subsequent legislative acts that apply to the statistical
divisions of the covmtry; yet it has still been included in the shrievalty of Ross; and at this time
the sheriff-substitute holds a monthly court at Cromarty (the only town in the shire), from which the
county has received its distinctive recognized title.
Soil, climate, produce, &c. — Originally, and at not a distant period, the greater part of this
district presented a moorish unprofitable surface ; but in recent times agricultural improvements,
extensively pursued with persevering industry and skill, have materially changed its features: the
soil has been rendered generally productive — planting has been introduced, and is gradually progressing.
The climate is drier, the air more genial, than in the further northern and more western Highland
tracts; the culture of the land has contributed to the amelioration of the temperature of Cromarty-
shire, and its crops are in most seasons earlier than in many of the adjacent districts. Its mineral
treasure is but scanty — freestone and granite comprise the only descriptions worthy of notice. The
fisheries on the coast are the most productive sources of the public profit and prosperity,
00———
POPULATION OF THE SHIRES OF ROSS AND CROMARTY,
IN THEYEARS 1801,181), 1821, AND 1831, EXHIBITING THE INCREASE OR DECREASE IN THIRTY YEARS.
The Italic letters, h. p. and t. respectively signify Burgh Parish, and Town ; (in C.) implies that a part
of the parish is situate in Cromartyshire — dec. means Decrease.
Alne-is p,
Applecross p.
Avoch p.
Bnrvos p.
CoDtin p,
Cromarty t- k P-
Dingwall b. ^- p.
Edderton p.
Fearn D,
Fodderty Cin C.J p.
Geirloch p.
Glenshiel p.
Killiernan p.
Kilrauir, Easter /^m C.J. .p.
Kiltearii p.
Kincardine {^aj p.
Kintail p.
1801.
1811.
1821.
1831.
30 Years
1072
1038
1270
1437
365
1896
2297
2793
2892
996
1476
1560
1821
1956
480
2233
2165
256S
3011
778
1944
1844
1930
2023
79
2208
24J3
2649
2901
693
1418
1500
2031
2124
706
899
846
915
1023
124
1528
1508
1654
1695
167
1789
1900
1952
2232
443
1437
2755
4518
4445
3008
710
728
768
715
5
1131
1390
1.371
1479
348
J703
1559
1.38 1
1551
dec 152
1325
1552
1454
1605
80
I860
1666
1811
1887
22
1038
1058
1027
1240
202
'OPULA
TION
F THE
Shire
5 OP Ro
Knockbain p.
Locbalsh p.
Lochbroom Cin C.J p.
Locbcarron p.
Lochs p.
Loggie, Easter p
Nigg p-
Resolis CbJ p.
Rosemarkie p.
Rosskeen p.
Stornaway t.&f p.
Tain b. Sf p.
Tarbat p.
Uig p-
Urquhart fcj p.
Urray ^dj p.
Increase
1801.
1811.
1821.
1831.
30 Yean.
1859
1766
1973
2139
280
1606
2034
2492
2433
827
3533
3754
4540
4615
1082
1178
1485
1932
2)36
958
1875
1927
266£
3067
1192
1031
928
813
934
dec. 97
1443
1349
1436
1404
dec. 39
1166
1201
1470
1289
1312
1571
1799
sio
2074
2390
2581
2916
842
2974
a500
4119
5422
2488
2277
2384
2861
3078
801
1343
1379
1625
1809
466
2086
2500
2875
3041
955
2820
2664
1496
159)
dc)229
2083
2534
273)
2750
667
5-5343
60853
68828
74820
18007
Note. — CaJ Kincardine porisA is partly in Inverness-sbire, but the whole is entered here.
CbJ No returns mere made for Resolis parisfe in 1801 : the population must therefore be deducted from, the column for 1831.
CcJ Vrqubart parish is partly in Nairnshire i the entire contains 2,86iinhabitants.
Cd) A small portion of Vrry parish is in Inverness-shire ; the whole parish contains 2,768 inhabitants.
The total annual value of Real Property in these counties, as assessed in April, 1815, amounted to £121,537.
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