Ordnance gazetteer of Scotland

ABERDEENSHIRE
AEERDEENSHIRE
tains of Braemar. Agates, of a fine polish and beautiful
variety, have been got on the shore near Peterhead.
Asbestos, talc, syenite, and mica also have been found.
Mineral springs of celebrated character are at Peterhead
and Pannanich.
The surface of the mountains for the most part is
either bare rock or such thin poor soil as admits of
little or no profitable improvement even for the purposes
of hill pasture ; that of the moorlands and the mosses
comprises many tracts which might be thoroughly
reclaimed, and not a few which have, in recent times,
been greatly improved ; and that of the lowland dis-
tricts has a very various soil, — most of it naturally
poor or churlish, a great deal now transmuted by judi-
cious cultivation into fine fertile mould, and some
naturally good diluvium or rich alluvium, now in very
productive arable condition. Spongy humus and coarse
stiff clays are common in the higher districts ; and
light sands and finer clays prevail in the valleys and
on the seaboard. So great an area as nearly 200,000
acres in Braemar and Crathie is incapable of tillage.
Only about 5000 acres in Strathdon parish, containing
47,737 acres, are arable. Nearly 16,000 acres, in a tract
of about 40,000 acres between the Dee and the Don,
midway between the sources and the mouths of these
rivers, are under the plough. The principal arable
lands lie between the Don and the Ythan, in Formartine
and Garioch, in Strathbogie, and between the Ugie and
the sea. Much improvement arose early from the im-
pulse given by the Highland and Agricultural Society
of Scotland ; and has been vigorously carried forward
under impulse of the Garioch Farmer Club (instituted
1808), the Buchan Agricultural Society (1829), the For-
martine Agricultural Association (1829), the Vale of
Alford Agricultural Association (1831), the Ythanside
Farmer Club (1841), the Royal Northern Agricultural
Society (1843), the Mar Agricultural Association, the
Inverurie Agricultural Association, and many of the
greater landed proprietors, and of the most enterprising
of the farmers. The recent improvements have com-
prised, not only extensive reclamation of waste lands,
but also more economical methods of cropping, better
tillage, better implements, better manuring, better farm-
yard management, better outhouse treatment of live-
stock, and extensive sub-soil draining ; and they have
resulted in such vast increase of produce from both
arable lands and pastures as has changed the county
from a condition of constant loss in the balance of agri-
cultural imports and exports, to a condition of constant
considerable gain.
According to Miscellaneous Statistics of the United
Kingdom, 1,255,138 acres, having a total gross esti-
mated rental of £1,118,849, were divided among 7472
landowners ; one holding 139,829 acres (rental, £17,740)
four together 300,827 (£86,296), five 120,882 (£35,959)
fourteen 186,302 (£113,927), twenty - five 179,083
(£123,251), forty-six 158,214 (£131,751), sixty 87,466
(£109,805), fifty-eight 42,037 (£45,992), one hundred
and twenty-six 30,441 (£69,691), thirty-eight 2658
(£18,880), one hundred and eighty-two 3822 (£37,745)
four hundred and twenty-one 1333 (£50,662), and 6492
holding 2274 acres (£277,150).
Tenantry-at-will is now almost entirely unknown.
Tenant-tenure is usually by lease for from 15 to 19
years. The tenant, in the management of his land, was
formerly restricted to a 5 years' and a 7 years' course
of rotation, but is now generally allowed the option
also of a 6 years' course ; and he is usually allowed 3
years, after entering on his farm, to determine which
of the courses he shall adopt. The 7 years' course com-
monly gives 1 year to turnips, the next year to barley
or oats with grass seeds, the next 3 years to grass fallow
or pasture, and the last 2 years to successive crops of oats.
That course and the 5 years' one are still the most com-
monly practised ; but the 6 years' course has come into
extensive and increasing favour, and is generally re-
garded as both the most suitable to the nature of the
prevailing soil, and the most consonant with the principles
of correct husbandry. Arable farms generally rent from
15s. to 30s. per acre; but some near Aberdeen, Peterhead,
and Inverurie rent much higher.
The acres under corn crops were 214,676 in 1873,
212,767 in 1880, and 215,730 in 1895 ; under green crops
—106,003 in 1874, 104,203 in 1880, and 101,709 in 1895.
Of the total 630,070 acres under crops and grass in 1895,
196,755 were oats, 1 wheat, 91,647 turnips, 276,389
clover, sainfoin, and grasses under rotation, 35,711 per-
manent pasture, etc. The number of cattle was 133,451
in 1866, 152,106 in 1880, and 173,961 in 1895. The
cattle are of various breeds, and have on the whole
been highly improved. The small Highland breed
was formerly in much request, but has latterly dwindled
to comparative insignificance. A few Ayrshire cows have
been imported for dairy purposes; but no Ayrshires, and
scarcely any Galloways, are bred in the county. One
Hereford herd here is the only one in Scotland. The
polled Angus or Aberdeen breed had great attention
from Mr M'Combie of Tillyfour; won him numerous
splendid cups, gold medals, silver medals, bronze
medals, and upwards of £2500 in money; and has pro-
duced some animals of such high qualities as to bring
each from 100 to 200 guineas. The same breed was
largely kept by the late Colonel Fraser of Castle Fraser,
who won a prize for it over Mr M 'Combie, besides win-
ning a considerable number of other prizes. Other
great breeders of it have been the late Mr Rt. Walker of
Portlethen, Mr Geo. Brown of AVestertown, Mr Jas.
Skinner of Drumin, and Mr Al. Paterson of Mulben,
who have found successors in Mr A. Bowie of Mains of
Kelly, Sir Geo. Macpherson Grant of Ballindalloch, Mr
Jas. Scott of Easter Tulloch, Mr Wm. Skinner of
Drumin, etc. (Trans. Bighl. and Ag. Soc.) The short-
horned breed is raised more numerously in Aberdeenshire
than in any other Scottish county. This breed was
introduced about 1830, but did not obtain much atten-
tion till after 1850 ; comprises nine celebrated herds
(the Sittyton, Kinellar, Kinaldie, Cairnbrogie, etc.), be-
sides many smaller ones; and has sent off to the market,
annually for several years, nearly 400 bull calves and
about half as many young heifers. The number of sheep
was 112,684 in 1856, 158,220 in 1869, 157,105 in 1874,
137,693 in 1880, and 183,951 in 1895. The breeding
of sheep is carried on most extensively in the upland
districts, and the feeding of them in the middle
and lower districts. The upland flocks move to the
lowlands of Aberdeenshire and the adjoining counties
about November, and do not return till April. Black-
faced wethers, 2, 3, and even 4 years old, are, on
some farms on the lower districts, fed with grass
in summer, and with turnips and straw in winter.
Blackfaced sheep constitute more than one-half of all
the sheep in the uplands ; and also are extensively
bred in the inland districts of Braemar, Strathdon, Glen-
bucket, Corgarff, Cromar, Cabrach, and Rhynie, but not
in the lower districts. Cross-breeds are not so nu-
merous as the blackfaced, yet form extensive flocks,
and are fed for the slaughter-market. Leicesters have,
for a number of years, been extensively bred, and they
form fine flocks at Pitmedden, Fornot-Skene, Gowner, Old
Meldrum, Strichen Mains, and some other places. There
are no pure Cheviots, and few Southdowns. The num-
ber of horses was 24,458 in 1869, 23,202 in 1873,
26,851 in 1880, and 31,114 in 1895, of which 199 were
kept solely for breeding. They are partly Clydesdales,
Lincolns, and crosses; and though not very heavy, may,
for the most part, stand comparison with the average of
horses throughout the best part of Scotland. The number
of pigs was 7773 in 1869, 10,565 in 1874, 7240 in 1880,
and 10,379 in 1895. The accommodation for farm
servants is better than it was, but still not so good as
could be desired. The farm-house kitchens are still tht
abodes of the majority of the servants; and homes for
the families of the married men cannot, in many in-
stances, be found nearer than 8, 10, and even 20 miles.
Handsome cottages for servants have been built by
the Duke of Richmond on several of his larger farms in
the Strathbogie districts; and these, it is hoped, may
serve as models for similar buildings on other estates.
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