Inverawe and Grundachy used to be joined together, and the late Mr Charles Johnstone possessed them along with other lands on the lower side of the river. His heirs have Grundachy at £180 of rent, and keep good blackfaced sheep. The pasture is better at Grundachy than on any other part of Ben Cruachan.
Inverawe is now possessed by Mr James Jardine, a Dumfries farmer, and he has a mixture of whitefaced sheep among the blackfaced stock. Marching with Inverawe, and occupying the back part of Ben Cruachan, is the tenement of Glenoe and Dua, possessed by Messrs D. & J. Campbell, who are excellent managers of sheep. The stock is mixed of blackfaced sheep, and is very good.
Glenoe will summer about a score of cattle, but very few can be wintered. The rent is £350, and both it and the other tenements in Glen Etive, to be immediately mentioned, are on the Breadalbane estates.
Next to Glenoe is Inverliver, possessed by Messrs J. M. & N. Campbell, sons of the late Mr John Campbell, who was an excellent judge of sheep, and a man much trusted and respected in the county. The rent of Inverliver is £350, and the stock kept is of the same description as that of Glenoe, with the exception that Inverliver admits of black cattle being kept. There is more of level ground along the shore than at Glenoe, and some crop can be raised, sufficient for wintering them. Messrs Campbell have a small fold of tidy cows and their followers, and they are of the best description.
The next tenement on that side of Loch Etive is Acharn, Ardmaddy, &c, possessed by Messrs B. & J. Crerar and Mr William Campbell, and the rent is the same as that of Inverliver.
Acharn is back from Loch Etive and into Glenkinlass. There is some meadow land along the river Kinglass, so that a few black cattle can be kept. After leaving Ardmaddy, the deer forest, forming part of the Black Mount range, commences. Dalaness, at the head of the glen, has been for a long time under deer. These lands are so rugged and wild that they are much more fitted for deer than for sheep, and still there used to be good sheep kept on portions of them, such as at Glenketlan. It was long possessed by Mr Peter Campbell, father of the present tenants of Glenoe, and uncle of those at Inverliver.
On crossing the river Etive, the mansion-house erected by Mr Greaves will be seen. He lately purchased the lands of Invercharnan, Drumachois, &c., which formerly belonged to Mr Campbell of Monzie. Mr Greaves has all the lands in his own hands, and is making many improvements in planting, erecting fences, &c.
Leaving Drumachois, the Wood of Barrs will be seen stretching for some miles along the north side of Loch Etive. From the shelter afforded by the brushwood, and the sunny exposure, the Wood of Barrs was found an excellent place for wintering hoggs. When Mr Sinclair was tenant of Glenoe he had it for this purpose, and for summering young cattle. Both places belong to Lord Breadalbane.
Barrs is the only portion of the west side of the loch that belongs to the Breadalbane estate. This place is now joined to the tenement of Glenure, on the other side of the hill, and will be mentioned on coming to Glenure. To the west of it Ardchattan estate, belonging to Mrs Popham, begins. Daill and Cadderly are the first two farms, but they also have lately been joined to other tenements to be immediately mentioned. Passing down to Island Ferry, and leaving the granite quarries behind, Blarcreen, beautifully, situated at the base of Bendurinis and at one of the curves of Loch Etive, will be seen. The tenement now consists of Blarcreen, Inveresragain, Craig, Kineraig, and Cadderly, all possessed by Mr Angus Buchanan at a rent of £800. The sheep stock is blackfaced, and moderately good in quality. A fold of cows and their followers is kept, and there is a considerable extent of arable land at Blarcreen and Inveresragain. The soil is thin, but good crops are generally raised, and there is more than sufficient for the use of the farm. Potatoes, for instance, thrive very well there, and a considerable quantity can be spared for the market. Benbhreac, which is joined to Achinreir, marches with Inveresragain. Achinreir was long possessed by Mr Donald Sinclair, and latterly by his two sons. Mr Sinclair was an excellent manager of sheep and cattle, and was often asked to act as judge at cattle shows, and as valuator of sheep stocks. The sons quitted possession at Whitsunday last, and Mr Angus Buchanan, junior, is now the tenant. The cattle, which were pure West Highland, and very good, were sold by public roup at Whitsunday, and realised good prices. The young cattle also sold well. The rent is £465, but varies with prices at Falkirk market.
On reaching Loch Creran at Barcaldine, and leaving the beautiful mansion and parks behind, and turning to the right, Dalachulish is the first considerable sheep farm. It is possessed by Mr Hugh M'Coll at a rent of £325, and he now has joined to it Daill in Glen Etive, of which the rent is £65. It is an excellent sheep range from the one loch to the other, and Mr M'Coll does full justice to the stock. There is some arable land at Dalachulish, and a small fold of Highland cattle is kept. Both Achinreir and Dalachulish are on the Barcaldine property, now belonging to Mrs Mary Cameron. After leaving the end of the loch, and entering Glen Creran, the farm of Tarphocan is seen on the right hand side of the river. The hill is not favourable for producing sheep of a large size, but under the careful management of Messrs J. & D. M'Kenzie the stock was put into a fair condition, and is still kept so by the surviving brother and his sons. D. M'Kenzie made a point of being in the hill once a day, and such care will always reward itself. The rent of the tenement is £300.
Further on in the same direction Glenure will be reached, and the tenement is well suited for sheep and cattle. The Wood of Barrs in Glen Etive is now joined to it, to the great advantage of the sheep stock, and the tenants, Messrs John & James M'Kay, will turn this to good account. They have also Glenstockdale in Appin, and the home farm and parks of Kinlochlaich. They have sheep on the hill, and a flying stock of stots and heifers, of the best they can get to purchase, on the low grounds. Bound the head of Loch Creran, and on the Appin side, there is the tenement of Salachail, possessed by Messrs J. & A. M'Nicol. The rent is £315, and they keep whitefaced sheep, ewes, and wethers, and a few cows.
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Benderloch.
Lorn has islands within its bounds, as we have just seen, and it has also peninsulas, viz., Benderloch and Appin. The upper parts of both districts consist of sheep farms, which have been already referred to.
Benderloch is a mountain range between two lochs or arms of the sea, but there is a margin or border of level ground around the most of it. This is probably an old sea-beach, but it is now for the most part under the plough. It contains two large tracts of moss—the one near Connell, and the other at old Barcaldine Castle, but these will be mentioned further on.
The soil in Benderloch is generally light, but there is variety of peat, light loam, and clay to a small extent. The crops raised are oats, potatoes, and turnips ; and the rotation is the five-shift course, but is in some cases being superseded by the six-shift course—two years in pasture, instead of one year. The average return for oats is from five to five and a half bolls on the boll sown. Potatoes yield from ten to twelve returns, The soil is well adapted for potatoes, and a considerable quantity is sold every year. Vessels go into Loch Creran and Loch Etive for their cargoes, so that there is no expense in sending them to market. There used to be several folds of excellent Highland cattle in Benderloch, but there are very few at present. The largest and best of them, viz., the stock at Auchanreir, was sold off at Whitsunday last, on the removal of the tenants to other lands. There was keen competition for the different lots, the average price for cow and calf being £22. The new tenant has this year contented himself with flying stock, but it is to be hoped he will commence a rearing stock by-and-by. His father, Mr Buchanan, Blarcreen, has a fold of good Highland cattle. There is excellent arable land at Blarcreen and Inveres-ragain, so that there is plenty of wintering for cattle. Following the banks of Loch Etive to the west, some good strong Highland cattle will be seen at Ardchattan, on the lands kept by Mrs Popham in her own hands. At Ardachy, Mr M'Callum keeps a limited number of cows, which are of the very best description. Mr M'Callum is frequently asked to act as judge at cattle shows.
The division between Ardchattan and Loch Nell properties is at the march with Achnamba, which is the next farm. Mr M'Innes, the tenant, has a small fold of excellent Highland cattle, with which he carries prizes at cattle shows every year. Mr M'Niven, who rents Balure, Loch Nell, has made a beginning with a Highland stock, which promises very well. There is plenty of arable land at Balure, and there are woods and shelter. The late Mr George Clerk had a fold of first-rate Highland cows there; and if Mr M'Niven perseveres, he will soon have them equally good. Mr Archibald Campbell, Shenvally, has a small fold of good Highland cattle.
There are several dairy farms in Benderloch. Mr Kinnes, Ledaig, keeps Ayrshire cows, which are of the very best kind, and makes butter and cheese.
Mr Bannatyne, Achnacreebeg, keeps the same kind of stock. Mr Colthart, Loch Nell home farm, has Ayrshire cows.
Mr Colthart, Balure, Barcaldine, also keeps dairy stock, and makes excellent cheese. Barcaldine home farm is possessed by Mr Hosack, the factor for Loch Nell, Barcaldine properties, and others. He keeps a flying stock of Highlanders, and makes a point of having them good.
There is a large space of level ground at Barcaldine, surrounded by woods and plantations; and the crop and cattle there are generally of the best. The late proprietor, Mr Cameron, had a fold of Highland cattle which were remarkably strong, although not of the finest. The trees about Barcaldine are very large, and some of them will be mentioned elsewhere. The lawn or parks around the mansion-house and the garden are extensive and well kept, and the place is altogether most attractive. Improvements were going on at Barcaldine in building farm-houses and fences, but the death of the late proprietor has brought matters to a standstill for the present.
On Ardchattan estate the houses and fences are very good. The plantations are well attended to; and the Priory, where Mrs Popham resides, is a picture of neatness and elegance. There is less room for draining on this estate than on any other that can be named.
eat Mosses.—There are several large tracts of peat moss in Argyllshire, and the following may be mentioned:—1st, Crinan peat moss, which is computed to extend to 5000 acres. A considerable portion has been reclaimed, as will be mentioned immediately. 2d, Achnacree moss, which extends to about 2000 acres, and Culcharron moss, at the old castle of Barcal-dine, which extends to 800 acres or thereby. 3d, Corpach moss, Lochaber, which is fully a square mile in extent. 4th, Kintra moss, in Ardnamurchan, about 3000 acres.
Woods and Plantations.—Argyllshire must have been densely covered with wood at one time, judging from the remains to be seen in mosses and other places. It was not, however, until the middle of last century that planting trees on a large scale began to be attended to. It is said that Archibald, Duke of Argyll, took the lead in planting as well as in many other things, and a minute account of the plantations made under his directions may be seen in the last statistical account of Inveraray. Professor Walker of Edinburgh, also, in referring to this subject, says:— "The next considerable planter in Scotland was Archibald, Duke of Argyll, who, among his other great qualifications, was remarkable for his skill and zeal in the raising and management of trees. His taste for plantation was adopted by a number of his intimate friends." Among these friends were the proprietors of Loch Nell, Barcaldine, Inverawe, and Dunolly, the latter of whom was married to a Campbell of the Argyll family. There are trees still to be seen in these places that have every appearance of having been planted during the latter part of the last century. A list of a few of them, showing their sizes, will be seen in the Appendix G.
Agricultural Societies have their shows each year, and there are several of them in the county. The one that has been longest in existence is the Lorn Agricultural Society, commenced in 1839. The list of premiums given at its cattle shows is large, and embraces sheep, black cattle, and horses, and a few premiums for Ayrshire cattle are now given. The premiums for Highland cattle are given for bulls, heifers (two and three year old), and cows and calves. There are ploughing matches held every spring-in two districts, and the medal of the Highland and Agricultural Society is obtained for them alternately, the sum of £3 being paid in premiums from the funds of the Lorn Society.
Mr Campbell of Loch Nell is president of the Society, and a good supporter always. Colonel M'Dougall, Dunolly, and Mr M'Donald of Dunach are the vice-presidents, and they give their countenance by subscribing to the funds and by attending meetings.
Hiring Markets.—Dalmally market, held once a year, at which shepherds were hired, is of very old standing. It was called "Feill Eandrish," "Feill Commain," being one of the few specimens of the old custom of dedicating fairs to saints, which was very common at one time. Shian market, held twice a year, is still continued, but is in a good measure absorbed into the Oban hiring market, also held twice a year. Oban is a favourite place for holding markets, owing, no doubt, to its central position and easy mode of access by steamers and coaches, and also to its ample accommodation for man and beast. The shops, which are increased now, are also an attraction.
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