were got from the quarries worked for pavement and building

stones.

The improvements are now nearly completed. All that has to be done, with a few exceptions, will bear interest at the rate of 5 or 6 per cent, and, therefore, does not come within the range of the fixed amount for the improvements. The accounts are made up to Martinmas last, and the outstanding payments not yielding interest are so small that they cannot materially affect the final result.

The whole of the outlays for improvements executed by the proprietor are shown in the following statement:—

The above figures are taken from the reporter's accounts daly audited every half year.

From the sum of £26,532 11s. 33d. has to be taken the amount received for pavement, &c., and the value of the pavement in stock, amounting in all to £2,403 14s. 9d., which leaves as the true amount expended, £24,128 163. 61d.

The tenants pay an annual drainage rent charge of £400 173. at 6 per cent., and £236, 178. at 5 per cent. These sums capitalised amount to £10,904, 17s. 34d., which, taken from £24,128, 16s. 64d., leaves £13,223, 19s. 2ąd. as the amount expended by the proprietor upon improvements not yielding interest. The item £399, 17s. 3d., under the head "Property march fences," was not included in the estimate of £14,200, and, therefore, falls to be taken from £13,223, 19s. 2ąd., leaving £12,824, 1s. 11 d., which, taken from £14,200, shows a balance of £1,375, 18s. Old, in favour of the improvements.

In the course of carrying out the improvements, flag quarries have been discovered on both estates. They are now in good working order, and will be a source of revenue.

Permanent Success of Improvements.-The fact of two thousand acres of waste land having been improved, within the last six years, is no mean security for the permanent success of the improvements. This improved land is now yielding excellent crops. In 1863 Mr. Brown of Upper Dounreay (one of the new farms), carried the cup for the best 10 acres of yellow turnips in the county. Eight of the best farms competed. The weight of Mr. Brown's crop per acre was 25 tons, 12 cwt., 3 qrs., 12 lb. The next highest was 23 tons, 1 cwt., 1 qr., 20 lb. The turnips were grown on land lying in its natural state when the farms were let, and on which grouse were shot the year before it was broken up.

Mr. Brown competed last year for the cup, but was unsuccessful. Still he occupies an honourable position amongst the competitiors, as seen from the subjoined statement taken from the Northern Ensign of January 12, 1865.

Yellow Turnips.

Here, in competition with a dozen of the best farms in the county, Mr. Brown stands third. The crop is the second after reclamation from moor.

The present leases expire at Whitsunday, 1878, with the exception of Upper Dounreay, which does not expire until 1883.

Mr. Mitchell, in his report, calculated that the estates at the expiry of the present leases would let for £6,100. The reporter considers this a very moderate estimate of the enhanced value of the estates at that period.

The present rental, including interest payable by the tenants, is £5,084. The value of 2,500 acres (there will be fully this extent improved before the present leases expire) of improved land at Whitsunday 1878 will not be less than 15s. per acre., which amounts to £1,875, added to the present rental, makes £6,959. This appears to be the minimum rental that will be obtained at Whitsunday, 1878. In this estimate no account has been taken of the immense amount of carriages performed by the tenants in connection with the improvements, free of charge to the proprietor

The debt upon the property for improvements at Whitsunday, 1878, will not exceed £14,000; for it must be borne in mind, that the interest paid by the tenants during the currency of the existing leases is equal to the clearing off of about £10,000 of capital and interest.

General Remarks.-A question not unfrequently arises, as to whether improvements should be undertaken by the proprietor single-handed, or in conjunction with a good class of tenantry. In ordinary circumstances the wise and profitable course is to make liberal arrangements with good tenants, and when such arrangements are made, they are as a rule zealously and faithfully carried out, with benefit to themselves and their proprietor. Judging from a well paid rent roll, the improvements reported upon are not only satisfactory to the proprietor, but also to the tenantry who have been associated with him in their execution. And it gives the reporter much pleasure to be able to state that neither with tenant nor contractor has any misunderstanding arisen, during the six years the works have been in progress, but such as was amicably settled.

In concluding this report, attention may be directed to the drainage of the waste but highly improvable land in Caithness. The value of the greater proportion of such land may be put down at 2s. 6d. per acre, and the drainage rent charge payable by the tenant at 8s. per acre, making the rent 10s. 6d. per acre. In 25 years the principal and interest of the cost of draining may be cleared off. The land should then at the lowest estimate be worth 10s. 6d. per acre, It thus appears that such land increases four-fold in value in 25 years, without costing the proprietor more than a fractional amount of expense and trouble.

The reporter would suggest that a memorial from the landed proprietors of the county be presented to the Drainage Commis sioners for England and Wales, setting forth the peculiar geological formation of the county, and the great capability of its soil for improvement, and crave a relaxation of their rule as to depth of drainage works. The minimum depth to be 18 inches, with the tile completely sunk in the rock at that depth. If this boon were granted, agriculture would take a fresh start, and thousands of acres now lying in an unproductive condition, would be brought to contribute to the wealth and prosperity of the county.

REPORT ON THE MANAGEMENT AND SALE OF TIMBER.

By C. Y. MICHIE, Forester, Duthill, Carr Bridge.

Premium-£10.

THE statistics of Scotland give nearly 414,000 acres as the extent of ground under wood cultivation, being an area approaching to that annually under turnip crop. An inquiry by the Highland and Agricultural Society was therefore very naturally instituted as to the produce of the lands so employed, the purposes to which it is applied, and the pecuniary returns yielded to the proprietor. So far as the limits of this paper will admit, and reliable statements are possessed by the writer, he will endeavour to supply such information.

The increasing substitution of iron for wood in shipbuilding and other important works, has the effect of keeping down the price of the best quality of timber, though at the same time the demand is steady, if not considerably on the increase, for second-rate timber, required for general purposes. The price of timber, like that of other products of the soil, is subject to variation, occasioned by various causes. When mining operations receive an impetus at any time, the effect is an increased demand, and an upward tendency in the price. On the other hand, when a gale of wind occurs, as was the case on 3rd October, 1860, and on 13th February, 1864, the market becomes over stocked. So, also, when trade is affected, vessels take timber as a return freight, thus affording an extra supply of foreign wood, and depressing the market price for home growth.

In collecting special information upon the true value of wood as a crop, many difficulties are presented, amongst which we would especially notice two-viz.,

First, The inaccuracy, or rather the indefinite manner, of

recording the various expenses incurred upon any individual plantation, from the time of planting to the time of cutting down the mature crop. Secondly, The great difference between the value of the same crop as recorded by different individuals, partly arising from the various systems of measuring, and partly on account of the various purposes to which it is to be applied. It must be borne in mind that much of the value of a crop of wood depends upon the system of selling it. A timber merchant can often afford to give from ten to twenty per cent., and even more, for a plantation, by purchasing the whole of it, than he could afford to give for it in small lots. On the other hand, it may happen, though rarely, that wood may be sold in too large lots to command due competition.

The writer's experience is, that proprietors in general ought not either to fell their own timber or manufacture it, as by so doing they lose considerably. An instance of this (amongst others of a similar kind) recently occurred under the writer's immediate superintendence. The work was of common occurrence-that of cutting down wood for paling, carting it to the saw-mill, sawing the paling, and again carting the latter from the saw-mill to the place for erecting the fence. When the various items of expense were added together, they amounted to a total considerably above what the timber merchant would have supplied it for; thus the value of the rough wood out of which this paling was cut was totally lost to the proprietor.

An instance in point may also be quoted of an extensive proprietor in Morayshire who for many years manufactured his own timber, and continued to do so till he was shown that, while his immense and valuable forests were fast disappearing, there was only a fraction of clear returns to himself-the whole value being absorbed in the manufacture of the wood. Since that time he has adopted a wiser and better plan, which is to dispose of the whole of his wood standing (except thinnings of young plantations) to timber merchants, and his returns have been enormously increased.

Another instance, even less favourable than the preceding, occurred a few years ago upon an estate in the county of Sussex, where a proprietor was in the practice of selling considerable quantities of larch timber in the growing state, for which he received 10d. per cubic foot, being the current market price. He became persuaded that he could make more of his timber by manufacturing it and supplying a contract for railway sleepers required on the London and Brighton Railway. The wood was all cut down, manufactured, and carried to the place of delivery (Godston Station) at day wages. On balancing accounts, the