Parish of Tongue, County of Sutherland

IV - Industry

Agriculture:

The number of imperial acres in cultivation is about 1000. It may safely be said, that three times this number might be added with a profitable application of capital. There are 200 acres of plantation, and fully 500 acres under natural wood. The extent of the latter is not easily ascertained, from the irregular manner in which it is disposed.

Rent:

The real rental of the parish is L. 2282, 13s. 11d., of which lotters pay L. 757, 11s. 3d.; and large farmers L. 1525, 2s, 8d. The average rent of arable land per acre is L, 1.

Wages:

Tradesmen are allowed 2s. a-day, and day-labourers 1s. 6d. in summer, and 1s. in winter.

The raw produce which is offered for sale is trifling. Those who do sell, are regulated by market prices. Very superior Cheviot sheep are reared upon the large farms, which are highly esteemed, and fetch high prices in the southern markets. The small tenants rear the black-faced breed, or more generally a cross between it and the Cheviot. From want of full feeding, their pasture being limited and generally overstocked, both their sheep and their cattle are stinted in their growth. A real Highland pony can now seldom be seen. The system of farming upon the crofts is decidedly bad. The tenants, besides endeavouring to keep more cattle than they can properly feed, employ a rotation of potatoes, bear, and oats, by which the land, thus constantly cropped, is so exhausted, that in many places the force of manure cannot now make it yield an adequate return. Besides, it is seldom properly drained or fenced, so that in winter it is commonly very wet, and injured by the poaching of cattle.

As a proof of the deteriorating effects of this system of husbandry, it may be mentioned, that while the land cultivated by the large farmers will yield on an average seven returns in grain crops, the small tenants seldom obtain above four returns of bear, and as to oats, they do not calculate upon more than double the seed. The potato crop is that alone which gives a really remunerating return. The large farmers have leases of nineteen years' duration. Small tenants have only one year's tenure of their land, which is certainly a discouragement to them in improving their lots.