Publisher's Synopsis
This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1888 edition. Excerpt: ... 187 CHAPTER X. AGRICULTURE. The situation of Scotland for some hundreds of years was exceedingly unfavourable to agriculture, its inhabitants being almost constantly engaged in wars or violent factions. They had therefore no encouragement to cultivate the land further than necessity required. As far back as the public records go, the stewartry of Menteith, and the adjacent parts of Stirling and Clackmannan shires (to which our observations chiefly relate), were divided into towns or townships, occupied by two or more tenants and their cottagers. Their houses commonly lay close together, which was probably owing to their being of old obliged to defend themselves by force of arms against the Highland freebooters, who sometimes attempted to carry off their goods and cattle.1 For the same reason the smaller gentry had their houses and orchards in one of these towns, security being then in more estimation than embellishment. 1 Robert Buchanan of Moss-side was told by his father, then a tenant in Ochtertyre, that about the Revolution the M'Gregors came down and plundered my grandfather's house, and drove off his cattle and those of the tenants. They also carried him prisoner some miles above Callander, whither, upon the country taking the alarm, George Drummond of Blair followed them with a strong posse. Upon his arrival, the women were busy cutting down the sheets and tablecloths. "Where are your sons ?" said he to the father of the ringleaders. "In the hill, I suppose," answered the man. "If everything is not forthwith restored," said Blair, " I will raze you and them off the earth." Their prisoner was released, aud everything got back but a favourite gun. In the end of the last and the beginning of the present century, the making and...