Chap. XVII. Appendix.

397

these stipulations have been converted into money; and it is hop-ed that this will soon become general.

Services.

In the Highlands and Hebrides , the services exacted by land-lords from their tenants, are frequently numerous and burden-some ; so that they become a great, and often an insurmountable,obstacle to all improvement. In some cases, every kind of la-bour that can be performed by men or horses, at any period ofthe year, even in seed-time and harvest, is exacted from the te-nants.

They are frequently bound to plough and harrow the proprie-tor’s farm, and to plant his potatoes, at the critical season ofspring, when all their hands and horses are required at home:To work at his hay, and cut his peats in summer ; and in thebusy season of harvest to help him in with his crop : In short, toexecute every sort of labour which a farm requires.

The tacksmen likewise generally require similar services fromsubtenants. In such a state of subjection, all parties must suf-fer, and every species of improvement be totally at a stand.While the tacksman is called off from the labours of seed-time,summer, and harvest, the task he performs to his landlord mustever be performed with a grudge. His vassals must be equallyreluctant in doing such services to him, at the risk, and perhapsthe ruin, of all their own little crop.

III. Want of proper Accommodation for their Cattle, is a great

Obstruction to the Improvement of the Highlands and Hebrides .

From the high rents paid by the farmers in the improved dis-tricts, they are allowed proper accommodation for their families,their servants, and also for their cattle. It is otherwise in theHighlands and Hebrides . Many of the tenants inhabit miserablehuts. And in most cases, no accommodation, and no shelter, isprovided for their cattle in winter.

The consequences of this are obvious. Many of their cattleliterally perish, for want of shelter, during the severity of win-ter ; and all the stock of every kind are permitted to roam atlarge all the year round. By this means, all the low land, whichis the best and most productive, is utterly ruined by poaching,and rendered much less productive.

Sheep farmers in the South of Scotland, have found that abare wall, built in a circular form, on any eminence, sufficientlyprotects their flocks, by night, from being overlaid with snow:Besides, it saves the trouble and danger to which the poor shep-herd is exposed, in watching his flocks by night, amid the hor*tors of the winter storm.