400
for this purpose, with great success. And lime, burnt with peat,furnishes a far richer manure, than when coal is used as a fuel.
But the neglect of those manures, which are at hand, is ano-ther obstacle to improvement. Even the dun g raised by theircattle is utterly neglected, and allowed to lye as a useless waste,Over a great part of the Highlands and Hebrides . But, in placeof being considered as of any value, it is regarded as a nuisance;and, in some cases, it is actually thrown into the nearest brook,in time of a flood, that it may be washed away.
Hitherto we have considered the Highlands and Hebrides chiefly as a pastoral district. But, in many parishes in both,corn is raised. Considering these parts as capable of greater cul-tivation, there are many obstacles to improvement peculiar tothese districts.
VII. Want of Proper Implements of Husbandry is a great barto Improvement.
Over a great part of the Highlands and Hebrides , the imple-ments of husbandry are very defective. In some places theyare as simple and inefficient, as those which were used in theremotest ages, when husbandry was first introduced into theseregions.
The Highland plough is a very simple and feeble instrument;its whole length is about 4 feet 7 inches. Like that of the anci-ents, it has only one stilt or handle; the mouldboard is fixed toit by two leather straps ; the coulter and sock are bound toge-ther at the point with a ring of iron. Four horses are yoked tothis instrument, abreast, by thongs of leather. The driver, withthe reins fixed to a cross-stick, walks backward before the horses;and to drive them forward, he strikes them on the face. Theploughman walks alongside of the plough, directing it with onehand by the stilt, and another man follows with a spade, to laydown the turf that is torn up.
The Reeslle is another rude instrument used in the Hebrides .It is rendered necessary on account of the imperfection of theirplough. It is similar in shape to that instrument, with a beamand one stilt. It has no sock, but only a single iron coulter, ofthe size and sh&pe of a reaping-hook, but stronger; and it isdrawn by one horse, driven by one man, while another directs itby the stilt. The object of this operation, is merely to open apassage for the plough, which follows after, by cutting the twist-ed roots of the weeds, with which the land is infested. With-out this previous operation, their feeble plough would be ob-structed.
The Harrows used in the Highlands are, if possible, still moreImperfect than their plough. Some are like hay-rakes, and are