CLACKMANNANSHIRE, a county in Scotland, situated on the north bank of the rivet Forth, bounded on the north by Perthshire, on the south by the river Forth, on the west by Perth and Stirling shires, hnd on the east by Fife and Perth shires; is about 10 miles in length, and 9 miles in breadth. It is one or the small est counties in Scotland, and only returns a member to parliament alternately with Kinross-shire. It is divided into five parishes, viz. Clackmannan, Alloa, try, Dollar, and Logic ; a part of the latter only is in this county.
As to its general aspect, the northern part is com posed of that beautiful and picturesque range of moun tains named the Ochills, which stretch in an cast and west direction. They produce excellent sheep pasture. The western parts being rocky, are pastured by goats, on which account many persons in delicate health resort to Blair Logic in summer for the benefit of the goat milk. This spot has been denominated the Montpel lier of Scotland ; but the accommodation as to lodgings is very poor and humble indeed. The ground betwixt the Ochills and the sea is hill and dale, fit for the pur poses of agriculture, with rich alluvial land on the banks of the Forth, termed carse ground. Besides the Forth, which bounds the county on the south, there are two rivers which flow through it, viz. the Devon, and Black Devon ; these empty themselves into the Forth. The carse or alluvial land upon the banks of the Forth is very strong clay soil, and but little elevated above the level of the sea. The soil which immediately joins the carse upon the north is termed dryfield, and is of sandy loam, mixed with small stones. The hill and dale com mences with the dryfield, and continues to the bottom of the Ochill mountains. The dryfield soil next the carse generally rests on a sandy bottom; but the greater part of the soil of the swelling grounds rests upon a strong tenacious red clay, mixed with sand and gravel, is quite impervious to water, and is denominated red till. The carse or alluvial land is of the best quality, produc ing luxuriant crops, and comparatively requires but little manure. The dryficld soil, which rests on a sandy bot tom, is not inferior to the carse in point of produce ; but the soil which rests upon the red clay is in value very in ferior to any of the former, and requires much manure to keep it in good order for crops. In winter, it is liable
to be excessively wet, as the subsoil will not absorb any of the superabundant moisture. The lower parts of the valleys are generally composed of a strong clay soil, but very different from the carse land. Upon the sides of the Devon, the soil is or a deep sandy loam, which bears good crops, and is termed haugh ground. There are a few inconsiderable patches of moss in the county where the lands are in cultivation; it however abounds upon the summit of the Ochills, which is much elevated above the level of the sea. The improvements in agriculture have been carried on here with great spirit. This coun . ty was amongst the first in Scotland where a farmer's club was instituted, patronized by the county gentle men, with the present Lord Cathcart at their head. The first thrashing mill in Scotland was erected by the cele brated Mr Meikle in 1787, at Kilbagic, in the parish of Clackmannan ; and this kind of machine is now to be found at almost every farm within the county. Atten tion has been paid in embanking considerable extents of land from the flowings of the sea, which have amply repaid the adventure. Lime is much used for land all over the county, though it costs very high, as the chief supply of it is either brought from Lord Elgin's works in Fife, or from the lime quarries in the vicinity of Dun bar.
With respect to rivers, the Fourth, which flows upon the south side of the county, is navigable for ships of 500. tons as far up as Alloa ; sloops of 60 tons can navigate to Stirling. The tides rise from 16 to 22 feet, and have the phenomena of double tides. (See the article A LLon.) The banks and bed of this river are in general composed of soft mud or sketch, which is daily brought down with the current, and gradually forms new ground. Opposite the Throsk is a ford, which is dry at low water, compo sed of large blocks of stone, chiefly of the kind termed greenstone. The mass of this species of rock nearest to this place is Stirling castle rock, and Abbey Craig, dis tant about four miles, from whence these stones must have originally conic. Sand-stone rock appears at IOW water a little above the harbour of Alloa. There are salmon lishings on this river, but they are of very little value.