The vale of Nith enjoys the benefit of the county town of Dumfries near its lower, and of the royal burgh of Sanquhar near its upper extremity. It possesses also coal-mines near the head of the vale, and well worked limestone quarries riter the centre of it. This valley is naturally divided into three parts, by the approach of the hills near to each other on its banks, in two particu lar places, forming three sub-divisions of the vale; the uppermost at Sanquhar, the middle division at Close burn, and the lower at the county town of Dumfries: but every stream that has been mentioned as flowing into the Nith, opens a lesser vale to the right or the left. The vale of Annan contains more champaign or open lands, and is less boldly divided by the hills, than that of Nith; yet the ridges approach each other on tither side, parti cularly in two parts ; and various lateral vales open nil° it on each bank. It possesses lime-quarries in the loner districts, but no lime or coal above. The river Eak passes through a vale, for the most part confined, but opening wider near the borders of Cpmberiand, coal and lime are found in the lower parts of Eskdale. Be sides the main rivers, the Sark, which is a Border stream, —the Kirtle, which, though it flows in the vale of An nail, is not connected with this rivcr,--and the 1.ochar, which is a dark rivulet, flowing from the moss of the same name,—all pass directly into the Solway Frith.
Those extensive tracts of mountain lands, which are hiefly in sheep walk, near the sources of the principal rivers, are broken, and pleasantly diversified by the in terjacent larger and lesser vales, where cattle also arc reared, and crops raised in considerable variety. The sheep-walks of Eskdalc are mostly green hills, well drained, though naturally moist, and supporting strong flocks of the Cheviot breed. The sheep-walks of An nandale and Nithsdalc contain more of rock and gravel, and arc therefore drier, and bear a larger quantity of heath. Cheviot flocks occupy most of the sheep-walks of Annandale ; and the forest or black-faced sheep still possess a large proportion of those of Nithsdalc. No thing, however, seems to be wanting excepting shelter for the ewes and Iambs, to prepare for the introduction of Cheviot flocks into almost every sheep farm in the county where their are still wanting. These mountainous tracts, hating vales interspersed, extend over 17 pa rishes and 597 square miles of territory, being nearly ths of the whole surface of the county.
The midlands contain hills and low tutges, with a large proportion of low situated lands; and they possess a few flocks of sheep, together with a considerable num ber of black cattle, and a corresponding extent of arable soils. The whole contain 18 parishes and 322 square miles of surface, being about of the county.
In the maritime district, which is nearly all a low country, above 20 miles long from east to west along the Solway Frith, and about four miles broad from that b'rith northwards, there is little waste land except peat bogs. The soil is, or may be cultivated to great advan tage. Considerable quantities of corn of all kinds are produced ; and a suitable number of cattle, with some flocks of sheep, of the improved breeds, answering low districts, arc also reared. This maritime district con tains 86 square miles, being about the surface of the county.
A territory more adapted for improvement can scarcely he mentioned. Vet it may be truly said, that, with re spect to most part of it, this work is hardly commenced. The means in some parts, especially in upper Annan dale, are at a distance; neither coal nor lime being work ed there ; and the markets are also remote. In various parts, the conditions on which lands have been held, are not well adapted for their improvement. There is no certain and easy market within the county for well fed cattle and sheep in quantities. The market for wool is heavy and ill regulated. Many of the farmers are de ficient in capital and enterprise. The system of over cropping for corn still prevails, and that of cultivating rich grass in the pastures and meadows is far too little encouraged.
The population has augmented so much as to furnish hands for the labour necessary in executing improve ments, and also an additional demand for produce. In 1755, the inhabitants of the county were returned to Dr Webster at 39,788 ; by the public statutary returns in 1801, the number had risen to 54,597; and by the same returns in 1811, this number was farther augment ed to 62,783; not including 120 yeomanry in three troops, 400 men in a battalion of six companies, and 719 in each of the two battalions of ten companies, fitst of the Nitlisdale, and, secondly, of the Annandale and Eskdale local militia, in all 1958 men ; which, with 284 men serving for this county in the regular militia, amount in whole to 2242 men, as the domestic or de fensive force of the county. This number, added to the last population list, raises the total number to 65,025 souls, not including those who serve in the regular army or the navy.
The mineralogical structure of Dumfries-shire has been repeatedly surveyed. Professor Jameson publish ed a survey in 1805, which having been designed as the first part of a general survey of Scotland, was drawn up on a plan suited for that purpose. Previous to that scientific survey, the county gentlemen, in 1800, had engaged Messrs Busby, coal viewers from Northumber land, to make a practical survey ; and some directions having been prepared by the late Dr NValker and also by Mr Jameson, the county meeting of Dumfries gave instructions to the NIessrs Busby, and they made their survey and report in 1800, which was published by Dr Singer in the Appendix of his Agricultural Survey 1812. Major General Dirom of Mount Annan having suggest ed these useful undertakings, as proper to accompany the map of the county prepared by Mr NV. Crawford, he also formed a table with sections of the mineralogical structure of Duna' ies-ahice, which was added to the other engravings on that map, and contains a very dis tinct and intelligent abstract. But few counties have been surveyed of late years, with more general attention than Dumfries-shire ; a great deal of useful information was communicated by the Busbys, and also in General Dirom's table, and in the work published by Professor Jameson, all in succession ; and yet, after all, the field of investigation appears to be little more than opened. The discovery oh coal and lime in various districts where these mineral treasures are much wanted, remains yet to be made ; and no roof slate or metallic repositories have been opened in consequence of the late surveys.