LEL ROADS ) The population of Inverness-shire, in 1311, was estimat ed at it is much to be feared, however, that it has not been on the increase since that period. The sheep farming system, prosecuted with so much eagerness by many of the great proprietors, particularly by those on the western coast, has compelled the Highlanders to emigrate with their families to America, in bodies so considerable as to depopulate large districts.
Some of the great landed proprietors in this county arc, the Duke of Gordon, the Earl of Moray, the Earl of Sea field, Lord M'Donald, Lord Cawdor, Fraser of Lovat, APDonald of Clanronald, M.Leod of M'Intosh of M'Intosh, M'Donell of Glengarry, M'Pherson of Cluny, Chisholm of Chisholm, Cameron of Lochiel, &c. The whole Valued rent of the county, as fixed by the commissioners at Inverness in 1601, amounts to about 72,8361. Scots.
The difference which exists between the climate and character of the east coast, and that of the west, is produc tive of very different modes of turning the surface to ac count. The comparative flatness and dryness of the for mer encourages aviculture, which in many districts, par ticularly about Inverness, the Aird, Etc. has been carried to the greatest perfection. Grain of all sorts, such as IA heat, barley, oats, rye, &c. as well as pease and beans, are raised of the best possible quality. The farms are in general large, the leases of the duration of 19 years, and the tenants respectable. Lime is much employed as a manure, and green crops are every whre raised with suc cess, in these eastern maritime districts ; and they are even beginning to be cultivated by the more intelligent tenants in the higher glens. Many very spirited improve ments have been carried on by proprietors. Mr Bailie of Dochfour rendered arable a large portion of his estate, by trenching and draining. And Mr M‘Pherson Grant, of Ballindalloch, has effected a drainage on his estate of Invereshie in Badencch, upon a scale so great as hardly to be paralleled by the exertions of any one in dividual. We regret that our limits do not permit us to give a detailed account of an undertaking so interesting to the rural economist ; but we cannot pass it over without noticing the outlines of it. The subject is a large, flat, alluvial deposition, evidently formed by the river Spey, which runs along the north side of it to enter Loch Inch. It is bounded on the south side by the ground rising from the valley, on the west by the river Trornmie, there join ing the Spey at right at gies ; and on the east by a round hill, dividing it from Loch Inch. Extending about three
miles in length, it is, at its greatest breadth, about three quarters of a mile, and contains about 630 Scots acres: It lies so level in its whole extent, that not above three or four feet of fall could he obtained. Numerous springs rising in the ground itself, and the water of upwards of ten streams of different sizes, discharging themselves into it from the hills on the south, contributed to render it a morass, which, whene%er the Spey overflowed its banks, was converted into a large sheet of water. A partial de fence against the river had been begun at the junction of the V4101 the Spey ; but finding that this was quite ineffectual, Mr Grant began. in 1807, to carry a more substantial embankment h our this point, all along the edge of the Spey, towards the junction of that river with the lake, where he united it to the north end of the round bill, already noticed as existing there. Beginning at the the lake, he cut a canal up through the opt ning to the south side of the round hill, and continuing it up the south s.de of the flat, and along tile bottom of the high ground, he in this way intercepted all the streams, and compelled them to flow by the canal into the lake, through a valve floodgate, so el nstructed, as to prevent any regurgitation front its floods. Drains running diagonally fioni the em bankment, and discharging themselves into the canal, were cut across minus parts of the level, set ring not only effectually to dry it, but also to subdivide it. The whole length of embankment, following the sinuosities of the liver, is about three miles and a half, averaging six feet in height, and thiity feet in base. The canal is about three miles in length, and 21 feet wide. The whole expence of the work was about 23001., and the subject is improved about 3001. per annum. It is chit fly used as pasture ; but from some parts of it there are cut very rich crops of fine natural hay, chiefly florin. One field of 20 acres has re peatedly given upwards of 61. per acre of rent; which, when the high situation is considered, is pet haps no where equalled in the kingdom. Mr Macpherson of Belleville, also, has embanked to a very considerable extent on the north side of the river.