CHAPTER VIII.--AGRICULTURE AND STOCK.

Little agriculture in ancient days--Black cattle--Blood taken from living cattle--The bowmen--Hill shielings miserable places--Introduction of sheep farming--Sheep farms forested--Sheep deteriorate pasture--Ancient breed of sheep--Present farms--Run-rig--Crofts established in Gairloch--Crofters' crops--The cas-chrom--Sir G. S. Mackenzie on imperfect agriculture--On indolence--The Highland husbandman--His negligence--Sir Francis Mackenzie on imperfect cultivation--On manures--On the cas-chrom--On lack of industry--On absence of gardens--Introduction of the potato 136