PARISH OF BUCHANAN.

PRESBYTERY OF DUMBARTON, SYNOD OF GLASGOW AND AYR.

REV. WILLIAM FREELAND, MINISTER.

III.-POPULATION.

From the middle of last century, the population has constantly declined. It appears from the parish register, that, on an averaze of ten years from 1715, the number of baptisms was 49, which is four times more than the present amount.
 
Dr Webster's return,
1755,,
gave 1609,
Statistical Account , 1793, ,
1611,
Census - , 1801, ,
748,
Do. , 1831, , (should have been) 600,
The number stated in last census is 787, which is greatly over-rated. It was taken early in summer, when, besides the resident population, there were many women and children from the adjacent villages, and even from Greenock, employed in the annual cutting of oak copse: these were all included in  the return to Govemment. The real amount is stated in the table. The decrease of the population is ascribed to the enlargement of farms, and to the introduction of sheep-husbandry.

There is no village in the parish. The whole population may be called agricultural; for though there are about ten families of tradesmen, none of them depends exclusively on his trade. There is a register kept of baptisms, marriages, and deaths; but the first is incorrect, as many parents omit to register their children, and the omission is calculated at one-sixth of the whole number.
 
The yearly average for last seven years of births registered, 10
do. omitted,, 2
of deaths,, 7
of marriages,, 3
In explanation or the marriages, or rather proclamation of banns, it must be stated, that the total number for the last seven years, where both parties, and where the male parties were parishioners, was 21,-thus giving the average of three, as entered in the table: but during the same period, there were also nine other proclamations, where the female parties only were parishioners, which are excluded, as belonging to other parishes where the male parties reside.

The people are sober, industrious, and religious, As the parish is on the Highland border -, a part of the inhabitants still retain the Gaelic language. There are few, however, that do not understand English.

IV.-INDUSTRY.

AyricuZture.-As there is no survey of the whole parish, the following table, so far as the woods and wastes are concerned, is conjectural. Extent of arable land, 1500 acres. lawn at Buchanan House, 750 improveable, 550 -~ 2,800 natural wcods, 3000 planted do. 1250 - 4,250 7,050 acg§ Brought over, 7,050 Extent of waste or irreclaimable pasture, . 09,750 76,800 Wiods.- The planted woods are almost entirely the werk of the late Duke of Montrose, and consist chiefly of oak and larch. The management of the natural woods was greatly improved by his Grace. They are divided into twenty-four hags, or cuttings, one of which is sold by auction every year. The whole are cut down in the space of twenty-four years. That period has been found most suitable for felling copse-wood, as the bark has then arrived at its most perfect state for tanning, and as the wood adds little to its growth, for some years afterwards. The old stools are cut over and neatly dressed, close to the surface of the ground, that the young shoots may send out roots to draw nourishment directly from the earth. Blanks are filled with young plants where the ground is wet, all the surface drains are scoured, and new ones added, if necessary. The young wood, for six years, is carefully fenced from cattle: afterwards, it 'is twice thinned and pruned. At every cutting, some of the fairest trees, especially if grown from seedlings, are preserved as standards,~greatly to the ornament of the country, and to the advantage of the proprietor. The sales of natural w~od, for the last seven years, have averaged L. 950, while those of planted woods have averaged L. 1300,-amounting tdgethe? to L. 2250 yearly, exclusive of timber used for houses and farms oil the estate. A saw-mill, and one of Ryan's patent tanks are in full speration for the use of the estate, and all timber used in buildings is steeped in the solution. Manufrcture&-A manufactory of pyrolignous acid iras been established for several years at Balmaha; which annually tonsumes 700 tons of small wood, not measurable. The wood costs 7s. per ton, laid down at the works. All kinds of hard-wood are used; but oak is preferred. The products are acid and dye-stuffs, which are used in the print-works around Glasgow. Parm&-There are ten farms, varying in rent from L. 1500 to L.40. There are a few possessions of smaller size, and the work-men employed under the proprietor have each a house, garden, and pasture for a cow, with liberty to gather winter fodder from the grass of plantations. 'rhe lower part of the parish is amble, consisting of alluvial soil on the bank of Endrict, and of inferior soil, of various kinds, clay, gravel, and moss, rising towards the mountain range. The rent may be stated at L. 1, 5s. per acre. 3 In the upper part, especially along the side of Lochlomond, there is some dry fertile ground, bearing good crops of oats and barley; but the arable proportion is so small to the mountain pasture, that it is little regarded when a tenant estimates the value of his farm. lie ascertains the number of sheep which it keeps, and calculates the rent at from L. 3 to ~ 3, 105. per score. The sheep are black--faced, of small size. Some attempts are making to improve them. Cheviots have been tried, but found not to answer, on account of the elevated exposed situation. The whole parish, except some islets, and one farm of L. 40, belongs to the Duke of Montrose. The rent is L 5000, 17s. 6d: if the sales of wood, amounting to L.2250, be added, the annual return to the proprietors is L.7250, 17s. 6d. Produci.-The following table contains the average gross produce of the farmers and others: 400 acres of oats, at 5 boils, give 2000 boIls at 165. L.1600 90 do. of barley, at 6 boils, 540 do. at 1~.1, is. 567 110 do. or potatoes and turnips, at L S, . 880 L.3,047 0 0 960 0 0 1260 0 0 750 0 0 200 0 0 16,500 sheep, at 55. 6d. each, 240 milk cows, at L.4 each, 840 black cattle, at L. I, lOs. each, 25(1 cattle grazed in Buchanan ground, at L.3, 10 young horses reared, and sold at L.20, 7,707 10 0 Total produce of crops and cattle, LIO,754 10 0 In this table, no notice is taken of hay, though grass:seeds are sown with the white crop after turnips and potatoes, because, from the want of a market, the hay crop is generally pastured with cattle. No value is put on grass gathered from woods, or on natural hay, of which a great deal is made on many farms; both being included in the estimated produce of live-stock. V.-PAnOCHIAL ECONOMY. There are no towns or villages, no post-offices, and no turnpike-roads in the parish. Ecclesiastical State.-The church is situated in the lowlands, and is a plain edifice, very neatly finished, sufficient to accommodate 300 sitters. The number of communicants at last sacrament was 255, of whom 79 are heads of families. There are 120 families, of which 10 families are Dissenters. About one-third of the population is upwards of ten miles distant from the church, scattered along the side of the lake, and in Glendow and Glenarklet. For them Divine service is occasionally, during summer, performed 8TIRLING. 0 õœ_ _ at Inversnaid. It is most desirable that a missionary were estabushed in that district. The manse was built in 1797, at a little distance from the church. Previously the minister lived, at the distance of three miles, in the original manse which was situated on the bank of the lake opposite to Inchcaileoch. The glebe contains 85 acres, but mostly bad ground, not worth more than lOs. per acre. The stipend consists of L. 126 of money, and 24 boils of oatmeal, with a small allowance from Government, to make up the annual value of L. 158, 6s. 8(1. Poor and Parocitiol Funds.-The number of paupers is 24. The ordinary funds for their maintenance are the collections at church, varying from L. 20 to L. 28 per annum, and the interest of L. 400 of poor's stock. The family of Montrose are also very liberal to the poorer parishioners, giving clothes, meal, money, and sometimes grass for a cow. Education.- The parish school is attended by 50 scholars in win-ter, and by 40 in summer. During the latter season, the peeliug of oak bark interferes with the attendance at school. The salary is L.31, with house and garden. There is a charity school at Salochy, in the upper part of the parish, attended by 40 scholars in winter, but scarcely by the half in summer. The teacher has, besides a house and cow's grass allowed by the proprietor, a salary of U. ls~aid by the Society in Edinburgh. A very few parents pay school-fees for their children. A small school is opened at Inversnaid. The teacher receives U. S from a lady in the neighbourhood, and is attended by 10 or 12 scholars. The best teacher there could not collect 20. To do justice to the scattered population, the school should be not fixed, but ambulatory. MISCELLANEOUS OBSERVATIONS. The population, though now only one-third of what it was a hundred years ago, is still lik6ly to decline. In the Highland district, the people are straitened, and their numbers superabundant. They have work enough in summer, during the time of wood-cutting; but they are nest to idle, during the rest of the year. To give them constant employment, it may be recommended, 1. to · extend and improve the araisle land of the pastoral district; and, - by introducing turnip crops, to ameliorate the stock of both sheep · and cattle; 2. to plant with larch, and with oak where practicable, bleak and barren tradts, not merely for the purpose of shelter, but as a profitable investment of capital, for it appears that _ pla nted woods are far more profitable than natural; and, 3 to open up roads throughout the whole parish, by continuing the present road from Rowardennan along the east bank of the lake, and joining it in Glenfalloch with Arrbchar turnpike, and by repairing the old road to Inversnaid garrison, to maintain a communication through Genarklet to the western part of Perthshire. Drawn up February 1838. Revised March 1841.