Land-owners.-The greater part of the parish belonged, at an early period, to the family of Montrose, who still retain the superiority, though they have alienated all the property but one farm. Originally, the patron of a church was proprietor of the parish annexed to it. In 1429, six churches, Cambuslang, Tarbolton, Eaglesham, Luss, Kirkmahoe, and Killearn, were, with consent of the patrons, erected into prebends of the cathedral of Glasgow.* Vicars were appointed afterwards to these parishes; and, as an illustration of their comparative opulence, the stipend assigned to Killearn was fifteen merks, while that of the others was twenty.+  In, that erection, Patrick Lord de Graham is mentioned as patron of Killearn. In 1560, William, second Earl of Montrose, gave to his youngest son,- by a charter of that date, the lands of Killearn, Ibert, and Drumbeg.#  A descendant of that family represented the county in the British Parliament, during the earlier part of last century. When he entered England, he could not fail to observe the nakedness of his native land. He was the first in this district who attempted, by plantations, to improve the climate, and to adorn the country. Besides the usual forest trees, of which there are many beautiful specimens at Killearn, he was among the first that introduced the larch into Scotland. From want of timely thinning, the larch trees have not thriven, as they are remarkable only for extreme height; many of  them being 100, and one 114 feet high. In the former Statistical Account, they are said, when sixty years old, to be three feet in diameter; now when they are upwards of 100 years, 1 could find only one that was 3 feet, at the height of three feet from the ground. In 1750, the estate was sold to Mr Scott of Glasgow, whose only daughter was married to Sir James Montgomery, Bart., Chief Baron of the Exchequer. That excellent man here, as well as in his native county of Peebles, patronized rural improvement, by feuing ground for the village, by enclosing his whole estate with hedges, and by giving leases generally of fifty-seven years, to enable his tenants to reap the benefit of their outlay on their farms. The result of these leases does not seem encouraging either to tenant or landlord. The farms were all let at a fair rent, varying from 5s. to L.1 per acre, and are all arable, except one farm. During the first twenty years, the tenants seem to have been industrious. According to the former reporter, "they were, on the whole, doinig very well." Now, forty years afterwards, when some of the leases have expired, and the others will expire in the course of four years,-more than one-half of the tenants have become bankrupts, and have been ejected: only three are wealthy, yet their houses, fences, and lands, are behind the average rate of improvement.

The most efficient improver in this parish, and in others with which he was connected, was the late Mr Dunmore of Ballikinrain. In the end of last century, he introduced turnpike roads, cotton manufactures, and a general system of planting waste ground. The manufacturing establishments were unfortunate, and have been abandoned; but his other rural improvements have been zealously followed by his son, R D. Napier, Esq. the present proprietor. The other proprietors, in a descending series, are; Sir Archibald Edmonstone, Bart. of Duntreath; John Buchanan of Carbeth; George Wilson of Auchniven; Thomas B Buchanan of Boquhan; William Finlay of Moss; Alexander Speirs of Culcreuch; William Maeleroy of Glenboig; William Edmond of Ballochrain; the Messrs Provan & Co. of Ledlewan, and the Duke of  Montrose,-all of whom have estates rented at upwards of L.50 year, and most of whom are resident.

*  Chartulary of Glasgow, quoted in Connel on Tythes, Vol. iii. Appendix, No.13.

+ The following table shows the rent of Luss and Killearn at later time,:
 

Luss, Valued rent 1656,	L.l500 Scots.	Real rent 1841,	L.7000.
Killearn, Do	L.2840	Do	L6900

# Douglas' Peerage-Article Montrose. These names continue still unchanged. Ibert, according to Dr Macleod of St Columba's, Glasgow, signifies the Well of Sacrifice, equivalent to Holywell in Ireland Drumbeg is Celtic for little ridge.

Eminent Men.- In  the year 1506, George Buchanan, the poet and historian, was born at Moss, about a mile south from the church. Part of the house in which he was born, with a thatched roof resting on oak spars, remained till 1812, when a modern house was built on the site by the late proprietor, who made out of the oak spars, a chair and table, to be preserved in memory of Buchanan's birth. An obelisk in honour of him was erected in the village in 1788. The height is 103 feet. The expense, which was defrayed by subscription, amounted to L.200 for building, and L.95 for scaffolding. It is said to be an exact copy of the monument erected at Boyne, in Ireland, to commemorate the victory of William III., in  the year 1690.

Buildings.-The estate of Killearn was purchased in 1814, by John Blackburn, Esq. of Jamaica, who has recently fitted up an elegant mansion-house on the banks of Blane. Mr Buchanan also, last summer, finished a showy castellated mansion at Carbeth. The manse was built in 1825, and the church in 1826; both are comfortable and substantial. The expense of the former, including L.300 for offices built in 1815, was L.1100. The church accommodates 500 sitters, and cost L. 1050.

The amount of the population is slowly but steadily progressive. After the middle of last century, there was a temporary diminu tion, occasioned by the union of small farms; but this was more than compensated by the increase of the village, which ancient ly contained about twenty families, clustered near the church. About the year 1770, Sir James Montgomery laid the foundation of its improvement, by granting building-leases of ~99 years. The rent was L.2 ~ Scotch-acre.- The extent ~aried frbm two roods to six acres. As the village is far from fuel, and even from running water, it did not seem a place favourable for the establish ment of manufactures. It was desirable, however, to prevent the introduction of pauperism; and for this purpose, by the suggestion of the late Rev. James Graham, it was stipulated, that each pos ~ession, as originally let, was to remain eDtire, and to be occupied by only one family. As the proprietor was non-resident, this sti pulation was not strictly observed. When Mr. Blackburn pur chased the estate of Killearn in 1814, he expressed his approba tion of the restriction, and his intention to enforce it- In l~0, he raised an action hefore the Court of Session, against those who would not dismiss their subtenants. By that time, there were two families at an average on each possession; and in many cases,

·the practice had coutinued, for upwards of forty years. Several tenants, trusting to the plea of prescription, resolved to litigate the poin~t; but before they entered the G(,urt, ~ compromise was proposed, and ultimately agreed to, on the intervention of tl~

"I

minister, viz. that subtenants should be allowed, provided they he natives of the parish, or strangers who had previously acquired a leg&l domicile by three years' in(lustrial residence. This limi tation, by excluding vagrants, secured every good purpose of the original stipulation In the lease, while it allowed the tenants to enloy the full benefit of their existing buildings. The village is scattered and irregular; yet., as the generality of the inhabitauts

~~ossess fixed property, they are free from the vioes and vicissitudes df a manufacturing population. The number of Inhabitants, at different periods, is shewn in the following table
Vijiage. Country. To~al.
]75~ - - 959
1769, 74
1794, 223 750 973
1831, 388 818 1206

The register of baptisms and deaths is not correct; that of marriages only can be depended upon. During the last seven years there have been 56 marriages, and, consequently, 8 at an average every year. In thi~ list are included those marriages, where both parties, or at least the males, resided in the parish. During this period, 20 female parishioners were married to males residing in other parishes but of these, none are included in the present list. It were desirable that this rule should be observed, as otherwise, the same marriage may be twice reported, where the parties reside in different parishes.

There may be one illegitimate birth in the parish, annually, at an average.

It is not probable that any great difference will take place in the number or condition of the inhabitants, either in the village or country. The following particulars are taken from the Go vernment census of 1831:-
1 nhal,Ited houses, - 182
Families, - 215

Males, - 623

The character of the parishioners is decent and pious, occa sioned mainly by the constant intercotirse subsisting between householders and their domestics. Farmers, as well as 'ri~lagers, sit in the same apartment with the inmates of their houses, and eat

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with them at the same table. Kindly feelings are thus generated between masters and servants; while the latter are prompted to diligence, and prevented from irregularity, by the presence of the forme?.

A₉ricuZture.- Of the 17,000 acres given as the probable extent of the parish, not more than 7000 are at present under the plough; but additions are annually made to the arable district, and some thousand acres might still be brought into cultivation. In the present depressed state of the markets, it is advisable to expend capital in improving the ground alread~ arable. The most fa shionable and most profitable improvement, is what is called fur row, or frequent draining. While every proprietor has commenced Qperations on the clay retentive soil, which abounds in the parish, Mr Blackburn has taken the lead. His drains are only sixteen feet asunder, and filled with broken stones. The effects of his system are now visible on a farm of 200 acres, which, from being drenched with moisture ill winter, and from being baked with the heat of summer, was of little value either in crop or pasture; but now, in consequence of draining and deep ploughing, it produces luxuriant crops of turnips and grail). In the latter years of his life, and since his death, in 1840, his son, Mr Peter Blackburn, has extended drainin~ to eve~y part of his estate. He erected, in 1~7, a kiln for burning drain tiles, which yields about 500,000 annually.

Plantations an(l PasŁu~.- TI' ore is little natural wood in the parish. The extent under plantation, is about 1140 acres. The object of proprietors is to convert these plantations into copse, fil ling them entirely with oak, and cutting them, every twenty years:

yet, as oak bark has fallen to about L.8 per ton-less than half or the war prices, and as there is a growing demand for fir, especial lylarch, it is probable that the latter will be more extensively plant ed. The annual value of wood sold, is about L. 400. It may increase considerably beyond that sum, as a great part of the oak copse is not arrived at perfection.

The ground that is waste, or in permanent pasture, extends to 8860 acres, and admits of some improvement by draining marshes, and by sheltering exposed ground by artificial plantations-even though not partially brought into cultivation.

farmers and by tradesmen. Among all of them, there is diffused a spirit of improvement. Within the last thirty years, the produce has been doubled: still much remains to be done. The soil is far from that state of fertility, of which it may he made capable, as the best patches near the village are let at L. 1, 12s. per acre, while the average of the whole arable land is about iSs. The rent of the whole parish may be stated as follows:
ArabIa, 7000 acre, at isa., L.~25O 0 0
Hill pasture, 8860 do. . . 1250 0 0
Plantation, 1140 do. . . 400 0 0
17,000 L.6,900 0 0

The following statement of the gross produce is perhaps near the truth

Imperial acres. Produce per acre.
1500 30 bushels at ~. 6d.,
360 36 do. 39. 61~,
60 40 do. ~ 6d.,

200 at L. 6 per acre,

60OatL.2 do.
In eats, barley, wheat, potatoes, hay, turnips, beans,
tares, &c 200 at L.5 per acre,
2. Stock.

Total produce.

45,000 bushels,

12,960 do.

2400 do.

6100 0 0

In explanation of this statement, it may be mentioned that the dairy produce of each cow, could not be rated at L 5, without in cluding the value of calves reared (for none are fattened); that a half only of the horses annually reared is sold, the other half heing required to keep up the stocks; and that a part of hay, and the whole turnips, beans, and tares, are employed in feeding cattle and horses, and ought not, therefore, to be placed to the credit of the farm, were it not compensated by the value of old sheep and old cows annua'lly sold, for which 110 charge is made. The sheep are s~d as great ewes in spring, or fattened in the end of the season. The old cows are sold with most advantage to, Glasgow dairy men, when they are near calving, and there is a regular demand for such,.as they give milk only one year, and as
Total value.
L.5625 0 0
2268 0 0
615 0 0
1200 0 0
121)0 0 0
1000 0 0
L.Il,90B 0 0

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they are nearly ready for the butcher, as soon as the milk ~eason is ended.

Manufaeture#.-There was a cotton-mill in the parish, which was burtit down in 1806, and has not been rebuilt; and a priatfield, which was abandoned about the same time, and is now become ruinous. There is now only one manufacturing establishment~ the woollen factory of Mr John Jamieson, where 400 cwts. of wool are used annually, and where it passes through all the various processes, till it is converted into cloth.

'Ecclesiastical State.-The church and manse are both substan tial and commodiu~. The former is well attended; the number of communicants is about 4~0; the male heads of familie~ in com munion, by the roll of last saerame~t, are r53. There is no Dis senting place~Of worship in the parish; only 26 families are Dissen ters; yet all of these, with one exception, occasionally attend the parish church. The last augmentation of stipend was in 1814, when the teinds were exhausted. The stipend consists of 184 holls of meal, 4 bolls of barley, and L. 3 in money. The glebe consists of 8 acres of land, worth L.12 annually. The value of the living, at an average of four years, is L. 150.

Education.-There Is one parochial school in the village, with a salary to the master_of L.31 annually, and;an allowance of L. 8 in lieu of a house and garden. There are three private schools in different parts of the parish, maintained exclusively by school. fees. The number of scholars is about 170: they are taught only the elementary branches. There is also a Sabbath school in the village, which is attended by nearly 100 children.

Poor.-The regular poor are 12 at an ~verage,a~d rec~ive about L4 each in the year: a few, perhaps si~ orthereby,rece~ve necaslon al aid at Christmas, and at JAmm as, when the sacrament is, dispe~ sod. The whole expense amo~nts to L.54. The incoine consists of ~lections in the church, amounting to ~ 5~ and the interest of capital, L. 4.

The parish, except in regard to eda~ation, may he said to be in a healthy state. A general spirit of improvement is promoted by the example and encouragement Of the Ilumerous resident hen. tors. One drawback is the distance from fuel, from manures, and fro~ markets; and good roads are the.only means of obviating that disa~vantage. In 1768, the last minister introduced the no-

p

velty of bringing lime, on a single horse cart; prior to that tim~ lime was never thought of as manure, and coalswere earried on horses' hacks. Turnpike roads were introduced from 1790 to 1800; but the lines were very injudiciously chosen. The dis tance from the village to Glasgow, is seventeen miles; but it is be lieved a more level line can be found, two miles shorter. The ex tent of turnpike roads is about twelve miles; the surfiace is m~ch smoother and firmer from the introduction of Macadamiziug; and in consequence, the usual load of a horse is raised to a ton ;- whereas till about ten years ago~it varied from 12 to 15 cwt&, ez~ clusive of the weight of the cart.

February 1841.
 

THE REV. H. BUCHANAN, MINISTER.

I.-TOPOGaAPHY AND NATURAL HISTORY.

Na,ne.-FROM time immemorial, the name of this parish has been the same. It is derived from the Blane, a small stream which rises in the north-east extremity of the parish, and, after running southwards for more than three miles, turns to the west, and flows onwards, for more than four miles, towards the nortli.west. It is generally agreed, that Blane signifies tbe warm river." The strath of the warm river is peculiarly descnptive of the valley, which is sheltered, in almost every direction, from the violence of the wit~ds.

Eztent.-The average length of the parish is rather more tilan five miles. The breadth is about four. The surface comprises ~bout 20 square miles. Its figere approaches the form of an oh long square.

Boundaries.- The parish lies in the south-west corner of Sti~ lingahire; and is bounded en the east, by the parish Of Canipsie; en the south, by Baldernock and East Kilpatrick; and en the west and iiorth; by Killeara.

The Strathblane h~ls, forming a branch of what~wene ~~rly