Volume 3 - Electric Scotland

ST. KILUA.
181
Excepting a small tract near the villag^e, the whole
island is in pasture, though the soil would admit of cul-
tivation to any extent. But the violence of the west
winds limits the agriculture to the south-east declivity,
where there is most shelter. This tract is held conjointly
by all the village, on the system of run-rig, the ridges
being- interchanged after three years ; and the work is
performed by the spade and caschroni. The produce
consists chiefly of bear, as in the Long Isle ; but it is
the finest in the Highlands, having* maintained its cele-
brity even from the time of Martin. The oats are much
inferior in quality, and are very scantily cultivated ; nor
are potatoes grown to nearly the extent which is usual
in Highland farming. There is no attempt at a garden,
of course. The same reporter gives a less favourable
account of the grain than I received, and says that the
returns do not exceed three. A few horses are kept for
the purpose of carrying peat, together with some goats,
which are milked like the sheep. But the pasture is prin-
cipally allotted to sheep and black cattle. In Martin's
time, the former amounted to about 1000, and the latter
to 90 ; a tolerable measure, probably, of their present
proportions. As Soa and Borera contain also from 400
to 500 sheep each, the whole amount of the flocks belong-
ing* to St. Kildamust be about 2,000. The breed of sheep
is exclusively the Norwegian, distinguished by the ex-
treme shortness of their tails ; and the wool is both thin
and coarse. They are occasionally of a dun colour; and
are subject here, as well as in Iceland, to produce an
additional number of horns. This mutton is peculiarly
delicate, and highly flavoured. The cattle are small, and
both the ewes and the cows are milked. The cheese,
which is made of a mixture of these milks, is much
esteemed; forming one of the prevailing articles of ex-