Ordnance Gazetteer of Scotland .. - National Library of Scotland

Wheat.—NAIRNSHIREdirection, and was gradually deflected towards the Eand ESE on approaching the plains of Nairn and Moray.In certain parts of the county there are two distinctboulder clays, which are separated by an importantseries of inter-glacial sands, gravels, and finely laminatedclays. The older of the two boulder clays isusually more tenacious than that which overlies theinter-glacial beds, and the stones are generally moredistinctly grooved. Admirable sections showing theorder of succession of this glacial series are exposed inthe streams draining the Cawdor moors. An examinationof the stones embedded in the boulder clays showsthat even in the areas occupied by the gneiss striatedblocks of red sandstone occur in considerable abundance,thus indicating that the ice was compelled to move Ealong the slopes of the hills, bearing along with it thedetritus from the Old Red Sandstone tracts to the areasoccupied by the metamorphic series. In the valley ofthe Nairn, at Clava, Mr Eraser, O.E., Inverness, hasobtained marine shells from fine blue clay belonging tothis inter-glacial series. The upper part of the sectionis composed of yellowish boulder clay, consisting ofgravel, sand, and stones, with a mixture of clay, whichreaches a depth of 45 feet. About 20 feet of sandunderlies the boulder clay, and below the fine sand theshelly clay is met with, the bottom of which has notbeen pierced. A few smooth stones occur in the shellyclay, but they are not so numerous as in ordinaryboulder clay. Indeed, from the nature of the deposit, aswell as from the state of preservation of the shells, it isevident that these stratified sands and clays indicate adepression of the land in inter-glacial times. Theheight of the shelly clay is about 500 feet above thepresent sea-level, so that the submergence must haveequalled, if it did not exceed, this amount. Thefollowing shells were noted from this section : Littorinalitorea, Lcda 'pernula, Natim Groenlandica, PUurotomaturriada, Nuciila tenuis, Tellina Balthica, Cardiumedule, Astartc com^nessa, Bucciniim imdatum, etc. Theclays also yielded a considerable number of species ofForaminifera,Resting on the upper boulder clay there is a greatdevelopment of moraiuic gravels on the moory groundbetween the basins of the Nairn and Findhorn ; sometimesforming long sinuous ridges upwards of Jmile in length, which enclose shallow lochans orpatches of peat. By far the most interesting developmentof the kamiform series occurs on the low groundbetween Nairn and the W boundary of the county.Beginning at Meikle Kildrummie this prominent ridgeof sand and shingle is traceable W to Loch Flemington,a distance of 3 miles. At the former locality theheight of the kames is about 100 feet above the sea-level,and towards the W limit they rise to the level of 140feet. This long kame forms a prominent feature on thebroad platform of sand and gravel to the S of the railwaybetween Nairn and Fort George. It stands indeedat the edge of the belt of fertile ground formed bythe 100-feet ten'ace. In addition to this ancient terracethere are remains of the 50-feet beach to the E of thetown of Nairn, though of limited extent. But along theshores of the firth between Fort George and the mouthof the Findhorn the 25-feet terrace is well developed,though covered to a considerable extent by vast accumulationsof blown sand. The inland cliff, consisting ofstratified sands, gravel, and clay, resting on boulderclay, which marks the border of this ancient beach, iseasily followed from Fort George to Loch Loy. Theterrace is of variable breadth, sometimes measuring only200 yards from the present coast-line, sometimes 2Jmiles across. One of the most interesting features connectedwith this sea beach is the great development ofsand drift on its surface, particularly in the neighbourhoodof Culbin. Formerly one of the most fertile tractsin the province of Moray, where stood the mansionhouseof Culbin among richly cultivated fields andhomesteads, the area occupied by the Culbin sandhillsis now but a desert waste, whose contour is changed by«very wind that blows. The invasion of the sand-drift96NAIRNSHIREtook place in 1694, and so effectual was the inroad thatonly a small portion of the estate escaped, which wasburied by succeeding storms. Various interesting reHcsare now and again picked up where the drifting of thesand has laid bare part of the old cultivated laud.These consist of coins and farm implements, butnumerous flint arrow heads belonging to neolithictimes are also met with in isolated heaps. A considerabledevelopment of sand dunes rests on the 25-feetbeach near Fort George, but to the E of the town ofNairn, between Loch Loy and the mouth of the Findhorn,the features which they present are worthy ofspecial note. The Maviston Sandhills, which lie about4 miles to the E of Nairn, consist of two prominentdome-shaped masses of sand—the one lying to the E ofthe other—which are partly surrounded by small conicalheaps of sand. Each of these sand domes slopes gentlyto the W at an angle of 5°, while at the E limit theangle of inclination is between 30° and 40°. Beyondthe county boundary the extensive forest named theLow Wood covers the plain of the 25-feet beach, which isdotted at intervals with minor accumulations of blownsand. To the E of this plantation lies the tract of theCulbin Sands, measuring about 3 miles in length andabout 2 miles in breadth. The centre of the area isoccupied by a succession of great ridges of sand upwardsof 100 feet high, sloping towards the W at a gentleangle of a few degrees and with a much higher inclinationtowards the E. These dome-shaped accumulationsare surrounded by conical heaps and ridges trendingfrom WSW to ENE, and var3'ing in height from 10 to30 feet. The surface of the great domes as well as theminor heaps are beautifully ripple-marked by the wind,and sections of the mounds display excellent examplesof false bedding. With reference to the question of theirorigin the following explanation has recently beengiven :'There is a combination of circumstances inthat district favourable to their- formation. The Findhorncarries an enormous quantity of sand at present tothe sea every year, and this denudation must have jjroeeededsteadily since glacial times. When this sedimentis discharged into the sea, it is borne W and SW by thecurrents along the shore, and is eventually depositedon the shelving beach by tidal action. It is thencaught up by the winds and borne inland in an Edirection. But in addition to this it is highly probablethat the prevalent W winds caught up thedeposits ofsand belonging to the 100-feet beach and swept themonwards in the direction of the Culbin area. Viewedin this light these sandhills give us some idea of theenormous denudation which is constantly going on overthe surface of the land. ' The course of the Findhorn atits mouth was changed after the advance of the CulbinSands. Formerly it flowed W from Binsness for adistance of 3 miles and joined the sea at the old bar, butowing probably to the sand drift it was compelled toflow N into the sea.Soils and Agriculture.—The soU in the eastern partof the laich ' ' is a rich free loam, overlying sand orgravel, and in the western part is in some places a stiffstrong clay, in others a sharp mould inclining togravel. In the uplands the arable lands are haughsalong the valleys of the streams, or light stony, or sandy,soU on the slopes and braes. The arable land is mostlyin the coast and centre district, and the proportion fitfor cultivation found among the uplands and mountainsis less than in most other counties. Great improvementhas taken place during the present century. The acreagesunder the various crops at different dates are given inthe following tables :Year.|1854, . .1870, . .1877, . .1883, . .Graik Crops.— Acres.Barley or Bere. Oats. Total.1714J26691353130i2237'270130997752160896045B89712,597i8,6928,8379,031