There are 11 heritors, 4 of whom, at prefent, refide. Tradefmen and mechanics, excluding apprentices, are as follows: Merchants, 20; tailors, 28; weavers, 27; wrights, 25; fmiths, 19; fhoemakers, 17; mafons, 7; dyers, 2; and 1 phyfician. The annual average of baptifms for 7 years previous to 1783, is 504; and for 9 years fince, ending 1791, it is but 333. The only cause that can be affigned for this decrease, is the tax upon registration; for, fince this tax commenced, there are many children (particularly females) born and baptized in the pa rish, whose names are not inferted in the register; because their parents are unwilling to pay the duty. This indeed is not fo much the cafe in regard to males, for two very obvious reafons, the chance of emigrations, and the difficulty of getting an exemption from labour upon the public roads, without an attefted extract from the regifter to show that they are superannuated. It was therefore deemed proper to give the average of baptifms, previous to the date of the act, because no certain conclufion, with regard to population, can be drawn from them fince that period, and, even before, many of them were never defired to be registered; otherwife, inftead of 50, the average number would have amounted nearly to 70.-Marriages and burials only began to be registered in 1785; and the average of the former, for 7 years ending 1791, is 183, and 313 burials. But neither of these can afford any certain data for calculation, for many ftrangers are buried VOL. IX.

Bb

here,

here, many parishioners are carried to neighbouring burying grounds, and many are not registered at all, in confequence of the duty not being paid; and marriages are registered only when the bride refides in the parish. The prefent number of inhabitants, at a moderate calculation, is onethird greater than it was 30 or 40 years ago. This increase is to be afcribed to the parcelling out of large farms, and the abundance of mofs and lime. The number of ploughs is about 230, of old ploughgates 80, of horfes 712, of cattle 3200, and of theep there may be from 1300 to 1400. Small farms, rent from L. 5 to L. 10; middle-fized farms from L. 10 to L. 20; large farms from L. 30 to L. 40: there is one at L. 50, and another about L. 80. A general measurement of the parish has never been made; nor can it be precifely stated what is the rent the acre. Where furveyors have been employed, they have usually rated the outfield at 6 s. and the infield at 12 s.; but the infield now generally lets from 12 s. to 18 s. or 20 s. and the outfield nearly in proportion.

Stipend, School, Poor, &c.—The present ftipend is 600 merks Scots, 4 chalders of meal, and L. 5 Sterling for communion-elements. The glebe, including manfe and offices, &c. is fcarcely 4 acres and a half. The Crown is patron. The age of the prefent incumbent is 86, and who has been minifter for 56 years.-There is a very good school-house; the number of scholars, at an average through the year, is between 3c and 40. The fchoolmaster's falary is about L. 4 Sterling. This, with 30 s. as feffion-clerk, school-fees, and fome other small perquifites, may amount to L. 12 yearly, which is all his emolument.-The number of poor on the roll is 60 and upwards. The annual amount of the funds for their relief, arifing from the weekly collections, interest of money, &c. is about L. 50. This,

with the charitable aid of their neighbours, removes the neceflity of their becoming vagrants, and makes them live pretty comfortably.

Mifcellaneous Obfervations.-The people are remarkably fober and humane, and very diligent in their callings. There is but I licensed public-houfe, and but little frequented, except by travellers. The induftry of those in the farming line here, as in most places, is not always attended with that fuccefs which might be wished. Seasons and circumftances, for fome years, have been much against them. Since 1782 the harvests have been very late and precarious. The price of meal (which, at an average, may be valued at 12 s. the boll) bears no proportion to the price of every article the farmer has to buy. But what is most complained of at prefent, is the extravagant wages of their fervants, which, for fome years, have advanced at the rate of 10 s. the year*. For these reasons, the condition of mechanics and fubtenants (who depend more upon their trade than the produce of the ground, and do not require fervants) is preferable to that of farmers. The condition of the farmers, as well as of the farms, might be meliorated by longer leafes; and by converting, at a moderate rate, that part of their rent which is paid in kind into money. This would leave the farmer at more liberty to profecute that mode of farming which he found moft fuccefsful; whereas, when a large proportion of his rent is paid in meal, he is tempted

The pound here is Amfterdam weight, as at Aberdeen; and butter ufually fells at, from 7 d. to 9 d. the pound; cheese, from 4 s. to 5 s. the ftone; beef and mutton, from 2 d. to 3 d. the pound; hens, from I s. to 1 s. 4 d. a pair; ducks a little higher; and eggs from 3 d. to 6 d. the dozen. Wages of a man fervant are from L. 6 to L. 8 a-year; of a maid fervant, from L. 3 to L. 4; of day-labourers, 8 d. a-day, with victuals, or 1 s. without.

tempted to overcrop, that he may make fure his rent. The moor and waste ground might be improved by letting it, free of rent, for a certain number of years. This inducement would do more than counterbalance every obstacle; for the most of it is dry, free of stones, of a fandy bottom, and the means of improvement at hand. Encou ragement for inclofing, especially where the leafes are short, would be beneficial. The multures exacted at mills are confidered as a grievance, and fome of the heritors are converting them into money. The diftance from any feaport, or market place, is another difadvantage. This, however, might in a great measure be removed, by leading a canal from Peterhead to the neighbouring parish of Deer; which, by moit people, is thought not impracticable. If a fund sufficient for this purpofe could not be raised by contribution in the neighbourhood, application might be made to Government for fome afliftance, which is feldom made in vain, when public utility is the petitioner,

NUM

NUMBER XV.

PARISH OF KINNETTLES,

(COUNTY OF FOR FAR, SYNOD OF ANGUS AND MEARNS, PRESBYTERY OF FORFAR.)

By the Rev. Mr DAVID FERNEY.

Name, Extent, Surface, Soil, Air, &c.

HE name is of Gaelic derivation, and fignifies

TH

"out

"from the bogg." This name applies with peculiar propriety to the old manfion-house of the estate of Kinnettles, which was built clofe to a piece of marshy ground, ftill called the Bogg*. The church being built within the boundaries of this eftate, that circumftance probably gave the name of Kinnettles to the parish. The form of the parish is nearly a fquare, having about 2 English miles for the length of each of its 4 fides. The fouth line or boundary feems, however, to be rather shorter than any of the other three. The parish is divided by a hill, one part of which is called Brigton, the other Kinnettles. The hill is arable, except a few acres of rocky land on that

The manfion-house is now removed about a furlong farther from the marth.