The church of La Candelaria gives name to the quarter of the town in which it stands, and was built by the settlers from the Canaries, called here Islenos, or Islanders. Besides these, there are two other parish churches, St Rosalia and St Paul, three monasteries for friars, two nunneries, and three hospitals, of which one is for lepers alone.

SCOTTISH REVIEW.

General View of the Agriculture, State of Property and Improvements in the county of Dumfries. Drawn up under the direction of the Board of Agriculture, and at the request of the Landholders of that county. By Dr Singer. 1 vol. 8vo. 18s. Edinburgh. Ballantyne.

about one third are whites. Among the remainder are a very few Indians; but the mixture of Indian blood is general. Almost all the handicrafts are carried on by freed-men of colour, who are in general ingenious, but indolent and indifferent to the highest degree. They promise, without the smallest intention of performing, and appear perfectly unmoved when reproached with their falsehood. But indifference on this score is not peculiar to this class alone.

The College is the only public institution for education; and hither all the youth of Caracas of the better classes are sent for that purpose. The routine of education is such, as it may be supposed to have been in Spain two hundred years ago a few common Latin authors, catechisms, and the Lives of Saints, being the chief studies. A free mode of thinking is, however, rapidly spreading among the young men, and may hereafter produce the most important effects.

:

The barracks, which stand above the town to the north-west, are large and commodious. They are of a square form, capable of holding two thousand men with ease; and, from their situation, might completely command the town, were they not overlooked by neighbouring heights. The view from them is extensive, over a great part of the valley, and a delightful promenade might be formed in front of them, with very little trouble and expence.

the lead among the southern and border counties of Scotland. Its chief town is the largest, and forms a species of metropolis for that part of the kingdom; and the range of wild mountains, which here extend nearly across the island, is broken in this county, by fertile and arable vallies. From this last circumstance Dumfries-shire exhibits agricultural practice in as great a variety perhaps as any other district of Great Britain. One part produces grain, and is in a state of high cultivation; another affords rich meadow pastures, while extensive mountainous tracts yield only a scanty herbage to flocks of sheep. For this reason the agricultural survey of this county is a task of considerable difficulty and importance; and Dr Singer, who is already known to the world by some useful essays on this art, was probably very well qualified for its performance.

Dumfries-shire is bounded on the south by the Solway firth, along which there extends a level and populous district. From thence it stretches northward in the form of an irregular ellipse, to the borders of the counties of Roxburgh, Selkirk, Peebles, Lanark, Ayr, and Kirkcudbright, which it successively touches. It is almost entirely mountainous, except the flat country on the coast of the Solway, and the valleys formed by three rivers, which give name to the ancient and natural divisions of the County: Nithsdale, Annandale, and Eskdale. The land upon the sea

coast

coast is arable, that upon the rivers arable and pasture mixed, the rest of the county altogether pasture.

The climate of Dumfries-shire possesses considerable advantages over that of the neighbouring counties. The chains of mountains which form round it a species of semicircle, shelter it from the winds of the east and north; and a large proportion of the lands have a southern exposure. Often, accordingly, when the mountain pastures of Lanark and Selkirk are buried in snow, those of Dumfries are affording a plentiful nourishment to the flocks. The climate is wet, indeed, like that of all the counties which lie upon the Atlantic; but Dr Singer observes, in compensation, that the rains are always accompanied with mild winds from the west, instead of those damps and hoar frosts from the east, to which the counties on the German ocean are continually liable. Of the forty-two parishes into which this county is divided, it is computed, that seven are maritime and level; eighteen midland, or consisting of the vallies formed by the three great rivers which perforate it; and twentyseven mountainous. Upon this calculation, eighty-six square miles will belong to the first description; three hundred and twenty-two to the second, and nearly six hundred to the third. The whole population, in 1755, according to the returns made to Dr Webster, amounted to 39,788; in 1801, it had risen to 54,597; and, in 1811, to 62,783. Of this last number 19,071 are calculated to inhabit the maritime district; 24,071 the midland; and 19,641 the mountainous district.

In the lower parts of the county, the soil is light, and tolerably productive, and the upper parts, when dry, afford good pasture; but in some parts, and particularly in Eskdale, the subsoil being retentive of water, the soil above becomes cold, and the herbage coarse. Gravel or sand is very pre

valent, and forms a constituent part of most of the cultivated lands; the fieds of loam are pretty considerable, and of great value. On the other hand, there are very extensive muir, which can with difficulty admit of any improvement. Dr Singer is, however, of opinion, that where the subsoil is dry, these may be rendered productive, and even be gradually converted into loam. There is a considerable quantity of alluvial soil, left by the rivers which have changed their beds. Its fertility depends upon the quality of the substances which those streams carried along with them. Near the heads of rivers, where the water has passed only over rock and mountain, the deposition is poor; but it becomes richer in waters that have passed thro' a level and fertile country. are large fields of peat moss every where spread throughout the county. A substance called sleech is also deposited in considerable quantity by the waters of the Solway. It possesses considerable fertility, and is found very useful for laying upon peat moss.

There

Dumfries-shire is not much distinguished for its mineral productions. Coal, that most useful and general product of Scotland, is not found, unless towards its extremities, at Sanquhar and Canobie. The maritime districts therefore are supplied from England, while the neighbourhood of Moffat is obliged to draw it from Lanarkshire by a carriage of thirty miles, which raises the price to ks. 6d. per cwt. Several trials have been made in different parts of the county, and thin seams have been discovered, but none which could repay the expence of working. The reporter is inclined to think, that if these trials had been conducted with greater vigour and perseverance, they might have been attended with success.

The most valuable part of the mineral substances of this county are the lead mines, situated near Lead

hills and Wanlockhead, in the south west part of the county, where it borders with Lanark. That district, which is said to be the highest inhabited land in Britain, is uncommonly bleak and barren, but is enriched by its subterraneous stores. The mines of Leadhills belonging to the Earl of Hopetoun, yield a rent of £.7000 a year; those of Wanlockhead, which formed part of the Queensberry estate, yield one of £.5000. The value of the total produce in 1809 is estimated at £.80,000. At Wanlockhead about 300 workmen are employed, and of course a larger number at Leadhills. Some of the agents who were men of intelligence, have founded small libraries, which are made accessible to the workmen at a moderate price. The good effects of this species of instruction are said to be conspicuous in their orderly and respectable behaviour.

In this quarter, too, there have anciently been found some traces, not wholly inconsiderable, of the precious metals. Gold is said to have been collected in the reign of James VI. to the value of £100,000, and some dust is still found in the rivers. Silver is extracted from the lead at Wanlockhead, but in the proportion only of from six to twelve ounces in the ton. At Glendinning, the property of Sir William Pulteney, a mine of antimony was discovered in 1760, though not worked till 1793; from which time to 1798 it produced 100 tons of the regulus of that metal, which sold for £.84 per ton, or £.8,400 sterling. This mine however is no longer open. In regard to agricultural practice, altho' Dumfries shire has partaken largely of the great improvement which has distinguished the present age, it has not made quite so much progress as some of the eastern counties. Certain remains of the old system are still discernible. The cropping of oats after oats is not yet altogether extinct. Dr Singer calcu

lates the average rent of the arable lands at 25s. per acre; that of the lowland pasture at 15s. and that of the mountain pasture at 5s. This is considerably inferior to those of some other counties, though this may be in a great measure owing to the less productive nature of the lands. The rents, however, are supposed to have doubled within the last ten years. In 1795, they were estimated at £.109,700; in 1808, by returns made to the tax office, they appeared to amount to £.219,000. It is worthy of notice, that, in 1686, a computation made by order of Oliver Cromwell made their amount only 238,031 merks Scots, or £.13,225.. 18s.. 4d. Sterling.

In districts which are only making progress towards improvement, it be comes necessary that the proprietors should take a more active part than elsewhere, in affording both aid and example. Their conduct in this county, by Dr Singers's statement, appears to be exceedingly meritorious. He has given some details respecting the management of particular estates, which may be both interesting and instructive to the public in general.

"The late Duke of Queensberry possessed the largest estate in the county, and the most valuable, amounting to above 150,000 acres, and contained in many different parishes, but lying mostly in the upper part of Nithsdale, and all under strict entail. A large portion of this princely estate is very low rented in consequence of that entail, and of the grassums or entries which were taken for leases, and for their annual renewal. His Grace had preferred this mode of letting lands before that which obtains over most of the rest of the county, where grassums are not in use, and where the rents are advanced considerably at every new set. Most of the tenants on this estate hold their farms on so easy terms as to amass money: but all permanent and substantial improvement

provements were naturally retarded, in consequence of the mode of lease by which they held them. The Duke did not build, nor enclose; nor has he protected his fine woods after cutting them down. Had the Duke allowed his commissioner, Crawford Tait, Esquire, to manage that great estate according to his own judgment, it would have been as well for the tenants, and better a great deal for both heirs and executors *.

Next, in point of extent, is the Duke of Buccleuch's ancient estate in Eskdale, comprehending most of that extensive pastoral district. The rents were low till the present year; but important and expensive improvements were executed at the charge of the tenants chiefly; and these were so judiciously arranged by his Grace and his men of business, that no estate within the county seems to be, generally, in better management. The leases are short, most of this estate being in sheepwalk; and such is now the character of these farms, that it is in the power of the Duke, at any time of letting, to raise the rents almost at pleasure. But his Grace did not open a market for them; he has only added to the rents from time to time, according as he judged they ought to afford. The tenants wished for nothing more than to see the rents and additions fixed by the Duke; and there is no instance of any of them objecting to or refusing his estimate. They are generally well-informed men, liberally lodged, possessed of good stocks and credit, living comfortably, and very much attached to their noble landlord.

'The Earl of Hopetoun has a large and valuable estate, lying mostly in the upper part of Annandale. No

This noble inheritance has divided into

two parts by the death of the late Duke;

one part devolving on his Grace the Duke of Buccleuch, now Duke of Queensberry also; and the other part falling to the most

Honourable the Marquis of Queensberry, formerly Sir Charles Douglas, of Kelhead.

grassums or entries are taken on this estate; but his Lordship's managers consider it right to advertise for of fers when the leases expire. Of course, most of the farms let at eonsiderably advanced rents. Moderate sums are allowed for buildings; and these are generally accommodated to the rents and to the views of the tenants. His Lordship also allows money for inclosures, the tenants paying 6 per cent., and being taken bound to uphold. A considerable extent of sheep walk has been let in this way; and a great deal of arable lands will soon be in the market. The new leases on this estate are drawn with a view to prevent way-going tenants from injuring their farms; an object not only legitimate on the part of the lord of the soil, but necessary, too often, in consequence of the scour ging practices of the tenants, and seldom to be condemned, if sensibly drawn, and not too restrictive on the sagacious farmer, nor too precise as to the mode of cropping, which must sometimes depend on things not easy to provide for in drawing up leases, because not capable of being fore

seen.

The Earl of Mansfield's property is lower situated in the same district of Annandale. His Lordship has been at pains to arrange his farms, and to let them in a systematic way, by the aid and advice of gentlemen of scien tific as well as practical eminence in agriculture. All new arrangements have to combat new difficulties; yet this mode of laying out an estate ought to be liable to few objections. It seems to combine more knowledge than most great landholders can per sonally acquire, with more attention than, in general, they give to a matter which lies at the foundation of their prosperity, and of the future interests of their families and tenants.

Sir Charles Douglas, now Marquis of Queensberry, had the merit of having sought out and accommodated

several

several eminent farmers on his estate. Their farms are in this county considered large, embracing from five to six hundred acres, mostly arable; and they have suitable houses and fences, and leases at such a rent as to encourage improvements. He has also endeavoured to lead his old tenants into the practice of superior managers. A new and very neat and pleasantly situated inland village has been erecting under his Lordship's eye, on his property at Cummertrees; and at Glen Stuart, in a retired and sheltered spot, he has planned and executed a summer residence of an elysian character in point of neatness and rural elegance. His lime-quarry (the finest in the county) would also have been the most productive if it had not been let in lease, without a sufficient obligatory clause on the tenant for completely clearing it of water.Marle is also used by some of his improving tenants, one of them having, in five years, laid on sixteen thousand cart loads of shell marle on his farm. Considerable plantations have been executed on this estate, in addition to the old wood; and, as it is favourably situated near the Solway Firth, the proprietor is liberal in support of every thing that tends to open up the communications, and to improve the agriculture of the district, and of the county at large +.

'Sir Alexander Jardine appears to bestow most of his time and attention on the accommodation of his tenants, and the silent, yet steady, improvement of his compact estate, which lies nearly in the middle of the county,

Mr Thomson.

The succession of the Duke uf Buccleuch and of the Marquis to the old and vast estate of Queensberry is an event that promises much advantage to this county.The Marquis has already been actively employed in arranging very liberal plans of improvement, for the benefit of his estate and of the county at large; and the Duke will no doubt support him in them.

and comprehends a most improveable tract of lands on both sides of the river Annan.

'Mr Murray, of Murraythwaite, vice-lieutenant, has afforded an example of the most liberal and successful attention to all matters of public interest, affecting either the county or the nation; while, at the same time, by looking to the concerns of his estate, it has not only been improved, but embellished also. This gentleman has enjoyed the double satisfaction of planting trees, and living to see them well-grown and fit for use. In him those habits of active intelligence and useful example, which are beneficial to the country, have been favourable also to health. Mr Murray is either the patron or the supporter of every public measure that he considers proper and useful, whether it belongs to the landed or to the commercial interests of the country, to its improvement or defence; and though he now enjoys the most respectable aid and support from his nephew, Lieutenant-Colonel Murray, his personal efforts continue without interruption to promote the public interest, at a venerable and respected age.

To Major-Gen. Dirom, of Mount Annan, the obligations of the county are well known, for his well-digested account of its mineralogical structure, and for the personal efforts that he has made for extending discoveries in that line, and for promoting and facilitating the communications of the several districts. Those habits of close and regular thought, and of distinct arrangement, by which the General was enabled to promote the military interests of the kingdom, both abroad and at home, and in the exercise of which he has presided over the department of quarter-master-general in Edinburgh, have been carried into his own estate, and have contributed very much to its improvement. Every thing on it has the appearance

of