The Marquis of Queensberry sells annually about L. 600 worth of oak bark, and wood of different kinds.

Rent of Land.-The average rent of land in Cummertrees is under L. 1 Sterling per acre. The valued rental of the parish is 3715 merks; the real rental nearly L. 8000. The average rate of grazing a cow or full-grown ox is L. 3, 10s. per head; for fullgrown sheep, 5s. per head.

Rate of Wages.-Men as farm-labourers during the summer months have 2s. and 1s. 6d. a-day; for the winter months they have 1s. 6d. and 1s. per day. Females for out-door husbandry have 1s. in summer, and 10d. per day in winter. Ploughmen engaged by the year have a free house, and in money and provisions to the amount of L. 20 Sterling per annum; those who get their board and lodging in the farmer's houses receive about L. 12 per annum. Dairy maids about L. 6 per annum. Housekeepers about L.S per annum. Country artisans have 2s. 6d. or 3s. during summer, and Is. 6d. or 2s. per day during winter.

Breeds of Cattle.-The few sheep that are bred in the parish are generally a cross between the Cheviot and South-downs. The farmers in general consider it more advantageous to buy sheep for eating their turnip, than to rear them. Many of them let their turnips to graziers to be eaten by sheep upon the ground by the week at so much per head. When turnips are scarce, they let high, as 5d. or 6d. per sheep; and when plentiful, as low as 2d. and 3d. per sheep.

Husbandry. The general duration of leases is nineteen years. Many of the farm-houses, and most of the inclosures in the parish, are in good condition. So great are the improvements in Cummertrees within the last thirty years, that the appearance of the parish is entirely changed. Many hundred acres of land, which thirty years ago were lying open and waste, are now well enclosed with neatly kept hedge-rows, and either covered with thriving plantations, or regularly cultivated upon the most approved system of husbandry.

Quarries and Fisheries.-There are two freestone quarries and one of limestone in the parish. The only fishery is stake-net fishery, rented at about L. 400 per annum. The poor people have liberty to take white fish from 25th September to 10th March.

Produce. The gross amount of raw produce raised in Cummertrees, as nearly as can be ascertained, is as follows:

Market-Town, &c.-The nearest market and post-town is the borough of Annan, four miles distant from the parish church. There are three villages, viz, Cummertrees, Queensberry or Powfoot, and Kelhead, near the lime-works. The means of communication enjoyed by the parish are excellent. The parish roads are kept in good repair, and it is intersected by upwards of twelve miles of turnpike roads.

Ecclesiastical State.-The situation of the parish church since the chapelry of Trailtrow was annexed to Cummertrees is inconvenient for the inhabitants in the northern boundaries of the parish, being upwards of five miles distant from some of the houses in that direction. The church was founded by Robert the Bruce. Before the Reformation, it was in the diocese of the Bishop of Glasgow. It has frequently been rebuilt and enlarged. At present it contains accommodation for about 450 sitters, and is in a good state of repair; but it is much too small to hold the number entitled by act of Parliament to church accommodation.

The manзe was built about thirty years ago, but is very insufficiently finished, and is smaller than the ordinary style of manses of the present day. The glebe is 24 Scotch acres in extent, and is worth about L. 28 Sterling per annum. The amount of stipend, including the Government allowance of L. 37, 10s. 4¦d., is L. 150, with the usual allowance for communion elements. The whole free teind of the parish at the time it was valued amounted only to six chalders, that is, four of meal, and two of barley; but at that time a large portion of the parish was undivided common; and some have

been so uncharitable as to say that the valuator took his report from a proprietor, without examining into the state of the parish. There are no dissenting or Episcopal chapels; but there are in the parish 19 families of dissenters, and 2 of Episcopalians.

The number of communicants in the Established church has increased 80 within these three years, yet in all, the average number does not exceed 350. About 247 families attend church.

Education. The number of schools in the parish is three, one parochial, one endowed, and one unendowed. The branches taught in the parochial school, besides the ordinary ones, are navigation, geography, Latin, and Greek. And at the other two schools, reading, writing, and arithmetic. The parochial schoolmaster has L. 30 of salary, with the usual allowance of house and garden and schoolhouse, and about L. 30 of fees. The charge, per quarter, for English reading, is 2s.; reading and writing, 2s. 6d.; arithmetic, 3s. 6d.; and Latin and Greek, 5s. All in the parish above eight years of age can read, and the number of those who cannot write does not exceed twenty-five. Education, within these thirty years, has produced a very favourable change in the manners and habits of the people. It has enlarged their ideas, polished their address, and freed them from much prejudice and superstition. No ghosts, fairies, or brownies are to be heard of now. It is, however, much to be regretted that true Christian piety, from whatever causes, has rather retrograded than kept pace with the intellectual improvements of the community.

There are three Sabbath-schools in the parish, one of which the minister superintends. The other two are in more remote parts of the parish. The number of children attending these amounts to about 220.

Poor and Parochial Funds.-The average number of persons receiving parochial aid is 26, and the average sum allotted to each annually is about L. 3. Some individuals, who are incapable of doing any thing for themselves, receive as high as L.8 per annum, payable quarterly. A part of the allowance is judiciously appropriated by the heritors and kirk-session to the payment of house rent. The church collections amount to about L. 28 per annum, which is distributed quarterly by the heritors and kirk-session; and when any farther sum is required, the heritors voluntarily assess themselves to the amount, according to their rentals,—and it deserves to be mentioned to their honour, that they have never been backward to grant additional relief to the poor of the parish when

requested by the kirk-session. Among the native poor, that is, among those who have been born and brought up in the parish, there is still a very general and honourable pride, which renders them averse either to seek or accept of parochial relief, and none of them complain of the smallness of the sums allotted. But among those who have come from distant parishes, and obtained settlements, the feeling against receiving parochial relief is neither so strong nor so general. The Irish, in general, use every method that cunning can devise to get a parish settlement.

Inns and Alehouses.-There are three inns and two alehouses within the parish, besides two on the very boundaries of the parish; all licensed to sell ale and spirits, the effect of which is most pernicious to the morals, the health, and comfort of the inhabitants.

Fuel. The fuel of the country people is mostly peats, and costs in cutting, winning, and leading home, about 1s. 2d. per cart load; but excellent coals can be had from the opposite coast for about 8s. per ton of 14 cwt.

MISCELLANEOUS OBSERVATIONS.

The improvements that have been made in Cummertrees since the publication of the last Statistical Account are extensive and varied. What was then peat-bog, the resort of the bittern and lapwing, is now laid out in beautiful green pastures, and surrounded by thriving hedge-rows. There were then scarcely ten acres of wood in the parish, now there are upwards of a thousand. Then, most of the farm-houses were built with low mud walls, covered with straw, which had scarcely a frame of glass in their windows; now, most of the farm-steadings are substantial stone and lime buildings, covered with flag or slate, and kept in a neat and comfortable manner. The only great drawback upon future improvements, and a still greater return of yearly produce from the land, is the high rents of many of the farms, and a consequent yearly diminution of capital among the farmers. Nothing could contribute more to the health and comfort of the labouring-classes in this parish, especially of those who reside in villages, than land whereon to keep a cow, and to grow a few potatoes. The digging of the field would occupy many hours that are spent in idleness, or in the public house, while their cows-milk, and their potatoes, would keep their family from want during the winter months, when little outdoor work is to be had.

March 1834.

PARISH OF DORNOCK.

PRESBYTERY OF ANNAN, SYNOD OF DUMFRIES.

THE REV. NICHOLAS SLOAN, MINISTER.

I.

TOPOGRAPHY AND NATURAL HISTORY.

Name, Boundaries, &c.-THE name of the parish is said, in the former Statistical Account, to be derived from the Celtic words Tor or Dor, signifying an oak or wood, and nock, a knowe or hill. But this derivation is questionable; for of the venerable oak, there remains neither root nor branch, and of "hills" this parish cannot boast the grounds being generally level. Dornock is situated in a neighbourhood proverbially beautiful in its scenery, and much frequented for its salubrious breezes, and for its sea-bathing. Its extent from east to west is 23 miles, and from the Solway Frith to the river Kirtle, about 5 miles. It might have been nearly a square had not a piece of common ground, belonging to Kirkpatrick-Fleming, detached two properties in the north from the west of the parish. It is bounded by the parish of Annan on the west and north; by Kirkpatrick-Fleming on the north-east; by Graitney on the east; and by the Solway Frith on the south. When viewed from the north side of the village, the ground rises in a gentle acclivity, forming a kind of semicircle, bounded by thriving plantations.

Soil, Climate, &c.-The soil is generally fertile, and now, under the improved mode of culture, yields abundant crops. The climate is healthy, and the air of late years is said to be milder than formerly. The most prevailing winds are from the south and southwest; but often from the east, when they are generally chilly and piercing, not without rain.

The parish is well supplied with perennial springs of water; one of which is in the glebe, as transparent and sparkling as crystal, pleasant to the taste, light, and much resorted to as giving relief in cases of colic; its composition, however, has never been analyzed. No coal or lime have been found in the parish; but it is not doubted that, were a few enterprising individuals to make the trial, both might be had in abundance.