NUMBER IV. PARISH OF PENCAITLAND. (COUNTY AND PRESBYTERY OF HADDINGTON.-SYNOD OF LOTHIAN AND TWEEDALE. By the Rev. Mr HENRY SANGSTER, Minifler of Humbie. Form, Extent, River, and Surface. T is nearly of the form of an oblong fquare, extending about 4 miles from E. to W. and 3 from S. to N. The river Tyne, running in a direction from W. to E. divides it into 2 nearly equal parts, which rise from it by a gradual and eafy afcent; and the fouth, after rifing nearly to a level with the north part, flopes gently to the small rivulet of Kinchey, which divides this from the parish of Ormiston. Soil, Cultivation, and Produce.-The foil in general is wet and clayey, and confequently not adapted for the turnip fyftem. The old East Lothian mode of farming is to be met with here, and not the beft mode even of it. Upon two farmis, indeed, where the foil is fit for raifing turnips, that fyftem is adopted, and, in the execution of it, there appears a great degree of skill and attention. One of them, poffeffed by Mr ALEXANDER WIGHT, writer to the fignet, has exhibited, for fome years past, a state of cultivation not furpaffed, if equalled, in any part of this county. VOL. XVII. E Farms Farms and Rents.--Land lets from 12 s. to 36 s. per acre. The farms are of various fizes: They are not too large, nor are they of that diminutive fize, which, though it may give the appearance of population to a country, muft prevent the markets from being fupplied to that degree with grain, that is requifite for the fuccefs of manufactures, and will always produce a difpirited and unskilful tenantry. The valued rent is 6519 1. 8 s. 4 d. Scotch. The real rent may be somewhat above 3000 1. Sterling. Minerals and Mineral Waters.-Free ftone is found in many places, and there are two quarries of it for fale. Coal abounds in this diftrict. It has hitherto been dug only in two places, in the higher grounds; the one on the south and the other on the north fide of the Tyne. From these pits coal is obtained for a great part of the south and east districts of this county, and a good deal is carried to Lauderdale. A pit has also been funk lately near the Tyne, and an engine is erecting for clearing away the water, as the feam of the coal lies much deeper than the bed of the water. Lime-ftone may probably be found in many places; kilns, however, are erected only upon the estate of Pencaitland; and fome idea may be formed of their extent, from the circumftance of 45 cart-loads of coal, weighing each 15 cwt. being frequently ufed in the space of a week for burning the ftone.-There are feveral fprings of water of the mineral kind. They have never met with much attention from the public; but are held in high estimation by the common people, for fcorbutic diforders. Climate and Diseases.-The air is more falubrious than might be expected in a fituation fo low, with the Tyne, a muddy flow running water, paffing through the middle of it, and and many detached trees upon its banks, and in hedge-rows, in general through the parish. Local diftempers are unknown. After a late or wet harveft, putrid fevers, indeed, are prevalent; and in these cafes, the adminiftrators of the poor's funds give affiftance, where it is neceffary, with their usual humanity furnishing medicines, and paying for the attendance of a furgeon. Woods.-There are 155 acres of natural wood, confifting of oak and birch, and about 191 are planted with forest trees. Sir Andrew Lauder has kept a register of the increafed fize of a number of trees near his house, and intends to continue it. The following is an extract from this register: Girth of an elm, in 1788, 3 feet above the Feet. Inches. Medium annual increase Girth of an oak, in 1788, at the fame height, 3 W Around Winton House + there are feveral uncommonly fine trees. Some beautiful artificial banks have also been formed near the house, at the time it was built; but the whole now, by being totally neglected, and though the fite of the houfe is Both these trees were 40 years old, and each of them increased 2 inches in one of thefe years. + This was a fpacious building, erected in the year 1619 for Lady WINTON, at the advice of a favourite of hers, an architect, when the Earl propofed to her the alternative of an addition to her jointure, or a houfe, and fhe chofe the latter. is pleasant, has a fombre appearance, and inftantly fills the mind of the spectator with the idea of the folly of engaging deeply in faction, whereby an estate, (of which this is a part), more valuable and more commodious than any other of the fame fize in Scotland, was loft for ever to its owners. The young woods on the eftate of Fountainhall, it has been obferved, have of late fuffered much from fquirrels, which were introduced fome years ago at Dalkeith, and have spread to this neighbourhood. They have attacked the Scotch firs in the proportion of about 1 in 20, and almost every larix and elm. Already many of each of them are killed. If the harm they do in other places be as great, and be progreffive as they multiply, this intended improvement will be unfor tunate. Population.-From the number of births registered during the last 10 years, compared with a like period at any time fince 1750, it would appear that the population has been increafing in that degree which might be expected in a district like this, where the whole inhabitants are not employed in agriculture. This may be the more readily admitted as fufficient evidence of the fact, that in the country parishes, many of the common people, fince the date of the tax upon the registration of baptifms, do not regifter the births in their families; a circumftance to be regretted, as it may, in the course of events, be attended with bad consequences to their posterity. From various enumerations, however, taken at different periods, it is certain that the increase has been by no means uniform, as will appear from the following table. POPULA POPULATION TABLE OF THE PARISH OF PENCAIT LAND. Number of fouls, as returned to Dr Webfter in 1755 Decrease in 24 years Ditto, by another accurate enumeration, in July 1793, 1033 Roads.-The roads are not in good repair. This is to be accounted for, from the nature of the foil, a deep wet clay, the * The increase during that period has been occafioned chiefly by the houses, lately erected by JOHN HAMILTON, Efq; of Pencaitland, for his colliers, whofe numbers, including their families, being 110, the increase, independent of that circumftance, has been, during the above period, 37. The other inhabitants are employed in the lime-works, and the different occupations of husbandry. |