Agriculture –
The improvement in agriculture in this parish within the last sixteen years has been very great, particularly on the estate of Redcastle, where it is now carried on with great spirit, and in a very substantial manner. The lands are laid out and cultivated in the most modern style, and the appearance of the fields is now very different, indeed, from what it was even twelve years ago. There are now many scores of acres yielding wheat and green crops, which were then useless, without any other cover than short heath and broom. Both the heritors are liberal in giving encouragement to their tenants in improving waste lands, by allowing them L.5 Sterling for every Scots acre they improve, and leaving it in their possession during the currency of their lease, without rent. Nearly the whole arable lands of the estate of Redcastle, with a considerable part of the waste lands, are in the possession of six principal farmers or tacksmen. These farms are now worked by horses, from two to six pair for each farm. The three largest of these farms were formerly occupied by small tenants, each paying a rent of from L.12 to L.60, L.70 and 80. Some twelve or fourteen of these small tenants occupied among them what is now in the occupancy of one individual. These farms have been laid off with regular boundaries, and are subdivided into regular fields. New steadings of the most complete description, with comfortable dwelling-houses, have either been built, are building, or are about to be built, on these farms on the Redcastle property. Substantial stone dikes have been built, and are building, around the several subdivisions of the farms. Similar improvements are in progress on the estate of Kilcoy, and I understand, that both the tenants and the crofters have got lease of from nineteen to twenty-one years, so that when the proposed improvements are completed, few parishes will present a more highly cultivated appearance than the parish of Killearnan. The principal tenants raise heavy crops of wheat, barley, oats, rye, pease, beans, potatoes, turnips, and clover, in great abundance. The returns are various, as the season varies. If the summer be dry, the returns may be from three to four, but if the summer be warm and rainy, the returns may then be from six to eight.

Rent –
The rent per acre of the large farms may average L.2 or L.2. 2s. The average rent per acre of the Kilcoy lands, though not yet so highly cultivated (they are liming) may be from L.1. 15s to L.2. The remuneration of the farmer varies, of course, with the markets.

There are no fish-curers in this parish, though a few boats go every season for a few months to the Caithness herring fishing, at great risk, and great previous out-fits; they succeed pretty well some seasons, and at other times they return with considerable loss.

The principal farmers rear upon their own farms their own horses and cattle, necessary for the farming purposes. From which stock, they are able to sell a yearly portion of each kind. In the end of harvest, they buy a good many young cattle for the consumption of their straw, and sell them at the summer markets, sometimes with considerable profit. They also by in cattle and sheep for feeding on turnip, for the fleshers at Inverness. The sheep are fed in folds on the field; and the cattle are fed in stalls in their squares.

Produce –
The average amount and value of raw produce yearly raised in the parish, as nearly as can be ascertained, is as follows: