Dictionaries of the Scots Language
Dictionars o the Scots Leid

Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

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About this entry:
First published 1952 (SND Vol. III). Includes material from the 2005 supplement.
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

CROFTING, n.

1. Continuous cropping; under the old method of farming, the arable or in-field land so cropped.Sc. 1743 R. Maxwell Select Trans. Agric. 12:
By turning of this Croft-land into Grass, the Labour and Manure that has yearly been bestowed upon it, may be employed in improving and enriching the other third part, and bringing it into Crofting.Ib. 213:
The Farms are generally divided into Crofting and Outfield-land.

2. The practice of croft-holding; the holding itself. Often attrib.Sc. 1851 Second Report Relief Destit. Highl. 1850 42:
The crofting system was first introduced, by the arable part of the small farms previously held in common being divided among the joint tenants in separate crofts, the pasture remaining in common.Sc. 1861 G. H. K. in Vac. Tourists (ed. Galton) 158:
Land under cultivation [in Sutherland] . . . not only in the form of large farms, but of cotters' croftings.Sc. 1918 J. P. Day Public Admin. Highl. and Isl. Scot. 155:
To these favoured counties [Inverness, Argyll, Ross, Orkney, Shetland], Sutherland and Caithness were added, completing the list of the seven crofting counties.Sc. 1992 Herald 28 Mar 9:
Most of Britain's rare bird population lives in the crofting counties and with the writing on the wall for agricultural subsidy no farming lobby has moved quicker than the SCU to align itself with the environmental movement which now influences rural policy. Sc. 1997 Shetland Times 21 Nov 19:
Let us work together with the Tourism and the Environmental Task Force to produce and implement practical proposals for wildlife tourism in the Crofting Counties. Sc. 1998 Press and Journal 24 Jun 1:
Mr Maclennan called for the restoration of a scheme axed under the Tories providing 100% Treasury grants for road improvements in the crofting counties. Sc. 2002 Scotsman 14 Oct 9:
He said that with hunting already banned in Scotland and salmon fishing in Highland crofting counties under threat of compulsory purchase, any suggestion that river boards were ignoring legislation could be used as a lever by reformers pressing for change.