"The homes on the Lochtayside will be so far apart that a cock will not hear its neighbour crow." The Clearances reduced the population from around 3,500 to about 500 and the land was no longer cultivated but given over to flocks of sheep.
The homes on the Lochtayside are so spread out that even a rooster won't be able to hear its neighbor crowing. The Clearances led to a significant population decline, reducing the number from around 3,500 to about 500 people.  The land was abandoned for sheep grazing.