THE ISLE OF MAN — ITS AGRICULTUKE, CLIMATE, ETC. 359 



But if stock-farmers and graziers were all alike anxious to get 

 clear of the disease, and apply the proper cure, it might be 

 eradicated from amongst the flocks of Great Britain in twelve 

 months. 



THE ISLE OF MAN— ITS AGRICULTURE, CLIMATE, ETC. 



By John Honeyman, Crosby, Isle of Man. 



[Premium — The Medium Gold Medal] 



The Isle of Man is situated in the Irish Sea, at about equal 

 distance from England, Scotland, and Ireland. Its nearest point 

 from England is St Beeshead, Cumberland, about 30 miles east ; 

 from Scotland, Burrowhead, 16 miles north; and from Ireland, 

 Strangford, 27 miles east. The distance from Douglas to Liver- 

 pool, 60 miles ; from Ramsay to Whitehaven, 28 miles ; from 

 Mull of Galloway, 21 miles ; Belfast, 38 miles ; and from Holy- 

 head, 45 miles. The centre of the isle is 54° 16' north latitude, 

 and 4° 30' west longitude. Its length from north-east to south- 

 west is about 30 miles, and its greatest breadth about 12| miles. 

 Its circumference is about 75 miles, embracing an area of 209 

 square miles, or about 145,000 statute acres; of these 30,000 

 are occupied by bare and bleak mountains and commons. Its 

 population is upwards of 52,000. 



Eor civil purposes the island is divided into two districts, 

 northern and southern. Each district contains three sheadings, 

 of which Ayre, Garff, and Michael are the northern, and Kushen 

 Middle and Glenfaba the southern districts. Each sheading 

 comprises six parishes, except Garff, which has only five ; 

 there are thus seventeen parishes in the island altogether. In 

 ecclesiastical affairs, the isle constitutes a diocese, under the 

 jurisdiction of a bishop, an archdeacon, a vicar-general, and an 

 episcopal registrar. The see is in the province of York, and in 

 the patronage of the Crown. 



The island is long and narrow. On approaching it, its appear- 

 ance is rugged, bold, and mountainous. A chain of hills running 

 from south-west to north-east, a distance of twenty miles, divides 

 it north and south. Considering the small extent of country, the 

 hills are high, — the highest, Snafell, is over 2000 feet above the 

 level of the sea ; and in clear weather, from its top may be seen 

 the shores of England, Scotland, Ireland, and Wales. This chain 

 of hills, running west beyond the town of Peel, terminates in a 

 precipice overhanging the sea ; the mountains are for the most 

 part rounded, and are covered with turf and heather to their very 

 summits. The inhabitants for ages have carried away the sur- 

 face soil and used it as fuel, which has materially injured the 

 pasture ; even the heather is short and stunted, and sheep do not 



