Agricultural Progress in Ireland 



201 



fertility was exactly that part which the tenant 

 could cultivate easiest^ and for which he 

 paid the highest rent. The late Bill has 

 placed the landlord completely at the power 

 of his tenantry. He can exercise no control 

 over their husbandry, however mischievous 

 or detrimental it may be ; and, therefore, for 

 the reasons I have given, coupled with the 

 difficulty of getting hold of land to square the 

 farm (always necessary before attempting to 

 drain), I have determined to abandon all 

 further attempt at reclamation, at least on any 

 land that may not be in my own hands. I 

 regret it much, for it has hitherto not only 



paid me well, but has proved of immense 

 benefit to my tenantr}^, to whom I have, up 

 to this time, given constant employment to 

 every man that would take it during the win- 

 ter months ; and vast has been their improve- 

 ment in comfort, in respectability, and 

 general conduct.'' 



The spread of scientific education among 

 farmers in Ireland would, no doubt, obviate 

 the difficulty referred to ; landlords would 

 have more confidence in their tenants, and 

 tenants would be less inclined to pursue a 

 " mischievous and detrimental " course of 

 husbandry. 



EARL SPENCER ON IRISH AGRICULTURE. 



THE speech of Earl Spencer at the 

 dinner of the Royal Agricultural 

 Society of Ireland is always interesting, 

 and this year is no exception to the rule. 

 Replying to the toast of " Prosperity to the 

 Country," he made reference as follows to 

 the agricultural condition of Ireland : — 



There is nothing more important than the 

 cattle of the country. It is always well to 

 see how far the cattle have increased or 

 diminished during the year. At the present 

 time it is a matter of the deepest interest, 

 as we all know to what high prices meat 

 has risen in the sister country of Great 

 Britain. I am glad to say that the returns 

 are favourable to Ireland in two respects, 

 both as to the stock in this country and 

 the exports to Great Britain. I have been 

 informed that all cattle have increased in 

 Ireland, in 1872 over 187 1, to the number 

 of 2252. The only class of stock that has 

 diminished are pigs, which number 234,000, 

 but, if we take the value, we find an increase 

 to the amount of ;6 2 7 6, 5 2 6. That, I 

 think, will be gratifying to you as 

 members of the Royal Agricultural 

 Society of Ireland. In England, on the 

 other hand, stock has diminished, notwith- 

 standing the large exports from this country. 



The exports from this country are very 

 remarkable, particularly from the latter half 

 of 187 1, amounting as they did to ;^i6o,88i, 

 whereas, for the corresponding period of 

 1872, they amounted to ^^260, 11 7, an 

 increase of ^^99,236. Now, from these 

 figures I think we may draw two very useful 

 lessons. It shews to the farmers of this 

 country, who have been very careful of their 

 stock, that they have not been tempted by a 

 sudden rise of prices in England to send off 

 the stock on which they must always depend 

 for increasing the produce of their herds. 

 In England, I think, during the years when 

 there was a very great drought, the farmers 

 were obliged to diminish, in a most dangerous 

 manner, the stock they had on their farms ; 

 and I think it is to this, and to the greatly 

 increased consumption of meat, is due much 

 of the diminution of stock in Great Britain. 

 I think that in another season we may draw 

 from the larger quantity of stock that is sent 

 over from Ireland to Great Britain ; that 

 the Scotch and English value very much the 

 cattle that they get from Ireland ; that they 

 have found the Irish stock very useful in 

 their farms ; and, moreover, it shews that the 

 restrictions that are put on the importation 

 of cattle have not been imposed in vain. 



