THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. 



or apprehensions of cultivators by unnecessary in- 

 quiries." 



Mr. Donnelly, in describing the origin and mode of 

 collecting the agricultural statistics in Ireland, stated 

 that the present system commenced in 1847. The returns 

 are now obtained annually in the month of June. The 

 constabulary in the rural districts and towns, and the 

 meti'opolitan police in and around the city of Dublin» 

 procure the information. The number of enumerators 

 employed is about 4,000, to each of whom a certain 

 number of town-lands is allotted. Each farm or hold- 

 ing is -visited by an enumerator, who ascertains from 

 the occupier, or some person connected with the farm, 

 the acreage under each crop, and the number of live 

 stock. The maps of the Ordnance survey enable mis- 

 takes in returns of acreage being detected. The dis- 

 trict assigned to each numerator averages about 5,200 

 statute acres, and five or six weeks are given for the 

 collection. The information is voluntarily and readily 

 furnished by the whole body of farmers and occupiers, 

 now being in all about 600,000 persons. 



Prior to the year 1847, the census commissioners, 

 in 1841, procured and published, in their report, infor- 

 mation showing the number and value of stock in the 

 country, and the number of holdings, in five classes, 

 according to size ; but the acreage of the several crops 

 was not obtained in that year. Under the present sys- 

 tem of conducting the inquiries, not only is the acre- 

 age of each crop ascertained, but also in the autumn 

 its probable yield, which is published at the beginning 

 of the following year, thus enabling ai-rangements to 

 be made for the supply of any deficiency in the pro- 

 duce of the preceding harvest. The average yield is 

 obtained for each electoral division by the same body 

 of enumerators who had procured the acreage under 

 the various crops, and the returns of the yield made by 

 them are all submitted for revision to the Poor Law 

 Guardians of the respective unions. 



The statistical data furnished by Mr. Donnelly in 

 support of the value of the agricultural statistics were 

 exceedingly interesting, as marking the changes and 

 improvements that have taken place in Ireland, which 

 but for his recorded facts, we should have been unable 

 to arrive at with any degree of certainty or precision. 

 Taking the returns of last year, and comparing them 

 with 1850, we find there has been an increase of 237,000 

 acres in meadow land ; of 45,240 acres in flax — a no- 

 ticeable feature, as there had been a decline in the last 

 few years ; an extension of 320,000 acres under green 

 crops, and a decline of nearly 500,000 acres under 

 cereal crops — showing that stock is taking the place of 

 grain. 



Last year there were 598,413 holdings, of which 

 157,608 were farms above 30 acres. Between 1841 

 and 1851 there was an extension of 1,500,000 acres in 

 the arable land, and since then much more unculti- 

 vated land has been brought into use. 



The progression of live stock has been very consi- 

 derable. The net increase in the value of all the stock 

 owned between 1841 and 1859 has been nearly 

 £15,000,000. The number and estimated value of 

 this stock in 1859 was as follows : 



No. Value. 



Horses and mules . . 648,379 .... £5,187,032 



Asses 169,354 .... 169,354 



Cattle 3,815,598 24,801,387 



Sheep 3,592,804 .... 3,952,084 



Pigs 1,265,751 .... 1,,582,189 



Poultry 10,251,749 .... 256,294 



£35,948,340 

 The importance of the collection and publication of 

 the statistics of agriculture in various continental and 

 colonial countries, and the information to be deduced 

 therefrom, was so ably shown by the delegates present, 

 that we doubt not some steps will be taken to supply 

 the existing deficiency in England and Wales. 



THE PARIS AGRICULTURAL EXHIBITION. 



The Palace of Industry, built in that unique pro- 

 menade, the Champs Elysees, for the Great Universal 

 Exhibition of the Industry of all Nations in the year 



1855, is once more turned into a temple dedicated to 

 the products of agriculture. The first time when 

 this noble hall was made the fitting abode where 

 agriculture dwelt, and held her solemn assizes, was an 

 occasion still fresh in the memory of English agricul- 

 turists who took so conspicuous a part in that noble 

 and interesting gathering of all nations, all climes, all 

 breeds, all inventions — the great international show of 



1856. Since that memorable event no agricultural 

 show has been held in Paris ; and although good 

 grounds of expectation were held out that there should 

 be another international show, and a programme had 

 even been issued by the French Government, all ex- 

 pectant exhibitors throughout Europe were doomed to 

 disappointment, and in many cases to serious losses; 



from the intended exhibition being countermanded and 

 put off to the Greek kalends. 



Last year, the scheme was, however, revived, and an 

 off"er was made by the Minister of Agriculture to the 

 Central Agricultural SocietyofParisof a subsidyamount- 

 ing to no less than twenty thousand pounds, provided 

 they would assume all the work of management and or- 

 ganization. This they attempted, but soon found out 

 they could not realize ; and upon the principle that half 

 a loaf is better than no bread, the Government decided 

 that the show of 18G0, instead of being universal and 

 international, as had been first contemplated should 

 be reduced to the somewhat humbler, but more practi- 

 cable, proportions of a national show — an undertaking 

 more easy to compass with the unquestionably limited 

 means afforded by that stingy tyrant, the Budget. 



A first glance at the stalls, a surveying look around 

 the building outside, are, however, sufficient to create 



