284 



THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. 



those respects if the priaesi be, as they should be, sufficient aud 

 opeu. 



Several ulterior questions will present themselves ia course, 

 as, for iustance, how far it may be deemed expedient to amal- 

 gamate ia one Central Society the existing local county 

 shows ? Whether, if established, this Society should hold its 

 meetiogs at one central place always, or alternately in North 

 aud South Wales? Whether there should not be special 

 prizes for flaouel aud other provincial manufactures, &c. ? 

 For the present, this circular is dispatched as a feeler, and we 

 should be much obliged by an early answer, as to whether 

 your support will be given to the project, and any suggestion 

 on any point. 



On behalf of the Provisional Committee, 



George Montgomery Traherne. 

 To whom all communications are requested to be addressed. 

 St. Hilary, Cowbridge, Glamorganshire, 



September, 1858. 



IRISH AGRICULTURAL STATISTICS. 



Total Number of Live Stock in each year from 1855 



to 1858, incluaive : — 



Horses. Cattle. Slieep. Pigs. 



\»r,5 r,6li,-JS7 .. 3,564,400 .. 8,602,342 .. 1,177,C05 



1856 578,408 .. 3,5t>7,858 .. 3,694, v94 .. 918,525 



1857 509,782 .. 3,620,95* .. 3,452,252 ., 1,255,186 



18Ci8 610,717 ., 3,661,594 .. 8,487,785 .. 1,402,812 



Increase or decrease in numbers from 1855 to 1853 — 



54,430 .. 97,194 .. 114,567 ,. 225,207 

 increase. increase. decrease. increase. 



Total Value of Live Stock in each year from 1855 to 

 to 1858, calculated according to the Rates assumed by the 

 Census Commissioners of 1841, viz.: — For Horses, £8 each ; 

 Cattle, £6 lOs. ; Sheep, 22s. ; and Figs, 253. each :— 



Horses. Cattle. Sheep. Pigs. Total. 



£ £ £ £ £ 



1855 .. 4,450,290.. 23,168,600 . 3,962,576.. 1,47^,006 .. 83,053,478 



1858 . . 4,.587,2»i4 . . 23,321 ,077 . . 4,nCa,723 .. 1,148,156 .. 33, 120,220 

 1857.. 4,71)8,250 ..23,536,201 ..8,797,477.. l,.^68,9^2 ., 33,7011,9:6 

 1858.. 4,885,736,. 23,800,S61..3,836,5r.3.. 1,75 i,515 ..34,276,175 



Increase or decrease in value from 1855 to 1853 — 



£135,440 £631,761 £126,013 £281,509 £1,222,697 

 increase. increase. decrease, increase. increase. 



Abstract of Cereal Crops. 



1857. 1858. Decrease. 



Acres. Acres. Acres. 



Wheat .5.59,646 551,386 8,260 



Oats 1,980,934 1,978,929 4,005 



llABLBV: 211,2^8 190,721 .... 20,.5fi7 



BkubandRye. 21,374..,. 16,489.... 4,885 



Beans &PJJA8. 13,586.... 12,s76 710 



Total 2,786,828 2,748,401 88,427 



Total Extent, in Statute Acres, of Cereal and Green 

 Crops from 1855 to 1858, inclusive: — 



1855. 1856. 1857. 1858. 



Wheat 44.5,775.. .529,05).. .5.59,646.. 551,886 



Oats 2, 1 1 8,8.'j8 ..2,037,4.37 ..1,980,984 ..1,976,9.9 



Barley 226.6^0.. 18^706.. 211,238.. 190,7.'1 



ButE and IlYK ... 22,817.. I9,«91.. 21,874.. 16,480 

 Beans and Peas. 18,435.. 16,034.. 18,886., 12,S76 



Potatoes 982,301 ..1,104,704 ..1,140,647 .. 1,160,05S 



Turnips 360953.. 3j4,451 .. 350,047.. 837,^77 



Mangi'L icBEET. 22,.'i07 .. 22,201.. 21,629.. 3o,027 



Cadbaoe 24,121 .. 27/J03 .. 80,011 .. 33,107 



CAHROTa, Pars- 

 nips, and other 



Green Crops.... 19,042.. 20,734.. 21,002., a.^SO 

 Vetches & Rapb. 29.406.. 29,183.. 84.740.. 33,441 



Flax 97,075.. 106,311.. 97,721.. 9I,.5.')5 



Meadow kCLOV.. 1,314,807 ..1,302,787 ..1,369,802 ..1.424,678 



Abstract of Green Crops. 



1967. lS5-i. Increase. Decrease. 



Acres. Acres. Acres. Acres. 



Potatoes 1,146,647 .. 1,160,056 .. 13,409.. — 



Turnips 350,047 .. 837,877 ., — .. 12,170 



Mangel Wurzel 



and Beet Hoot 21629.. 30,027.. 8,393.. — 



Cabbage 30,011 .. 83,107 ,. 8,096 .. — 



Carrots, Pars- 

 nips, and other 



Green Crops.... 21,002.. 23,450.. 1,848.. — 



Vetches &; Rape. 84,740.. 3.3,441.. — .. 1,299 



Total 1,004,676 ..1,617,958 .. 26,751 .. 13,469 



Increase on Green Crops in 1858: — 13,282 acres. 



General Summary. 



Increase in Green Crops in 1853 13.282 



Do. on Meadow and Clover in ditto 54,686 



Total increase 67,963 



Dedact decrease on Cereal Crops, 38,427 acres) j„ j:,.„ aj nia 

 Do. do. Flax 6,166 „ J '" *^'"''- ^^''^^^ 



Total increase in the extent of land under crops in 1858 .. 23,375 



As rep;ards the condition of Irish agriculture, I beg to state 

 that I continue to receive communications from various quar- 

 ters relative to the pernicious growth of weeds which ia unfor- 

 tunately so prevalent throughout the country ; and an anxious 

 desire is generally expressed for some legislative measure to 

 protect the improving farmer, who cleans his land, from the 

 injury done to his crops by the winged seeds of noxious weeds 

 carried by the wind from the field of some negligent neighbour. 

 Such a protection is afforded to the cultivator of the soil in 

 some of Her Majesty's Colonies, and in parts of Europe. 



The number of holdings in Ireland — from all of which re- 

 turns are obtained — is nearly 600,000. The number of enu- 

 merators this year was about 4,000 ; they were selected from 

 the Constabulary and Metropolitan Folice, and, as on former 

 occasions, discharged their duties in a very efficient manner. 

 William Donnelly, 



\5lh Septemhtr, 1858. Registrar-General. 



HARVEST HOME. 



" Come sons of summer, by whose toil 



We are the lords of wine and oil ; 



By whose tough labours, and rough hands. 



We rip up first, then reap our lands : 



Crown'd with the ears of corn, now come, 



And to the ])ipe sing Harvest Home. 



Come forth, my lord, and see the cart 



Dressed up with all the country art : 



See here a maukin ; there a sheet 



As spotless, pure, as it is sweet ; 



The horses, mares, and frisking fillies, 



Clad all in linen white as lilies ; 



The harvest swains, and wenches bound 



For joy, to see the hock-cart crown'd : 



About the cart, hear how the rout 



Of rural younglings raise the shout, 



Pressing before, some coming after. 



Those with a shout, and these with laughter : 



Some bless the cart, some kisa the sheaves, 



Some prank them up with oaken leaves; 



Some cross the fill-horse, some with great 



Devotion stroke the home-borne wheat. 



Well, on, brave boys, to your lord's hearth, 



Glitt'ring with fire, where, for your mirth. 



Ye shall see first the large and chief 



Foundation of your feast, fat beef; 



With upper stories, mutton, veal. 



And bacon, which makes full the meal ; 



With several dislics standing by, 



As here a custard, there a pie. 



And here all-tempting frumenty ; 



And for to make the merry cheer. 



If smirking wine be w.anting here, 



Tiiere's that which drowns all care— Stout Beer/ 



