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THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE, 



the fact that the prospects of Ireland are bright. Durinsf n, 

 perio(}, not of a ^reat many years, land to the value of 

 £21,000,000 has changed hands in Ireland ; and, as in these 

 days, new proprietors are almost always improvinpf ones, we 

 may calculate that more thaf! ten per cent, has been laid 

 Out upon that. We may, therefore, calculate that more 

 than £-2,000,000 have been laid out in that way ; 

 £5,000,000 have been granted bj' Parliament for arterial 

 drainage, the improvement of rivers, and £10,000,000 

 in the waj' of loan. It is only of late years that 

 the results of those great efforts have begun to tell ; but 

 they have begun to tell in a man}' most satisfactory. 

 The first item that I will lay before you is the enormous in- 

 crease of live stock in Ireland since the year 1852. In round 

 numbers there has been an increase of 85,000 horses, 570,000 

 cattle, 750,000 sheep, and 330,000 pi','s. Calculating these at 

 the moderate price of 8/. for horses, 61. lOs. for cattle, 229. for 

 sheep. End CSs. for pigs, it comes to the enormous increase in 

 the property of Ireland, in live stcck, of 5,716,000?. I will 

 now merely state one fact as regards the increase of acreage 

 now under cultivation, notwithstanding the enormous increase 

 of pasturage. In 1852, in round numbers, the acreage under 

 cultivation was 5,739,000; in 1857, 5,881,000, making an 

 increase of 142,700 acres. Then there is another matter which 

 is of the greatest possible importance to Ireland, I mean the 

 decrease of pauperism. I will state a very few figures on that 

 point. Tlie total amount of paupers relieved in 1852 were 

 190,823 ; in 1857 they were 59,775 (cheers) almost a decrease 

 of one-half; and in the county of Derry there were 4,691 re- 

 lieved in 1852, and there are now 3,269. The average of poor 

 rates of Ireland is Is. in the pound ; in England it is Is. Od. ; 

 in Scotland ] s. 4d. There is only one other item which I will 

 bring before you, and that is the enormous decrease in crime. 

 The total number of offences reported to the Inspector General 

 in 1852 were 7,824 ; in 1857 there were 4,032, being a de- 

 crease of nearly one-half. Of those for homicide there was a 

 decrease of 30 in the small number of 1G2. Of an entirely 

 agrarian nature there were, in 1852, 100 cases ; in 1857 there 

 were only 23. In robberies (burglaries) in 1852 there were 

 3,426; in 1857, 1,272. Of what I think a most iuportant 

 item, inceadiary fires, houghing cattle, in 1852 there were 

 1,507; in 1857 there were only 755. Of threatening notices 

 iu 1852 there were 776 ; in 1857 only 251. And now I have 

 only one other matter of figures to bring before you, which is 

 that in the case of evictions for non-payment of rent. In 1852 

 the numbers of evictions were 6,550; iu 1857 they were only 

 919. Gentlemen, I trust I have not wearied you. ('No, 

 no.") I cannot but feel proud in talking of the improvement 

 that has taken place iu this country. 



The President, in responding to a similar compliment, 

 said : I suppose there never was so large a collection of 

 farming implements at any previous show as there is at the 

 present. There is a thing going on in this conntrj-, of 

 which I think that great arm of improvement— the press — 

 should take notice. I allude most particularly to those 

 reaping machines, which would be the means of cheapening 

 the food for those who buy, and would give employment to 

 working men at the fame time. His Excellency has al- 

 luded to an increase of stock ; and if you have an increase 

 of stock, you must have an increase of food for them ; nnd 

 it should be our business as much as possible to encourage 

 the cultivation of the soil, and thereby will the labourer 

 find work. If the labourers endeavour to throw the agri- 

 culturist back, by wishing to keep to the old sickle, instead 

 of increasing labour, they will only cause the land to be left 

 untilled ; and then there will be no employment for them. 



I plead most earnestly that the press — that most valuable 

 lever for the improvement of the country — should spread 

 those views that sensible men must entertain on such a sub- 

 ject, and so far as possible change those opinions apparently 

 held by the labouring classes, and so benefit the poor as well 

 as the rich. 



Lord Talbot db Malahide, in proposing the next toast, 

 said it was that of three societies, all organized for the ad- 

 vancement and promotion of agricultural knowledge. The 

 firit was the Royal Dublin Society, which, although the 

 smallest, was yet the oldest in Europe founded for the pro- 

 motion of agriculture. It was founded in the year 1731, since 

 since which it had laboured unceasingly for the advancement 

 of the agricultural interests of the country. So far back as 

 one hundred years ago, a premium of £100 was offered by it 

 for the cultivation of 100 acres of turnips, and he was proud 

 to say that that premium was won by an Irishman. The next 

 society was the Royal Highland Society of Scot'and, which 

 had laboured for half a century to advance the improvement 

 of the Highlands of Scotland ; and this it had not only effected, 

 but it had also contributed to the improvement of the Lowlands, 

 and had also aided in bringing them to that state of tillage 

 which made them justly be considered as models of agricultural 

 prosperity. It had also laboured to promote a knowledge of 

 veterinary science — so woefully deficient in this country, and 

 by the publication of a journal which furnishes a lucid record 

 of its proceedings. The third was the English society. It 

 was a great Society ; and though last in the field of agricul- 

 tural usefulneas, they should not despise those labourers who 

 entered the field at the eleventh hour. No other society had 

 accomplished more for the sgricnltural improvement of these 

 islands — he might say the whole civilized world. They know 

 the immense value of the journal of that society also ; and they 

 no less admired and respected the list of noble presidents who, 

 from time to time, directed the motions of that society. He 

 was truly happy to say that they had present the noble lord 

 who at present presides over that society. To occupy 

 such a position was truly a great honour — an honour which 

 nothing but the most sterling qualities could secure. 



Lord Berners, in reply, said— In looking at your show to- 

 day, and especially on seiiug the shorthorns and cattle gene- 

 rnlly, I was excfediiigly gratified. It was a show worthy of 

 son)e of the elder societies of Eughnd. I believe, however, that 

 the great source of the wealth of the country is derived from 

 its agricultural implements. Believe me, those who use 

 most implements engage the greatest amount of labour. 



Lord EitNE returned thanks for the Mce-Presidents and 

 Council of the Royal Agricultural Improvement Society of Ire- 

 land. — I assure you the Vice-Presidents of the society are not 

 like old pieces of family phtc, which arc brought out upon 

 state occasious for show, but they are men who are always 

 ready and willing to aid in promoting the interests of the 

 society. They are constant residents in Ireland — men who 

 are always at their posts, willing to assist their own tenants, 

 and to advance their interests. I am happy to tell you that 

 there are many such men in Ireland. The landed proprie- 

 tors of this country see now that it is their interest, as well 

 as their duty, to resile constantly at home; and it is not 

 only their interest to do so, but they see that by doing so they 

 set a good example. I am rejoiced to think that this meeting 

 has realiecd our most sanguine expectations. You have 

 already heard some statements from the nob'e chairman ; but 

 I trust you will allow me to add a few words concerning this 

 society. I find that in 1847 we had only f .'i2 members, while 

 now we have 1,200. Our premiums in 1847 only amounted to 

 £792, now they amount £1,350. At that time we had only 



