()S Surj-ey of the Couuty of Kilkenny . Feb. 



rivers, or from gentlemen whole demefnes are appropriated to 

 this purpcfe. 



Huihandry-implements are far from being pcrieft. An old- 

 faOiioiied clumfy plough, drawn bj four horfes, and fometimes 

 by fix, very like tlie old Scotch plough, is ftill in ufe ; but we are 

 glad to obferve, that Small's improved Rotheram plough has 

 found its way into the country, and trufh it will foon come into 

 general ufe. This implement, which makes better work than any 

 we have witneffed, feems here to be provided with a chain, which 

 indeed, for many years, was an appendage to it in our own country. 

 It is now, however, generally laid afide, from a convi6lIon that it 

 w^as an unncceilary addition ; wheel ploughs are alfo partially 

 ufed. Rollers are nearly unknown ; and, flrange to tell, " there 

 is not a thralhing-machine in the county, though it abounds with 

 ilreams in moft parts calculated for water-wheels of every kind I" 



We obferve nothing particular in the fed ion upon Stocky 

 nor are v/e difpofed to think that much information, either on 

 breeding or feeding, can be gathered from the practice of this 

 county. We notice that milk- cows are often kept out during 

 the whole winter, and foddered vvith hay, which is thrown on the 

 grour.d to them. This is a flovenly and molt wafceful practice, 

 which ought to be prohibited by every landlord. The ground 

 gets an imperfecl: manuring to be fure, but is more injured by the 

 poaching of the cattle, than benefited by the manure. So far the 

 landlord is evidently concerned ; the waile of hay may be thought 

 to be the tenant's buiinefs, but, if the tenant waftes his hay, how 

 can he pay the landlord his rent ? 



We obferve, with much concern, that the ufe of green crops is 

 almofl unknown among the common farmers, but that their culture 

 is affiduoufly attended to by a few refpedable gentlemen. In 

 thefe matters, Ireland, at leaft this part of it, is little farther ad- 

 vanced than what Scotland was fifty years ago. 



Farm-houfes a^id offices appear very incomplete. Indeed they 

 mark, in the ftrongeft ftyle, the little progrefs made in rural im- 

 provement. We lay it down as a trulfm, that the ftate of farm- 

 ing, in every county, may be recognized by the condition of the 

 buildings fet apart for agriculturiils. Hear what the author fays 

 on this fubjedl, 



* Farm-houfes are generally built of ftone, but oftener cemented 

 with clay than with mortar ; fome inferior ones are of mud, or 

 of fods. and fome few have the foundation, or the lower part of 

 the walls, of Hone, the upper of fods. Some of the befl farm- 

 houfes are dated, and this improvement has increafed latterly ; 

 but for the moft part they are tliatclied ; fome may be comfort- 

 Vible, but few are neat or cleanly. A decent houfe, let to a com- 



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