i8o^. cf the CGunf'j of DoivK, j^ji 



their payments, nnd the money, or wapes in mor.fy, varies ac- 

 cordin^f to circuniftances, from 6d. ro 2s. per day. 



ThcFifteenth Chapter treats of Political Economy, as connefl^d 

 with agricniture. Here we learn, that the roads are excellent, 

 but too often ill conduced ; and llcep, inftead of being neirly 

 level : tliat fairs are cftalilifhrd in every county, and weekly 

 marktfo in vacH of the towns : and that the exports of the 

 c;ounry, in linen, pork, wheat, and barley, are very valuable. 

 A lliort hiftory is ^iven of the linen manufa61ure, and an ac- 

 count of the markets where the produce is fold. We mufl, 

 here, exprcfs our re^iet, that we have not the cu'domhoufe ab- 

 ftra<^ls of tlief--' exp-^rts, nor the feal- mailer's accounts of the li- 

 nen Itamped for fale. The population of the county is above 

 220*000 perfons, or one perfon for every 14. Irifli acre. 



The Sixteenth Chapter is on the Obllacles to Improvement. 

 Thefe are, the number of fmall farmers ; ihe exhaiillin^r the land 

 by repeated crops of, grain ; the want of capital to carry on im- 

 provements ; and tie want of good houfes, which occafions a 

 wafte of ilraw for thatch, that is necelTary for the fupport of 

 cattle. 



In tl-vis chapter, the corn-laws are in general approved of; but 

 the fufpenfion of exportation, in 1796, feems to be complained 

 of, not without reafon. 



The Laif Chapter contains a number of genera] obfervations ; 

 and is divided into fifteen feclions. From thefe we learn, that 

 there is an agricultural fociety in this county : that the weights^ 

 and meafures are tolerably uniform : that the fifheries are valu- 

 able, if they were attended to : that moil of the landed proprie- 

 tors and clergy are refident : that the county was furveyed in 

 1653, ^y '^^'* William Petty, ancelior of the Marquis of Lanf- 

 down; and that a copy of his furvey is in the Surveyor Gene- 

 ral's office : that water-mills are chiefly ufed for grinding all forts 

 «f grain: that tenants are bound to their landlord's mill : that 

 three difT^rent kinds of acres are ufed in meafuring, the Irifh, 

 Scotch, a!ui Engliih : that the inhabitants in general are more 

 fober than formtriy : that the price of cattle, fheep, and provi- 

 fions has rifen v^ery much : and that oxen are harncilcd, but not 

 generally ufed. 



In the conclufion to this chapter, the Reporter flates, that he 

 has paid every attention to colled"!: and give a faithful relation of 

 the agriculture of the county of Down, and of the other fub- 

 je^ls connected with it ; and with the general profperity of the 

 kingdom. We are fatisfied of his diligence, fidelity, and intel- 

 ligence. On fome occafions we have differed from him ; but, 

 en many others, we have had reafon to be pleafed with his fur- 

 vey. 



