THE FARMER'S MAGAZL\E,] 



93 



IRISH AGRICULTURAL STATISTICS. 



We have befjro us a report from the Irish Register-Geiieral, 

 elaborately compiled and moat minute, giving tables showing 

 the estimated average produce for 1856, also the diversity of 

 weights used in buying and selling corn, potatoes, and flax, in 

 Ireland, and the emigration from Irish ports for one year, 

 ending Slst December kst. 



The estimated total produce of the principal crops, with the 

 average produce per statute acre for the pa^t three years, will 

 be interesting to our readers. They are as follows : — 



It will be seen that in 1856, although the yield per acre was 

 leas, the total produce of the wheat crop was greater by 

 109,144 quarters than in 1855, on account of the increased 

 breadth under that crop, amounting to 82,275 ceres. Oats 

 decreased 1,029.481 quarters, caused by a diminution of 

 81,421 acres in the extent sown, and of half a barrel an acre 

 in the average yield of Ireland, compared with 1835. Barley 

 and here also show a lower amount of produce in 1855, a smaller 

 area havir.q been cultivated, and the yield per acre beifg under 



that of the previous year. Rye, with a greater breadth, gives 

 a smaller total produce in 183G than in 1855. Potatoes, with 

 an increased area of 122,403 acres, exhibit a decrease in the 

 total produce of 1856, coiiipnred with 1855, in consequence of 

 the yield per acre being less. In the total yield turnips also 

 show a decrease of 1,492,426 tons, owing not only to the esti- 

 mated produce being less, but also to the breadth sown being 

 smaller than iu 1855. Mangel wurzel, flax, and bay also show 

 a decreased produce per acre when compared with 1855. 



Connected with the pro.^perity of a country the increase of 

 its population is a most important matter of consideration. 

 Yet in Ireland, although we daily read of the vast improvement 

 of the country in the past few years, it reads strangely when 

 compared with the figures given in the tables before us. We 

 arrive, however, at these facts, that emigration is still going 

 on at a rate, that, notwithstanding the annual births, is likely 

 to have a very sensible effect upon the labour market of that 

 Country. In 1856 Iceland commenced the year with a popula- 

 tion of 6,077,283, which, although increased by an excess of 

 of 60,990 births over the number of dsaths, yet was reduced, 

 at the end of the year, by 90,781 persons having left the 

 country, to 6,017,492. And we further find this tide of emi- 

 gration still leaving its shores ; as, iu the first four mouths of 

 the present year, 33,C52 persons emigrated, against 26,656 

 who left in the same months of 1855, or 6,386 more this year 

 than last. Tipperary contributed the largest proportion of 

 emigrants, 19'35 per csnt. having stated themselves to have 

 come from that county, Sinca 1851 the following persona 

 have emigrated, viz. : — 



From Mimster 331,036 



Ulster ,. 206,973 



Leinster 184,481 



Connaught 105,661 



Counties not known 10,629 



Total 838,780 



— or nearly 13 per cent, of the population of 1851. 



Another remarkable fact, but one to be regretted on more 

 accounts than one, is, that over 68 per cent, of the emigrants 

 in 1856 were between the ages 15 and 35 years ; only 13 per 

 cent, were 35 years old and upwards ; thus showing that the 

 majority of those who left Ireland last year was from among 

 the young and vigorous portion of its inhabitants. 



The other portion of the report refers to the varieties of 

 weights used in buying and selling the produce of the country. 



It appears that wheat is sold iu some counties by the barrel 

 of 20 stones, and in others by the cwt. of 112 lbs., and the 

 stone of 14 lbs.; oits by the barrel of 12 atones, 14, 24, 

 and 33 stones — aud also by the cwt. of 112 lbs. — and stone of 

 14 lbs.; barley by the barrel of 16 stones and 24 stones — the 

 cwt. of 112 lbs. — and the stone of 14 lbs. ; flax by the cwt. of 

 120 lbs. — and the atone of 16 lbs., 16^ lbs., and 24^ lbs.; and 

 l^tatoes by the barrel of 15 stones, 20, 21, 24, 32, 40, 48, 64, 

 72, 80, 95, aud 96 stones— by the cwt. of 112 lbs. — and by 

 the stone of 14 lbs., 15, 16, 21, and 23 lbs. : even in towns in 

 the same county different weights are employed. Thus, it 

 appears, that a farmer in the county of Roscommon might 

 stite he had eight barrels of potatoes to the acres, and one in 

 the couuty of Dublin that he had thirty-two barrels, the pro- 

 duce of the acre beiag the same in each case, viz., 640 stones, 



