THE FARMER^S MAGAZINE. 



341 



the special field of development for Irish prosperity, and I 

 believe for Irish greatness (applause). I consider her destiny 

 as very much bound up in the manner in which she turns to 

 advantage the rare capacities with which Providence has en- 

 dowed both her soil and her people; and if this was the latest 

 viceroy — a case, however, which I am far from wishing to an- 

 ticipate (applause and loud cheering), I should feel neither 

 regret nor shame if that wish would be embodied in the form 

 of prosperity to Irish Agriculture. 



His Excellency then gave the health of the Chairman^ 

 Lord Waterford, who becomingly responded. 



Lord Clancarty in replying for the Royal Agricultural 

 Improvement Society of Ireland, said the present was an age of 

 unexampled progress, and when the great and blessed results 

 which had accrued to mankind, through the application of 

 steam and science to agriculture in Ireland, were reviewed, it 

 was manifest that it had not been behind hand, aad that of 

 late years this country had made much greater progress than 

 any other part of the world. Much as we were interested in 

 any new discovery, he did not know of any in which Ireland 

 had such vital concern as in the devising of any improved 

 means for developing the resources of her soil, which was cal- 

 culated to have an important effect upon the social welfare 

 of the country. He was happy to admit that the Agricul- 

 tural Society had been mainly instrumental in awakening^ 

 directing, and cultivating that spirit of improvement which 

 had principally led to the great change within the last fifteen 

 years which was so widely visible over the face of the land. 

 The aids of science which were now brought to bear, not 

 merely upon the cultivation of the land — that was to say, upon 

 its reclamation and tillage, and upon the sowing of crops — but 

 even upon the gathering in of the fruits of our industry, were 

 such as was never heard of in ("ays of yore ; and when a com- 

 parison was instituted between the present and the former 

 state of the country — the large area which had been brought 

 from a state of barrenness to a state of productiveness and fer- 

 tility — and also between the amount of beautiful stock now 

 reared upon our pastures compared with what was formerly 

 reared : all these facts incontestibly proved that a great change 

 had come over the nation, for which that society might justi- 

 fiably take some credit to themselves. But fifteen years ago 

 he did not believe there was any country so backward in agri- 

 culture, and they had still much to do to attain to the position 

 of those lands whose industry and skill they endeavoured to 

 emulate — such as England, Scotland, and Belgium. They 

 could scarcely hope, even at the present rate of progress, sona 

 to overtake those countries ; and even the most sanguine 

 amongst them could hardly expect to live long enough to see 

 the resources of Ireland's soil as fully developed as they were 

 capable of beiug. But, iu the meantime, they should feel 

 great satisfaction in the thought that the means which had 

 been adopted for the improvement of the country had been 

 such as to be instrumental in uniting Irishmen of every creed 

 and class. Associations had overspread the land, of which 

 that society was the great centre, which had been the means of 

 uniting in the spirit of co-operation all the energies of Ireland's 

 propietary and of Ireland's tenantry. 



Mr. TORR, having been called upon to reply for " the 

 judges," congratulated the assembly upon the part of his 

 colleagues and himself upon the very splendid exhibition 

 which they had witnessed upon the present occasion. It had 

 been his good fortune to visit many of the previous shows of 



the society, and upon no occasion had he seen one, taking it 

 altogether, of so good a character ; whilst the arrangements 

 were so happily carried out as to give satisfaction not only to 

 the judges, but, he trusted, to the public at large. In the 

 statement so ably and carefully alluded to by his Excellency 

 the Earl of Carlisle, there was oue item which he lamented, 

 although rejoicing at the general effect of the document. 

 Lord Carlisle had told them of a large increase in the breed- 

 ing of pigs, amounting to 332,000, at the same time that there 

 had been a decrease in sheep to the extent of 241,000. Now, 

 whilst pigs might be thought the glory of Ireland (laughter), 

 he thought sheep far more valuable to the people ; and though 

 at the present time the humid climate, or, as it was graphi- 

 cally described by his Excellency, " the weeping clouds of Ire- 

 land " might be rather adverse to sheep, they might believe 

 him, that when the country was thoroughly drained such 

 would no longer be the case. Lord Carlisle had said it was 

 easier for him to admonish than for a sovereign to approve, 

 and if he would but admonish the sovereign of these king- 

 doms to make large open drains not only in Ireland, but in 

 England, he would earn the lasting gratitude of his fellow- 

 countrymen. His Excellency had also alluded to the increase 

 of weeds ; he (Mr. Torr) thought sheep the best destroyers of 

 weeds, and if Ireland were largely sheeped they would have 

 less rag-weed in the country. From one portion of Lord 

 Clancarty's speech he altogether dissented : that part where 

 the noble earl had quoted Belgium as an example to Irish far- 

 mers. Why, Ireland could beat her into fits. All he had ever 

 seen in Belgium was that small farmers lived upon the pro- 

 duce they grew, and they excelled in the manure tank j but a 

 fearful calamity, he hoped, had done away with an entire de- 

 pendance upon vegetable diet iu Ireland. It was some twenty- 

 three years ago when he first visited this country, and he re- 

 membered long prior to the potato disease, and he felt confi- 

 dent that with the long duration of the famine had disappeared 

 those days when 4d. was the value of a stone of potatoes, 4d. 

 was the value of a day's wages, and 4d. a day kept a man's 

 wife, and sometimes four children. The present era was more 

 remunerative, first to the man who had survived these times 

 and next to the man who had employed him ; and he trusted 

 if labour were a true source of wealth, which undoubtedly it 

 was, that the labourers of Ireland would be well paid for their 

 time, and that the farmers would find it to their advantage to 

 do 80. He would not detain them longer, but, as a member 

 of the Royal Society of England, would, upon his own part 

 and that of the other judges, return thanks to them and to 

 the Royal Agricultural Society. He trusted these kindred 

 societies would long continue to act as a Saxon brother and a 

 Celtic sister for the advancement of agriculture and the well- 

 being of those great nations. 



Mr. Douglas, in returning thanks for the exhibitors, in- 

 timated his intention in the event of his ever winning tl e 

 prize cup of giving two others in lieu of it — one to the best 

 male in the yard, and the other to the best female. He also 

 suggested that the breed of short-horns would become greatly 

 improved if the practice were discontinued of enforcing 

 animals to be let out for service in this country. 



Some other toasts followed, including "The Press," ac- 

 knowledged by Mr. Purdon. The proceedings, however, were 

 latterly seriously interfered with by the conduct of a person 

 in whom the organ of " Order " was lamentably deficient. 



