THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. 



319 



further suggest a grant of funds from the Government 

 or from the parochial rates should be placed at the dis- 

 posal of this society for application for the above pur- 

 poses. The all-important thing I contend for in this 

 department of my subject is, the improvement and con- 

 sequent elevation in character and condition of the agri- 

 cultural labourer, the tradesman, and mechanic connected 

 with agriculture. 



I desire to devote this part chiefly to that class of 

 occupiers immediately above the Irish labourer, i. e. the 

 cottage or small farmer. This class in Ireland is exceed- 

 ingly numerous, and their land for the most part is by 

 no means well farmed or judiciously cropped. I wish to 

 say a few words to them, and with the best intentions 

 for their benefit. The number of holdings in Ireland 

 was, in 1841, 685,309; but in 1851 they had decreased 

 to 628,222, and were as follows : — Holdings under one 

 acre 35,323 ; above one acre and not exceeding five, 

 91,618 ; above five acres and not exceeding fifteen acres, 

 203,331 ; above fifteen acres and not exceeding thirty 

 acres, 145,380; above thirty acres 162,567. So that the 

 total number of farms under thirty acres, out of 628,222 

 acres, is 330,272 acres, or considerably more than half. 

 These happily are slowly decreasing, for we find that in 

 1856 the holdings not exceeding five acres were 82,035, 

 as compared with 1850 of 91,618 ; not exceeding fifteen 

 acres, 179,931, as compared with 203,331 in 1850— a 

 certain indication of progressive improvement; but as I 

 have before said, I do not propose any consolidation of 

 these: I take them as they are, a necessary evil, which 

 cannot be got rid of, and shall endeavour to point out 

 measures or courses of management, with a view to their 

 more profitable occupation. I am well aware that grave 

 difficulties stand in the way of great changes, from the 

 natuie of the tenantry in many cases, the joint-tenantry 

 of numbers, and also from the serious inconvenience 

 of distance from the respective villages. My' intention 

 is to shirk all these matters, and merely confine myself 

 to cottage or small farms generally. 



The first thing then that I shall notice is the 

 condition of their dwelling-houses. I was told 

 that the usual mode of letting these farms was 

 this: The land only was let, and the tenant just 

 pleased himself about building a place for his resi- 

 dence ; hence the great number of wretched hovels or 

 cabins seen everywhere. It cannot be expected that 

 the tenant, had he the means, would build a costly house ; 

 but it is also quite as unlooked for that any man should 

 be content with such woful huts as a vast number of 

 them are, and generally built upon the waste spot of 

 the holding, fi'equently not consisting of more than one 

 low mud floor room, covered after the cheapest and most 

 slovenly fashion, with straw or stubble. And this, mind 

 you, serves for all purposes — for kitchen and parlour, 

 parents' and children's bed-room, and often has to ac- 

 commodate the pig besides, to say nothing of the grand- 

 father and grandmother of the family, who usually re- 

 side with their children. Talk of elevating the character 

 and feeling of these inhabitants ! why, what can be ex- 

 pected from a people herding together in this heathenish 

 way ? They must of necessity be a low and degraded 



people, living in such a low and dirty condition. All 

 those nice proprieties, those little modesties which the 

 pure and correct-minded love to instil in all connected 

 with them, and which forms the grace and charm of 

 every shade of good society, cannot be acted upon here. 

 There must be a coarseness, a low groveling vulgarism, 

 and indelicacy of soul and of feeling most inimical 

 to elevation of character. This vicious system at all 

 events should be swept away. The landlord should 

 provide a comfortable dwelling, and let it with his land. 

 This would secure a more suitable order of cottages and 

 dwellings at least, and on the somewhat larger holdings 

 abetter house and other farm conveniences ought to be 

 erected. I know in what cost this plan would involve 

 landowners. It would be very great; but there is no 

 help for it ; a great sacrifice must be made, or the 

 wretched system will remain. Government has stepped 

 forward to facilitate the sale of lands, the draining of 

 lands, the pel manent improvement of lands on entailed 

 estates. Why not carry the aid to Irish landlords, to 

 enable them to build as above, to make suitable roads, 

 &c., and otherwise improve such estates ? I am a great 

 believer in inducements and encouragements of all kinds, 

 in order to make much progress. Now I would, through 

 agricultural societies (and I would have these aided by 

 Government, all over the country) offer prizes for 

 competition amongst this class of farmers ; and am.ongst 

 the foremost of them should be prizes for the neatest and 

 best-ordered homesteads and gardens. My next would 

 be for the best-managed farms, upon a graduated scale, 

 in accordance with the size of the little farm. I would 

 also offer prizes for the best corn crops, in best variety, 

 and rotation of cropping ; for the best cow and other 

 domestic animals ; for the best root crops, including 

 potatoes; the b:st poultry; the best butter, &c., &c. 

 I believe a laudable spirit of emulation to excel may thus 

 be excited ; and when once this spirit is infused, I know 

 it will make rapid progress. There is something so 

 pleasing and inspiring in being the winner, and going 

 along with it, the thing exhibited, and the energy and 

 thought and care bestowed to fit such for winning. 

 This can never again be lost by the fortunate exhibitor ; 

 he has learned the lesson, and the knowledge thus ob- 

 tained of the capabilities of Iiis farm or his animals to 

 produce for him this success will, I say, be never lost 

 upon him ; and the profit he derives from the excel- 

 lence of either his crops or his animals will urge him 

 onward. He sees — he knows what can be done. There 

 can be no doubt whatever as to the great influence the 

 prize system has had in improving British agriculture. 

 Then, why not apply it in all its phases, according to 

 its adaptability, to the requirements of Irish agriculture ? 

 Nay, it has already done immense benefit to Irish agri- 

 culture. The only thing now required, is to bring the 

 system down to the order and holdings of the small 

 farmers and cottagers. This can be best worked out by 

 local societies in convenient suitable districts, which in 

 that country should not be large— say, then, union dis- 

 tricts. The chief promoters of the movement ought to be 

 the landlords, clergy, priests, and agents. I think, as the 

 districts are small, sufficient sums in subscriptions could 



