Trnmtactioiis. K-l 



all dead, but the descendants of one of the sons are farmers in 

 Ireland. A farmer still living in the parish (1894), 85 years of 

 age, but some eighteen years retired from farming, tells me that 

 he, his father, and grandfatlier, and, he believes, his great- 

 grandfather, were tenants of the same farm, the farm of 

 Burnside, from time immemorial, or for a period of 300 years. 

 The farm, if it can be so called, was doubtless at first but a bit 

 of barren and unprotitable moorland ; and my informant, who 

 did more than all his forefathers put together to reclaim the 

 land, and to bring it into its present well cultivated, well fenced, 

 and well housed condition, tells me that about 100 years ago the 

 rent was £20, but, to keep himself correct, he added that to the 

 original little croft, for it was nothing better, there were 

 added two small portions of swampy and but partially reclaimed 

 land. Eighteen years ago, when he retired from the farm, he 

 was offered a renewal of his lease by his landlord — a different 

 landlord from that of his middle age, at a rise of £60, or £10 

 more than he was paying. 



Fifty years ago no landlord wished to remove from his estate 

 a family that wished to remain, or, at the expiry of a lease, .so 

 raised the rent on an old tenant that he could not retake it. 

 It was a thing unknown at that time to have a farm advertised 

 to be let. Now it is a thing almost as unknown to find a farm 

 let without being advertised. Between the years 1850 and 

 1860 the change began. A steady and ever increasing rise of 

 rents set in. Then, whenever a lease was out, and the farm 

 advertised to be let, if the outgoing tenant was not to be an 

 oflerer, applicants were numerous — more numerous of course 

 where the farms were small ; and rents were offered, rents were 

 given, which to the older tenants seemed i-uinous. For a time — 

 for a period of fifteen or twenty years, rents at a high figure 

 were maintained, and farmers seemed to thrive and prosper. At 

 that time properties were sold and properties were bought at 

 prices which cannot now be realised, and farms everywhere, in 

 all parts of the country, changed hands. Colvend did not escape 

 the revolution. Colvend, indeed, which seemed to lie outside 

 the influence of change and civilization, felt it more. Of the old 

 tenants, whose fathers made the farms, and whose forefathers 

 for generations occupied the farms, hardly a descendant now 

 remains in the parish, and only two occupy farms, but not the 

 farms which their fathers tilled. 



