195 



For inftance, a fmooth turf on hills of moderate afcent ; a limc-ftone 

 rock lightly covered with earth, and producing Ihort and fweet her- 

 bage, naturally lead the proprietor of fuch ground to rear a breed of 

 flieep. The frefli and juicy herbage pours health through the veins of 

 the animal, and improves the quality of his fleece, both as to finenefs, 

 and delicacy of thread, and length of ftaple. The breeding of flieep, 

 and the excellence of their wool, will be ftill more favoured in a mild 

 and temperate climate, where the air is pure and moderately warm, and 

 the fea-breezes allay the heat of fummer, and moderate the cold of 

 winter. In fuch a climate, the flocks are not fcorched or incommoded 

 in fummer, nor is the fliepherd obliged to houfe them in the fevcrity 

 of winter. Such happy circumflances of foil and climate naturally lead 

 to an introduffion of the woollen manufafture. Such is the climate, 

 and fuch a confiderable part of the foil of Ireland. 



The foil of Ireland is, in many places, as I have already obferved, 

 fo well adapted to the growth of flax and hemp, that the hufbandman 

 muft find the cultivation of thofe ufeful plants a mofl produftive fpe- 

 cies of agriculture ; and the natives of the country, being fupplied with 

 abundance of the raw material, of the befl: quality, and on cheap terms, 

 mufl: naturally be led, to the extenfion and improvent of the linen and 

 hempen manufaftures. 



The natural advantages of Ireland difpofing the farmers, in many 

 parts of the country, to fatten large herds of black cattle, on rich and 

 rank pafture grounds, which could not be fo profitably employed, for 

 any other purpofe. The people muft be led to flaughter vafl: numbers 

 of them, and to embark deeply in the trade of faving and exporting 

 provifions ; add to this, that the mildnefs of the winters in Ireland is 

 peculiarly favourable to the operation of curing or faving falted meat ; 

 in which refpeft this ifland has prodigious advantages over America, 

 Holland, Holjiein, and other countries, which are led, by the abun- 

 dance of black cattle, to trade in provifions. This trade, independent 

 of the bufmefs of curing and coopering the provifions, introduces a va- 

 riety of trades and manufa£tures, which are, in fome fliape or other, 



( B b 2 ) dependent 



