234 



an Immediate return of profit, there is no more fpeedy or effectual means 

 of ameliorating a poor and barren foil, than the depafturing it with 

 flieep — The dung of fheep is efteemed a more fertilizing manure than that 

 of any other domeftic animal, fo that if they be folded in proper places, 

 in the neighbourhood of their pafture ground, thefe fpots will be fo 

 much enriched, as to be capable of producing abundant crops of 

 grain ; and if thefe fpots are laid down to grafs again, before they 

 are too much exhaufted, they will ever after continue to carry more 

 grafs than formerly. This would render the fame field capable of nou- 

 rilhing an additional number of flieep, which would yield a proportion- 

 ably greater quantity of manure, and fo the improvement of the foil 

 might go forward in infinitum. Nor are the improvements of this kind 

 of hufbandry confined to arable land ; the mountainous country, that 

 does not admit tillage, experiences it, and land thus improved, ever 

 after produces more grafs. 



The mofl mountainous part of Ireland will maintain flieep. Many diftrifts, 

 particularly the counties of Wicklo-w and Kerry, and confiderable parts 

 of the counties of Clare and Galway, are particularly fitted for breed- 

 ing and nourifliing large flocks of flieep. In faft, a great part of the 

 land of Ireland would make excellent flieep-walk, were it not in many 

 places more profitably employed. Add to this, that the mildnefs of the 

 climate renders it unneceflary to houfe the flieep in winter. From 

 thefe concurring caufes, it refults, that Ireland produces* the primum 

 of the woollen manufafture of the mofl; excellent quality, in the' greateft: 

 abundance. In fuch high eftimation was the wool of Ireland, and fo 

 produftive was the country, of this valuable commodity, that, during 

 a long period of time, notwithftanding the mofl: Arid and prohibitory 

 laws, and the utmofl: vigilance of government, vafl quantities of Irifli 

 wool were conftantly exported to France, by ftealth, and ample fortunes 



were 



* Or may produce. I have heard it aflerted, that the number pf flieep, in Ireland, is 

 niuch dimini(hed, and I believe the fafl to be fo. 



