TWENTY-FIVE YEARS* WORK. 5 



larger dependence upon stock, and the larger experi- 

 ence in the growth and use of clover and turnips, 

 enabled them to face the troubles of the times much 

 better than their neighbours ; but when the summer 

 of 1847 came, with the great emigration, and pro- 

 spect of still further failure, it became clear that the 

 system that had formerly answered could no longer 

 do so. 



I think the direct effect of the break-down of 

 the social system in Ireland, depending on the 

 potato crop, has never been sufficiently observed 

 in England. It was not merely a famine, where, as 

 soon as it was over, people had only to go on again 

 in the old ruts, but a great social upset, where, after 

 it was over, quite new ways had to be entered on, 

 which very few knew anything about, and in which 

 no one could feel any confidence whether he would 

 succeed or fail. The difficulties to be got over were 

 really immense. 



In the district of which I am writing, a complete 

 truck system prevailed. The tenant provided the 

 labourer with cabin, potato land (the labourer man- 

 uring it himself), grass for two or three sheep, the 

 wool of which was spun into frieze for coats, etc., 

 by the labourer's wife, a small patch of flax, spun in 

 the same way for linen, and he drew home the turf 

 which the labourer and his family had dried them- 

 selves. All this was paid for by work at so much 

 per day, the man himself being fed on potatoes by 



