8 A LIFE'S WORK IN IRELAND. 



Of course, under these circumstances, it was 

 impossible to relet any land thus given up at the 

 former rent. Yet if relet for less, it would have 

 caused still more trouble among the remaining 

 tenants, who would have resorted to all means in 

 order to get a like reduction on their own farms. It 

 was therefore resolved to keep in hand any land that 

 could not be relet at the former rent. Four to five 

 hundred acres were thus taken up. This was done 

 simply to avoid worse evils. The land, in spite of 

 the improved condition of the tenants, was still 

 miserably poor, and of course it was the worst who 

 failed. All the objections to "gentlemen's farming" 

 were strongly felt, and no instance was known in 

 the district of such farming having paid. The 

 opinion of those best able to judge was, that tenants 

 could make such land pay best, and there were 

 many instances of gentlemen taking up considerable 

 farms, and after spending largely on them for a few 

 years, being glad to get out of them again. Of 

 course, there was the general consideration the other 

 way: that improved farming, with reasonable skill 

 and judgment and capital, ought to pay better than 

 the wretched system prevailing. But no one was 

 known to have done it, and the almost universal 

 opinion of the country found loud expression in the 

 saying, "He will soon be tired of that." No one 

 who has not tried it can tell what is required to face 

 the discouragement of having to work out a plan 



