IRELAND, 1840-1880. 99 



legal risk, each was allowed to pay his own rent, 

 and the mutual liability abolished, so as to give 1 a 

 better chance for exertion to the good ones. 



All tenants were allowed to understand that, 

 lease or no lease, they should hold their farms at 

 the same rent for their lives, and the rent should 

 only be raised to those who came after them. The 

 only exception was in case of gross misconduct of 

 any kind ; but it was duly impressed on all that 

 whatever rent any one had contracted to pay, must 

 be paid regularly on fixed days. The principle acted 

 on was that every man should fulfil whatever con- 

 tract he had made, or give up the land to me as 

 owner. 



The most convenient times for paying rents were 

 early in July for spring rents, and early in December 

 for harvest rents. A month before the day fixed, 

 a printed note was sent to each tenant to say I 

 should be in Ireland that day, and requested pay- 

 ment then. No turnips and very little clover were 

 grown by any tenants ; potatoes followed by wheat, 

 and then oats, oats, oats, whilst the land would grow 

 any ; paring and burning often for potatoes. No grass 

 seeds were sown when the land was left to " rest," 

 as it was called ; i.e. to grow weeds till another skin 

 had formed, that could be pared and burnt again. 



This was the blessed system by which it is now 

 said that the tenant of former days brought the land 

 into cultivation, and is supposed to have conferred 



