IRELAND, 1840-1880. 107 



made up each year to May 1, because crop and fat 

 stock are then all sold, and the least is left to valua- 

 tion. May 1, 1878, the profit was only thirty-four 

 shillings per acre ; May 1, 1879, only twenty-seven 

 shillings and sixpence. We are sure from prices 

 that May 1, 1880, will be much higher again, and 

 have no fears for the future. This guess came true ; 

 the net return was 38s. per acre. Gradually the land 

 has been farmed much more highly, bought manures 

 and feeding stuffs being largely used. The outlay 

 for these on May 1, 1879, exceeded twenty shillings 

 per acre of the farm, all charged in full to the year ; 

 and the quantity used increases every year steadily. 

 Without good feeding with cake and corn we could 

 do nothing, though our best fields of swedes are 

 often 35 tons per acre, grown by 12 cwt. per acre of 

 bought manure, besides what is made on the farm. 

 The gross produce yielded by the land now is fully 

 four times what it was in the hands of small occupiers. 

 The course of farming followed has been mere 

 commonplace simply manuring the land well and 

 feeding the stock well. There has been no fancy 

 stock kept. A good bull or two, and rams, and a 

 stallion, have been kept, of which the tenants have 

 had the benefit too. The worst fields have each year 

 been ploughed for the sake of manuring them. There 

 has been no plunging in any way. Gradually, as it 

 was seen to pay, more bought manures (especially 

 bones, as we have a bone mill) were used, and more 



