THE CLIMATE OF IRELAND. 261 



one advantage of more and better cultivation would 

 be additional employment for labourers. I have 

 always thought this a fallacy. There is more pro- 

 fitable work in draining, etc., wanting to be done in 

 Ireland, exclusive of the reclamation of real waste 

 land, than all the labourers could do in two genera- 

 tions, even if they worked well. There is no 

 good reason, therefore, for the sake of the labourers, 

 to depart from the sound principle of political 

 economy, that such mode of farming should be 

 followed as will leave the largest net profit (true), 

 whether it be grass or tillage farming. In truth, 

 even such lightish land as I have described, when it 

 is laid down in grass in good condition, produces 

 excellently and for many years. The number of 

 years that it will produce well in grass without 

 showing signs of going back, wholly depends on the 

 condition it is in when laid down, and on the treat- 

 ment of the grass. In the neighbourhood of towns, 

 where manure can be bought, top-dressing grass is a 

 very favourite course, and is thought to answer 

 especially well. Except in such places manuring 

 grass is little understood or practised. How far 

 artificial manures, as recommended by Mr. Thomp- 

 son, of Kirby Hall, 1 will effect a permanent improve- 

 ment in grass on such a soil as ours, which is not 

 strong land, may perhaps be doubtful ; but it is 



1 Vide Journal Royal Agricultural Society, 2d series, vol. viii. 

 Parti. No. xv. p. 374. 



