270 A LIFE'S WORK IN IRELAND. 



ill-fed one that the most backward has had the point 

 driven into his head, and efforts at better feeding for 

 the sake of the better profit have been numerous. 

 I think the young cattle sold in the next few years 

 will show the effect of this better feeding. 



Such a number of calves as have been reared this 

 year in Ireland was never seen since the world 

 began. It is caused by the great price of young 

 stock in the past year. The country positively 

 swarms with calves. Hitherto small farmers have 

 usually reared only heifer calves and the bulls have 

 gone to the butcher at once. This year bulls and 

 heifers have been alike reared. This, too, if the 

 demand continues, will in a few years help greatly 

 to improve the quality of Irish stock. When the 

 bull calves were sold for a trifle to the butcher at 

 once, and many of the heifers kept as cows for him- 

 self, the backward farmer felt little the gain of 

 putting a good bull to his cows. Where now he has 

 so many to sell, the difference in the price of a well- 

 bred calf or yearling on such a number will soon 

 work more care in the choice of a bull. But most 

 of the calves must be sold before the winter, since it 

 is certain farmers have not food for half of them. 



The same causes that have given us plenty of 

 grass have made the potato crop a great failure. 

 There has not been so much blight since the famine 

 as last year and this, and the crop has been very bad. 

 I think fewer potatoes will be grown in future, which 



