CHAPTER V. 



TENDENCIES OF IRISH AGRICULTURE. 



THE area of Ireland amounts to 20,350,000 

 acres. These are utilized as follows : 



Corn, roots, potatoes, etc. ... 

 Meadows, and temporary meadows, hay 



from permanent pasture 

 Fallow and fruit ... 

 Woods, &c. 

 Bog, waste, barren mountain, water, &c. 



Acres. 



2,260,000 



303,000 

 4,817,600 



These figures already show us that Ireland is a 

 pasture country. The area devoted to meadow 

 is 2,260,160 acres ; to these are added 10,586,639 

 acres of permanent pasture, making a total 

 of 12,846,799 acres, or more than two-thirds 

 of all the arable land. Ireland is accordingly 

 a cattle-rearing country. The cattle are esti- 

 mated as follows : 



Milch Cows 



Cattle of two years and 



upwards 



One year old cattle . . . 

 Under one year 



1861. 

 Head. 



1,545,000 



846,600 



585,50 

 521,400 



Total, 3,498,5oo 



1904. 

 id. 

 1,497,000 



1,027,000 

 1,035,000 

 1,117,000 



4,676,000 



