CH. IV.] SMALL TENANTRY. 61 



is their condition, they consider themselves less wretched 

 than those who stand every day in the streets of towns, 

 looking for any kind of employment. 



In the barony of Murrisk, it was stated, that some of the 

 agents of the landed proprietors carry on a traffic in oats, 

 and that, to prevent the small tenants being in arrear of 

 payment, they oblige them to bring their oats to the store, 

 and the tenants return home with a ticket in their pockets, 

 which they produce on pay-day; whereas, if they were 

 allowed to hold their oats over, they would often have 

 the benefit of a higher price, and would not be starved. 



The Commissioners found great difficulty in obtaining an 

 exact idea of the real state of the tenants of this district, 

 who, fearing an increase in the price of farms, endeavour 

 to conceal what they possess. It was stated that the ex- 

 cessive misery was less attributable to the high price, than 

 to the extreme division, of the lands ; that the misery has 

 been progressive in proportion to the subdivision of the 

 soil, from the prejudice of the people that every one has 

 the right to possess enough land to maintain himself. 



Only one instance in all the barony was cited of a small 

 tenant lodging money in the savings' bank. 



Much employment might be found in the reclamation 

 of bogs, and the tenants would work in bringing them 

 into culture, but from the conviction that the moment the 

 land is made productive they would be charged the full 

 value of it. 



In the barony of Carbery it was mentioned, as a proof 

 of the wretched condition of the small farmers, that in the 

 extensive improvements carried on upon the estate of Lord 

 Palmerston, the number of tenants who applied for em- 

 ployment was so great, that the agent, being unable to find 



