CH. V.] CONSOLIDATION OF FARMS. 



CHAPTER V. 



ATTEMPTED CHANGES IN THE GENERAL SYSTEM OF 

 CULTIVATION, BY THE CONSOLIDATION OF FARMS 

 AND THE DISLODGEMENT OF THE TENANTRY. 



THE Commissioners inquired whether the landed pro- 

 prietors had adopted the system of consolidating the 

 small farms into single ones ; whether this system was 

 pursued perseveringly and on a large scale, and what ef- 

 fect it had had upon the produce of the land, on the con- 

 dition of the tenants, etc. 



In the province of Connaught, the witnesses in the ba- 

 rony of Kilconnel replied, that, although there existed a 

 general disposition to consolidate the farms, the system 

 had not been pursued to any extent in that barony, except 

 on the estate of Lord Clonbrock, who had thrown a large 

 number of minute holdings into a certain number of farms 

 of ten acres each. This he had effected without having 

 recourse to any harshness. The land was held by about 

 fifty occupants ; Lord Clonbrock offered to each tenant a 

 sum of money as compensation for being ejected ; he also 

 offered them locations on the unreclaimed part of another 

 estate, together with assistance towards building a house. 

 Several accepted the latter condition ; a few emigrated to 

 the colonies, availing themselves of the money received ; 

 so that only four or five of the original fifty occupants re- 

 main. 



The great subdivision of land leads to considerable waste 

 in the numerous ditches and fences necessary ; and the 

 produce of a farm of ten acres will for this reason far ex- 



