98 ON THE STATE OF IRELAND. [BOOK I. 



only in the hands of some of the large farmers, who culti- 

 vate them from curiosity. 



In the neighbourhood of Dublin the cultivation of arti- 

 ficial grasses begins to spread; but when any one has 

 attempted to grow on a large scale french-beans or peas, 

 the novelty has attracted so many depredators that the 

 attempt has been given up. The people insist on planting 

 potatoes, upon which they ought to live. The good kinds 

 of potatoes are unknown. 



Formerly flax was extensively cultivated, as the women 

 spun during the winter ; but since the introduction of ma- 

 chinery for spinning, the manufacturers have found it more 

 advantageous to import from Holland and Russia. For the 

 last two or three years the crops of flax having completely 

 failed on the Continent, the manufacturers have had re- 

 course to the north of Ireland, and this branch of industry 

 has been resumed. 



In general the soil of Ireland is of the best quality, but 

 the universal ignorance of the art of cultivation deterio- 

 rates it. The Commissioners inquired if the arable land 

 afforded no employment to the labourers. The witnesses 

 replied, that the small farmers alone cultivated grain ; that 

 the farms were so small as not to give employment to one 

 family throughout the year ; that, in order to live, they let 

 part of their cabins to artisans (such as carpenters, lock- 

 smiths, etc.), and seek work elsewhere, which they can 

 with difficulty find, since the large farmers, being unable 

 to cultivate corn at the same price as the small ones, 

 have no arable land, and consequently no employment for 

 labour. 



In some parishes the population is so dense that no 

 system of agriculture could give employment to the mass. 



