CH. VII.] AGRICULTURE. 103 



are not at all made to keep a regular course ; they are also 

 obstructed by mills and dams. Those which are liable to 

 overflowings are not kept in by embankments, and the 

 country is all inundated. The little streams or ditches 

 which serve to drain the land are dammed up by the small 

 farmers for their own purposes. 



In general the people have a strong prejudice against 

 drainage, and the country is subject to fevers from want of 

 outlets for the water. 



The Commissioners instituted an inquiry into the state 

 of roads and highways. 



The roads, according to the witnesses, are much im- 

 proved, and the cars which, twenty years ago, could only 

 carry six or seven cwt., now bear from eighteen to twenty- 

 three cwt. This improvement is attributed to the great 

 powers which the law has given to the county to levy the 

 necessary cost for the public works, and to carry them into 

 execution ; it has greatly favoured the cultivation of cer- 

 tain lands by facilitating the application of lime to them. 



Many landlords have made roads, adjoining their estates, 

 at their own cost. Amongst these, Lord Palmerston has 

 expended in this manner 1900/. 



The old cars of the country have given place to the 

 Scotch carts, which are much more serviceable than the 

 English ones. 



In several baronies the land has been so much divided 

 that there are scarcely any cars remaining, and the corn is 

 carried on the back of a donkey or a horse. One Com- 

 missioner stated, that for every horse there are at least 

 nine donkeys used for transport. 



