OF THE COUNTY OF DOWN. 113 



than one horfe, ploughing is done by two neighbours 

 joining , each lends his horfe, and in whofefoever land 

 the plough is, the owner of the land holds the plough. 

 Each harrows his own ground, draws out his own 

 manure, &c. Where no horfe is kept, ploughing is 

 hired at $s. $d. per day, with meat for man and hode, 

 or for five days work of a man, at any time you choofe 

 to call him. Except in demefnes bullocks are not ufed, 

 horfes are thought more expeditious, and to be better 

 calculated for drawing lime, taking grain to market, 

 &c. I was once witnefs to a mofl decided fuperiority 

 , in horfes, in Lord Downfhire's park j they were 

 ploughing, without a driver, alternate ridges, with four 

 bullocks and a driver j for a confiderable time that I 

 ftaid, the horfes went three bouts for every two bouts 

 of the bullocks. In this county, ploughing without a 

 driver was introduced by Mathew Gafoigne, when in 

 the Biftiop of Dromore's fervice : he is now farmer in 

 the park of Hillfborough. 



Harvefting* -The economy, with which grain is cut 

 and handled in this county, deferves praife and imita- 

 tion ; it is reaped quite clofe to the ground, and not a 

 head left; we have no fuch perfons as gleaners, the 

 farmer attends the reapers, ties and fets up the (heaves, 

 carefully gathering the ears ; if the grain is thick, it 

 requires an attendant (provincially bandfter) to five 

 reapers ; if it is thin, he may attend one or two more. 



