188 ROYAL AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



The question of utilising funds from the Loan Fund Board for the pur- 

 pose of encouraging Agricultural progress in connection with the new move- 

 ment was raised by Mr. Kennedy at a meeting of the Loan Fund Board in 

 1 841. As a member of the Loan Fund Board Mr. Kennedy had ample 

 opportunity for studying its workings and bearing upon Agriculture, and in 

 urging the application of funds from the Loan Fund Societies to Agricul- 

 tural Society's projects, he stated that a loan fund, duly constituted and 

 administered was to the small local economist and capitalist a most secure 

 and convenient Savings Bank, paying, and very able to pay to the deposi- 

 tors or debenture holders, a very high rate of interest, 5 or 6 per cent. 

 So far it is to them most advantageous and offers great facility to their 

 valuable habits of economy and saving. The Loan Fund distributes its 

 loans and receives its payments on a system which when well administered 

 confers the greatest benefits on the parties borrowing." It was suggested 

 that the net profits of the Loan Fund Societies should be applied to paying 

 the salaries of the Agricultural Superintendents that were to be engaged 

 for each Union Agricultural Society. Mr. Kennedy remarks, " If these 

 profits were appropriated as I contemplate, to a purpose highly reproductive 

 oi advantage, they would tend directly to the aggrandisement and profit of 

 the many persons who exist either as small farmers or day labourers. In 

 the one case by improving their culture and increasing their produce, in the 

 other by creating a demand for labour which would be required to carry into 

 effect the improvements suggested and guided by the skill and practical 

 knowledge of the Agricultural Superintendent." 



The project of appointing Agricultural Superintendents to Local Agri- 

 cultural Societies was much discussed in the early years of the Royal Agri- 

 cultural Improvement Society. Mr. Blacker, of Market Hill, who took an 

 extremely lively interest in the Society urged the matter with much energy. 

 The Ballinasloe Agricultural Union Society had made a start in Agricultural 

 instruction and aid in its district. This as an exemplar afforded Mr. Blacker 

 opportunity for urging his views. In his letter to the Society Mr. Blacker 

 states that responding to the efforts of the Ballinasloe Society and the 

 appointment of an Agriculturist to give instruction, 438 farmers had cordially 

 received Mr. Clapperton, the Agriculturist, nearly the whole of whom pro- 

 mised to follow advice. Out of which number 202 had actually commenced 

 the new system, which, considering the novelty of the undertaking, the want 

 of manure, the absence of preparations made by loans of seed, lime, bone- 

 dust, or any other assistance to enable persons to follow his advice, was as 

 large a number as could be expected. 



It may be mentioned that about this time Pleuro-pneumonia was first 

 general in Ireland. This fearful plague which afterwards caused such havoc 

 commenced in Cork. Its outbreak was said to have been caused by the 

 introduction of Dutch cattle which were imported to Cork County in conse- 

 quence of their reputation as dairy cattle. In the County of Cork, from 

 whence the first announcement of the evil came, nothing could exceed the 

 alarm of the farmers, one of whom — Mr. John Jeffreys, of Blarney, lost 

 eighteen of the finest cows out of one dairy alone, without a single one of 

 those attacked recovering. Following the notes of the Society come 

 reports upon the disease from Messrs. Olden, the then eminent Veterinary 

 Surgeons of Cork, and Dr. William Faussett, a Licentiate of the Royal 

 College in Ireland. These reports and suggestions gave evidence of much 



