( 27 ) 



amoDgst tlie number of those who disappeared. In 

 1853 the greater part of the larm was in my own 

 hands. It has since been let as one farm, and it is a 

 signal evidence of the immense increase of production 

 which arises on land well managed, and held by men 

 having sufficient capital, that the rental of this farm 

 has risen from ^62 in 1847 to £1"]^ in 1883, — this 

 increase, however, having arisen not without large and 

 renewed outlay on draining and fencing. 



The case of Manual is, I think, a typical case of the The case of Mannal 

 process to which we can alone look for the improvement *^P^^^^ ?^ *^? ?^t^ 



^ ^ ^ process by which 



and successful establishment of a class of small farmers, real improvement 

 Those who eked out a living between bad farming and ^^^^ ^ ^ ^^^^ * 

 bad fishing, — and occasional labour not much higher in 

 quality than the farming or the fishing, — will generally 

 thrive best by pursuing one or other of these occupa- 

 tions by itself, whilst those who are devoted to agri- 

 culture can only thrive upon possessions of a certain 

 minimum size. In Tyree generally this result could 

 only be attained upon the principles before explained 

 by a very slow and gradual process. But by that 

 process steadily pursued it has been attained at least 

 to a very considerable extent ; and I shall now give to 

 the Commission the figures which indicate that result. 



In 1 846 there were no less than 2 1 8 crofts, or Present number 

 bits of crofts, below ^5 value. In 1880-81 there ^^^^^^^^^^^^^ 

 were only 34 left of this very poor class. Between those of 1846. 

 ;^5 and £\o value there were in the same year 102, 

 whereas there are now only 68. On the other hand, 

 the next class, between £\o and ;^20 value, has been 

 increased and recruited from 38 to 72, whilst the 

 still more comfortable class, between ;^20 and £^0, 

 has been raised in number from 5 to 26, and of these 



