88 SPEINGFIELD CASTLE. 



as the subdivision of the Unions will now bring it, 

 in so far as regards the poor-law, entirely within his 

 control. 



How much may be effected by an agent who under- 

 stands his business thoroughly, and acts with manly 

 honesty between the tenants and their landlords ! How 

 different would the state of the country be now if there 

 had been many agents like Mr Curling, and many 

 proprietors like Lord Devon's Trustees, who could 

 appreciate the value of such an agent, and give scope 

 to his plans ! 



This estate is principally occupied by small dairy 

 farmers, much of the land being of a stiff, retentive 

 nature, and not well adapted for tillage. The farmers 

 being thus more dependent on dairy produce than crop, 

 they are not so much affected by the fall in the prices 

 of grain, and the estate will no doubt be more easily 

 brought through, than one where returns from tillage 

 only were trusted to. 



A flat country, with an undeviating straight line of 

 road, ten miles long, brought us to Springfield castle, 

 where we were very hospitably received by Lord Mus- 

 kerry. It is all strong good land, principally in grass, 

 and much in need of drainage. The quality of the 

 soil at Lord Muskerry's may be judged of from the 

 following treatment of a field by a tenant, as related to 

 me by his lordship. It was con-acred twice in succes- 

 sion with potatoes, neither time receiving any manure ; 

 it was then cropped with two successive crops of wheat ; 

 after which, with seven successive crops of oats, all good 

 — the last said to be a splendid crop. The land was then 



