1846.] Irish Agriculture. 199 



for the best managed farm, including all their crops, their proper 

 rotation, their adaptation to the greatest amount or maximum of 

 production, without unnecessary or improper exhaustion of the 

 soil, — stocks of all kinds, — management of manures, — permanent 

 improvements, such as draining, fences, buildings, &c. — in a word 

 the greatest improvement to the farm and the greatest profit to 

 the tenant. This is no doubt better both for landlord and tenant, 

 in the circumstances in which these parties are placed towards 

 each other, in Ireland, than to pay bounties on separate animals 

 and crops. 



The size of the farms of the great body of the Irish tenants, 

 would strike an American farmer with surprise. Perhaps the 

 average would not exceed ten English acres. But do these men, 

 if they have families, get a comfortable living on these mere 

 "patches" of land? If we may trust the assertions of Mr. 

 Blaker, they do, — although the land is in many cases of a very 

 inferior quality, until improved by the tenant. 



The following table will give an idea of what the land sup- 

 ports: 



Stock on ten farms, containing 98 acres, 3 roods, 28 perches, on 

 Lord Gosjvrd's estate. 



