THE CLIMA TE OF IRELAND. 263 



When land is well laid down, the first year's 

 grass is very good. The second year is worse, 

 because the artificial grasses are dying out and the 

 natural grasses have not had time to take their 

 place. The third year the natural grasses are 

 established, and a close and excellent sward is the 

 result, equal to good old grass in the West of 

 England, and such as in Norfolk could not be got 

 in thirty years, hardly in twice thirty. I have 

 often said that such land as I have to deal with, in 

 the Norfolk climate would not be worth half what 

 it is in the Irish climate. Again, consider the 

 immense rise in the price of grass products in 

 Ireland. Twenty years ago, butter sold for 5d. to 

 6d. per lb. Good beef was often at 3d. and pork 

 at 2d. per lb. £2 to £3 was not thought a bad 

 price for a yearling heifer. I have bought good 

 fair stock lambs in July for 5 s. each. Now prices 

 are some twice, some four times, some six times 

 these rates, all, be it observed, for grass products. 

 This rise of price has not yet produced its effects 

 • on our farming, and on the value of land. Some of 

 it is still recent, at least in part — as the value of 

 young stock — and the argument is still used and 

 felt, " Perhaps these high prices will not hold." 

 But as soon as the prices of stock are felt to be 

 permanent — as the increasing demand for meat 

 from increasing wages in England shows it is likely 

 they will be permanent — that cause alone will be 



