52 THE IRISH AGRARIAN PROBLEM. 



often too small and too stony to admit of a 

 plough being used ; moreover, the farmer seldom 

 has capital enough to possess a plough. The 

 crop rotation is that oats generally follows 

 potatoes, and in its turn makes way for potatoes 

 again, a sequence which continues in tireless 

 alternation so long as the plot continues to 

 yield a crop. When the land is quite exhausted, 

 another piece of pasture is broken up, which 

 has hitherto been avoided for convenience' sake ; 

 the exhausted land is left alone and the grass 

 grows on it of itself. 



The land which is not used for potatoes and 

 oats is pasture — sometimes lowland, sometimes 

 mountain pasture — which is often used by a 

 number of farmers in common. The bearing 

 capacity of these pastures is established, and the 

 unit of calculation is the " sum." A " sum " is 

 the pasturage right of a certain number of stock ; 

 whether these consist of cows, geese, sheep, or 

 asses is at the option of the individual farmer, 

 for there is a certain fixed standard of reduction 

 between the various kinds of stock, so that every 

 farmer can dispose his live stock according 

 to these principles. There is not much dung 

 produced on the farm, for no genuine stall- 

 feeding exists. In addition to artificial manures 

 sea sand, sea-weed, or peat soil are therefore 

 made use of. At the seaside the chief manure 

 used is sea-weed. The right to it is an essential 

 part of most farms. Fuel material is obtained 

 by cutting turf; the bogs of Ireland are so rich 



