1206 



STATISTICS OF AGRICULTURE. 



Pakt IV. 



Minerale. Besides basalt, limestone, gypsum, coals, fossll- 

 wood, or wood-coal, sandstone, &c. are found. The fossil- 

 wood, or wood-coal, in most places, is covered with columns of 

 basalt, and is curious as explanatory of the origin of coal. Not- 

 withstanding the compressed state in which it is found, the 

 bark and knots are quite distinct, and the rings denoting the 

 annual growth of the wood may be counted. In some instances 

 the roots of the trees may be traced. Of the only two coal 

 mines which are wrought in the province of Ulster, there is 

 one in Antrim, at Bally Castle. The coals are bituminous, 

 and of a bad quality ; a great part of Uiem are exported. 



Landed Property'. Estates are in general freehold, being 

 cither immediate" grants from the Crown, or held under those 

 grants. The exceptions are the properties under the see of 

 Connor. Some of the estates are very large. The Marquess 

 of Hertford and the Antrim family possess the fee of the major 

 part of the county. The former has 64,000 ^reen acres ; that 

 IS, land capable of tillage, and independently of bog and 

 mountain. Most of the Antrim estate is let on perpetuity, in 

 farms worth 2000/. or 3000/. per annum. The other great 

 proprietors are the Marquess of Donegal, Lord Templeton, and 

 Lord O'lVeil. The estate of Lord Templeton, however, is 

 only leasehold under the Marquess of Donegal, who lets his land 

 for sixty -one years and a life, but renews at the end of a few 

 years for a price. 



The Jamw are in general very small. The principal feature 

 in the tillage system is the potato fallow. The small size of 

 the farms, and, in some places, the rockiness of the soil, precludes 

 the use of the ordinary means of culture, and therefore a part 



of the land Is dug with the spade. The quantity of potato-land 

 is regulated by the quantity of raariure that can be collected. 

 After potatoes, flax is sown, and the quantity of fl ix ground is 

 regulated by the ability to purchase the seed. A crop of oats 

 finishes the regular rotation. When the ground is exhausted, 

 it is turned to rest, that is, it is suffered to lie till it is covered 

 with natural grass. Such is the most general plan of husbandry 

 pursued in Antrim. In those parts ivhere the farms are too 

 large for the spade culture, the land is ploughed by three or 

 four neighbours umting their strength ; one supplying the 

 plough, and the others bringing a horse, bullock, or even a 

 milch cow. Wheat is a plant of very modern introduction in 

 Antrim, and very little of it is sown. 



The most important crop is flax. 



The cattle consist chiefly of milch cows, belonging to small 

 occupiers, of a small stunted breed. Sheep are very little 

 attended to ; and the few that are kept are of a very inferior 

 kind. Goats are numerous in the mountainous parts of the 

 county. Pigs also are kept in great numbers. 



This county by no means abounds with wood ; nor are fruit- 

 trees cultivated in great abundance, or with very much success. 

 Of the apple, however, several new and valuable Varieties have 

 lately been introduced, and advantageouslv cultivated. 



Antrim has long been distinguished for its linen mamifacture ; 

 but latterly the manufacture of cotton has, in some measure, 

 supplanted it, especially in the vicinity of Belfast. 



There is a considerable salmon-fishing on the coast. 



The stupendous assemblage of basaltic columns, called " the 

 Giant's Causeway," lies on the maritime confines of Antrim. 



Chap. IV. 

 Literature and Bibliography of Agriculture. 



7896. The first books on agriculture were written by the Greeks before the Christian 

 aera, and by the Romans about the commencement of that period. Hesiod is the only 

 writer of the former people exclusively devoted to husbandry : the earliest Roman author 

 is Cato ; and the latest, Palladius, in the fourth century A.D. The works of these and 

 the other agricultural writers of antiquity have been already enumerated (25. and 44.), 

 and the most interesting have lately been re-translated (7110. anno 1800). 



7897. In the dark ages few books were written except on religion. The first author 

 that appeared on the revival of the arts was Crescentius in Italy, in the fifteenth cen- 

 tury; and soon after, in the sixteenth, Fitzherbert in England, Olivier des Serres in 

 France, Heresbach in Germany, and Herrera in Spain. Since these works appeared, 

 many others have been published in every country in Europe, especially in England, 

 France, and Germany. Though our business is chiefly with the works which have 

 appeared in Britain : yet we shall, after enumerating the chief of them, notice also what 

 has been done in other countries ; many foreign works, especially of France, Germany, 

 and Italy, being familiar, either in the original or by translations, to the reading 

 agriculturists of this country. All the works of importance, whether foreign or domestic, 

 published or to be published since 1825, will be found noticed or reviewed in the Gar- 

 deners Magazine, commenced in that year, and in continuation, 



Sect. I. Bibliography of British Agriculture. 

 7R98. A general view of the literature of British agriculture having been already given (801.), we have 

 here only to supply the bibliographical enumeration confirmatory of that view. Of agricultural books very 

 few at the present day are worth reading for their scientific information ; they are chiefly to be considered 

 as historical documents of the progress of opinions and practices ; and this is the reason we have arranged 

 them in the order of their appearance, instead of classing them according to the subjects treated of. 

 Those who wish to see them so classed will be amply gratified by Watts's Bibliographia Britunnica. In 

 our list we have omitted many works on subjects belonging to political agriculture, as the corn laws, tithes, 

 poor-rates, &c. ; and also most of those on veterinary surgery, horsemanship, bees, hunting, planting, &c., 

 as not strictly belonging to the subject, and as being for the greater part, those on the veterinary art in 

 particular, worse than Useless. In short, the improvements in chemistry, animal and vegetable physio- 

 logy, and the comparatively clear views of political economy which have taken place chiefly since the 

 commencement of the present century, have rendered most books on agriculture, whether political or 

 professional, not published within the last ten years, of very little value, and a number of them more 

 injurious than useful. This second edition of British authors on agriculture is considerably reduced, in 

 order to render it more select ; and, through the obliging disposition of Mr. Forsyth, perhaps the only man 

 in existence thoroughly acquainted with the bibliography of British agriculture and gardening, it is 

 rendered much more accurate. 



1500. Qroshede, Bishop of Lincoln. 

 Here begyneth a Treatyse of Husbandry, 



lich Mayster 



Groshede, sotyme Bysshop of Lyncolne, made and translated 

 out of Frenssheinto'Englyshe. Lond. 4to. 



1523. Fitzherbert, or FHxherbarde, Sir Anthony, 

 a very learned lawyer, and also known as the father 

 of English husbandry, was born at Norbury, in Der- 

 byshire, and died there in 1538. He was made i udge 

 of the Common Pleas in the 15th of Henry VIII., 

 and wrote several books on law. 



1 . The Book of Husbandry, verv profitable and necessarj- 

 for all persons. Lond. 1523, 4to ; "ISS?, Ifimo. 



2. Surveying. Lond. 1323, 4to; 1539, l6mo. 

 .?. DeExtentaManerii. Lond. 153K. 



1558. Benesc, Sir Richard, Canon of Marton Ab- 

 bey, near London. 

 The Manner oiMsasuryng all Maner of Land. ICmo, 



1557. Tusser, Thomas, styled the British Varro, 

 was born near Witham, in Essex, 1515 ; received a 

 liberal education at Eton School, and at Trinity 

 Hall, Cambridge ; lived many years as a farmer in 

 Suffolk, and afterwards removed to London, and 

 published his experience in agriculture and gar- 

 dening. He died in 1580. 



1. A hundveth good Pointes of Husbandrie. Lond. 4to. 



2. Five Hundrelh Points of Good Husbandry, suited to as 

 many of Good Huswifere; with divers approved lessons con- 

 cerning Hops and Gardening. Lond. 4to. 1573. 



1.TI81. Mascall, Leonard, author of a work on 

 sowing, planting, and grafting trees, &c. 1572. 



1. 7'he Husbandlye Ordering and Government of Poultrie, 

 &c. Lond. 8vo. 



a. The First Book of Cattel, &c. Lond. 1587. 4to. 



3. A Pooke of Fishing with Hooke and Line, and all other 

 Instruments thereunto belonging : another of Sundrie Engines 



