138 A HISTORY OF 



to farmers of repute in various counties ; but at first, 

 Baker was to take upon him the instruction of five 

 boys, for whom 1 2 a year for their food and clothing 

 were to be paid. Two of them were to be instructed 

 in the manufacture of agricultural implements. Baker's 

 pupils were to be selected from inmates of the Found- 

 ling Hospital, 1 and 1500 copies of his scheme were 

 printed. Yet another year elapsed, when it was 

 resolved that his experiments were to be extended, 

 and, with this object in view, a further grant of 200 

 was made to him. The implements of husbandry 

 manufactured by him at Loughlinstown (which was 

 afterwards renamed Wynnsfield), where the school of 

 agriculture was situated, were sold, and he was allowed 

 a premium on the amount. At the end of 1768 the 

 value of implements disposed of during the year 

 amounted to 501, 5^. At this period, agricultural 

 implements were few, and of a most inferior kind, 

 mainly consisting of the plough, harrow, flail, sickle, 

 reaping hook, and scythes : " the quarter of a century 

 immediately following 1760, is memorable in our agri- 

 cultural annals for the introduction of various impor- 

 tant improvements." Many subsequent grants of 

 100 were made to Baker for his encouragement, and 

 in payment of necessary expenses. In December 1769, 

 at a very crowded meeting of the Society, a sum of 

 300 was proposed as a fixed yearly salary for carry- 

 ing out his experiments, and for affording instruction 

 and advice to persons applying to him ; he was also 

 to have 10 per cent, on sales of implements, the 



1 The first stone of this building was laid in 1704. It stood at 

 the west end of James' St., on a site granted by the city (now occu- 

 pied by South Dublin Union Workhouse), and was originally intended 

 for aged and infirm poor. Under Act of Parliament, it became in 

 1730 a Foundling Hospital and Workhouse, where children were 

 taught trades. 



