30 IRELAND 



found in this country. But a scheme of State- 

 Aided Purchase has fortunately come to the 

 rescue, and tenants are gradually acquiring 

 their freeholds on acceptable terms. The 

 production of the land has since increased 

 enormously, and the agriculture of Ireland 

 has reached, in a comparatively short space of 

 time, a degree of prosperity that it has never 

 before attained. Co-operative organization 

 has been introduced with remarkable results 

 by Sir Horace Plunkett, whose individual 

 efforts have revitalized the whole industry. 

 His doctrines, after the first initial struggles, 

 have been found readily acceptable by farmers 

 whose endeavours are further stimulated by a 

 pride in the ownership of their holdings. 



The situation in this country seemingly 

 resolves itself down to three possible solutions. 

 (1) A gradual amendment of the present law 

 of tenure, which would ultimately create a 

 form of dual-ownership. We have endeavoured 

 to show that in practice this system is alto- 

 gether unpracticable. (2) Land Nationaliza- 

 tion. It is unnecessary to dwell on this sug- 

 gestion as a solution of the present problems. 

 However strong the arguments urged by the 



