THE FAMINE AND EXODUS. 381 



Under this new state of affairs, the English hope to be 

 able to introduce into Ireland their favourite system of 

 large farming. No doubt they will, to a certain extent, 

 succeed ; but it does not appear that it ought to become 

 the general state of the country. Large farming requires 

 what is wanting to Ireland, and that is capital. Induce- 

 ments are held out for drawing over to Ireland wealthy 

 English or Scotch farmers. Whenever one crosses, all 

 the newspapers proclaim it, in order to bring over others. 

 But hitherto few have been induced to go there. Capital 

 fears to risk itself in a country which, though tranquil, 

 it is true, bears the marks of recent frightful disorders. 

 To all appearance it is likely that Ireland will continue 

 to be worked chiefly by the Irish. Agricultural regener- 

 ation will thus proceed more slowly, but its basis 

 will be wider and more natural. Farming by the na- 

 tives presupposes a small or middling farming. The 

 example of Scotland shows what may be made out 

 of it, and the average size of the farms may, without 

 inconvenience, be less in Ireland than in Scotland, be- 

 cause of the greater fertility of the soil. Twenty or 

 five-and-twenty acres per farm on the good lands, a 

 couple of hundred or so in the worst, where it would 

 be chiefly pasturage, and about fifty as the average, 

 would probably be a fair measure. With these limits 

 the farmer should not only live and pay rent, but accu- 

 mulate capital. 



The real question which concerns the production of 

 farming capital, so deficient among the Irish, and which 

 seems little disposed to reach them from other quarters, 

 is that of leases. There again Scotland sets an excellent 

 example, which cannot fail to be followed. Tenant-right 

 such, at least, as they understand it in Ireland is not 

 necessary. That engine of war is out of place in a well- 



