264 THE ARDS: FLAX AND POTATOES 



The sale of potatoes formed an important feature 

 in the farming, and among them we saw a very 

 characteristic variety, " Black Skerries," unknown to 

 us though of long standing in the district, and grown 

 because its flavour earns it a special market in Belfast. 

 The hay from a seeds mixture, consisting of Italian rye 

 grass with a little red clover, was being threshed for 

 seed. All through Ulster the harvesting of grass seed 

 is common, and a yield of rye grass seed of about half 

 a ton to the acre at 53. or so per cwt. may be counted 

 upon. The threshed hay would ordinarily be con- 

 sidered of very little value, but curiously enough finds 

 an export market, being practically all sent to Liver- 

 pool for the carters of that and other large Lancashire 

 towns, where coarse, bulky fodder of the kind is 

 valued. As far as oats went we were practically in 

 the South of Scotland, Scotch varieties rich in fat and 

 protein being grown for grinding into oatmeal, the 

 only local variety being one of a similar type called 

 Island Magee, the name of the little peninsula similar 

 to the Ards but on the north side of Belfast Lough. 

 When the Scotch crop is short the oatmeal merchants 

 come across to Ulster to buy, but chiefly to North 

 Antrim towards Coleraine, one of the chief oat-raising 

 districts in the United Kingdom. 



The fine crops and excellent management of these 

 Ards farms spoke for themselves. How on their 

 small acreages the comfortable houses we saw all 

 about us could be maintained the whole bright, 

 thriving aspect of the countryside wanted a good 

 deal of explanation. 



Everywhere in Co. Down we were surprised by the 

 obvious prosperity and comparative wealth of the 

 small farmers, men holding from 40 to 60 acres. To 

 take an example, we were with one man near the 



