82 SHAEN CASTLE, 

 thing was fo unpopular in Ireland as fuch an 

 idea; and that the great objection to it was \ 

 increafmg the number of abfentees. When it 

 was in agitation, 20 peers and 60 commoners 

 were talked of to fit in the Britifh parliament, 

 which would be the refident of 80 of the bell 

 eftates in Ireland. Going every year to Eng- 

 land would, by degrees, make them reh'dents; 

 they would educate their children there, and 

 in time become mere abfentees. becoming fo 

 they would be unpopular, others would be 

 ele&ed, who, treading in the fame fteps, would 

 yield the place (till to others; and thus, by 

 degrees, a vafc portion of the kingdom now 

 reiident would be made abfentees; which 

 would, they think, be fo great a drain to 

 Ireland, that a free trade would not repay it. 



I think the idea is erroneous, were it only 

 for one circumftance, the kingdom would lofe, 

 according to this reafoning, an idle race of 

 country gentlemen, and in exchange their 

 ports would fill with fhips and commerce, and 

 all the confequences of commerce; an ex- 

 change that never yet proved difadvantageous 

 to any country. 



The Dean's improvements of bog ground 

 are cxtenfive; lie drained very completely, 

 and then ploughed or dug it for burning, 

 upon which fowed meilin, which fucceeded 

 very well, yielding. 13 barrels an acre. Then 

 oats ploughed for, and got 10 barrels; and 

 fowed hay feeds, ray grafs (colium peremie) and 



clover 



