Potatoes the primary Object. 107 



to a late period. The same author observes 

 that the wheat of Ireland was so small and con- 

 tracted, as scarcely to be cleaned by the van, 

 as there was much straw, but little corn. Cruit- 

 neach, in the Irish language, signifies wheat; 

 and the Craitnic is the name of a Scandinavian 

 tribe, who were wheat-eaters; and from whom, 

 it is probable, the Irish first received a know- 

 ledge of its culture and use. 



The first and most important object in the 

 rural economics of Ireland is the crop of pota- 

 toes ; for on this exclusively depends the exist- 

 ence of all the lower orders not resident in 

 towns. Hence all the manure which can be 

 collected by their own means, and all that can 

 be otherwise procured, is applied to the culti- 

 vation and increase of this indispensable crop 

 for on this alone do they rely for their subsist- 

 ence, until the next annual supply can be 

 obtained. Sea-weed, in this district, is resorted 

 to as an adventitious manure for this valuable 

 purpose, and it is said to answer very well if 

 ploughed into the ground before Christmas; 

 but if this be delayed, it is a commonly received 

 notion, though probably a vulgar error, that 

 the flavor of the potatoe is so much affected, 

 as to be rejected even by cattle. The small 

 farmers seldom keep more than one horse each, 



