MEE. cua TANE perus 
12.—1846.] 
THE AGRICULTURAL GAZETTE. 
193 
AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY OF IRELAND. 
March 5.—The secretary having addressed letters to 
the parties who had competed for the gold medals for 
thorough draining last year, relative to the effect pro- 
duced on the land by the process, the following answers 
were read in reply thereto :— 
“THE MARQUIS OF WATERFORD'S ESTATES, 
LONDONDERRY. 
17th February, 1:46. 
“Sir, I have beenjfrequested by J. B. Beresford, 
Esq., to make out a report for the Royal Agricultural 
Improvement Society of Ireland, of the effects pro- 
duced and increased value of the land thorough drained 
on the estate of the most noble the Marquis of Water- 
ford, county of Londonderry, and shown for competi- 
tion for the gold medal, presented to that Society last 
year by Sir Richard O’Donnell, Bart. 
“Tn order to avoid any doubt of exaggerated state- 
ments being made by me, I requested as many of the 
tenants as I had an opportunity of icating with 
to send me a just statement of the effects thorough- 
draining had produced on their farms, and also to state, 
to'the best of their opinion, what their drained land 
was worth to them now, above what it was previous to 
that improvement taking place ; but there seems to be 
a great reluctance on their part to admit freely the 
benefit they have derived ; for although I requested a 
great many to send me an account how their drained 
land had paid them, I have only received returns from 
15, all of whieh are highly satisfaetory, but only 12 of 
them give the improved value of their land; but as re- 
turns were asked from tenants without amy selection, 
consider the statements of the 12 may be justly applied 
as an average of all. The following abstract is taken 
from their reports :— 
sla |B 
Els jg. 
E E] EE 
ojesi 
[i EFIE OBSERVATIONS. 
E" 3 
E ECIEE 
t 
Z E 
1 [1842| 3 |Cropped since with Potatoes, Oats, and Flax, all 
of which were excellent i 
1844, 
acre. 
1843. Ditto with Oats, worth 5L per statute acre, and 
Flax value for 81. per ditto. 
Ditto with Flax and Potatoes, both of which 
were good. 
Ditto with Potatoes, Oats, and Flax, all of which 
were good crops, 
Ditto with Oats, and quality of ground very 
much changed. 
Ditto with Flax, crop worth 9l. per statute acre. 
Ditto with Oats and Potatoes, ground formerly 
rough and marshy. 
Ditto with Oats, worth 6L. per statute acre, and 
Flax worth 81. 85, 
Ditto with Potatoes, a good average crop. 
Ditto with Potatoes, Oats, and Flax, all good 
crops where formerly the same ground could 
Scarcely be cultivated. 
12 |1842| 4 |Same kind of crops and reference as No, 11. 
** Although there is a great change on the land that 
s been drained, still the full benefit of it has not been 
realised, as the subsoil plough has only been used on 
Some few farms—few small farmers having horses suffi- 
cient to do that important part of improvement ; still 
it is pleasing to see most of all those who plant Potatoes 
on their drained land making their ridges across the 
drains, and digging up the furrows between the ridges, 
being the only method the small farmer can adopt to 
effect his purpose. I may also mention that the crops 
growing on the drained land last year were much 
Superior to those on the undrained, and could easily be 
pointed out by their uniform appearance, not having 
that short and scalded look about the furrows that the 
Crops growing on the undrained land had. "There was 
& good deal of Flax grown on drained land on this 
estate last year, and some of it on land which, before 
being drained, was not considered worth ploughing, but 
the Flax has yielded a return of 107. per statute acre. 
—Wirtram MéLzrsn, Agriculturist. 
“Edward Bullen, Esq., Secretary, dc.” 
“THE EARL OF ERNE'S ESTATES.—CROM CASTLE, 
COUNTY FERMANAGH. 
s 27th February, 1846, 
_ * Sir, in reply to your communication of the 4th of 
February instant, requesting me to state the nature 
and effects produced upon the lands drained upon the 
demesne of the Earl of Erne, which were in competition 
Or the Society’s gold medal last year, I beg to state 
that I have found the results from it in every instance 
Most satisfactory ; so much so, that I have found the 
rst outlay repaid by the two succeeding crops. I never 
drained land that I did not subsoil from 16 to 18 inches 
ep in the months of October and November following, 
Which is indispensible in my mind on all varieties of 
dus however, I prefer subsoiling two years after 
taining, particularly on weighty clay lands. The last 
ud years I have drained all the lea lands that were in- 
ended to be broken up; the previous year I break 
th Dip uie JA 
em, thus leaving the subsoiling to be done the second 
Year after the draining. With regard to the increased 
sole Of land, I consider, after the draining and sub- 
mtg, the value of the land is increased one-half, 
th © extent of the land drained under my inspection for 
e last 12 years, has varied, according to circum- 
1842 
1842 
1844 
1843 
1844 
1844 
2 
3 
4 
5 
6 |1844 
mn 
8 
9 
6 
1 |1842 
Wu GH eho ada mpa Ho oH Ge 
upon soles, which method of draining I consider equal, 
if not superior, to the best stone drains. Where land 
has been thoroughly drained, deeply wrought, and well 
manured, the most unpromising sterile soil becomes a 
deep rich loam, rivalling in fertility the best natural 
land in the country, and from being fitted for raising 
only scanty crops of common Oats, will bear good crops 
of from 12 to 18 barrels of Wheat ; 24 to 30 barrels of 
Barley ; and frofn 27 to 36 barrels of early Oats, per 
Trish acre, besides superior crops of Potatoes, Turnips, 
and Mangold Wurzel. It is hardly possible to estimate 
all the advantages of dry and deep land, where every 
operation in husbandry is facilitated and cheapened by 
requiring less seed and less manure to produce full 
effect, and with the great advantage of having the land 
early in a condition for sowing, which is a matter of 
reat i i i i climate.—PETER 
eat imp in this p 
Cowan, Steward to the Earl of Erne. 
“To Edward Bullen, Esq., Secretary, dc.” 
Farmers’ Clubs. 
DARLINGTON.— The best mode of preparing the Land, 
planting, rearing, and preserving the Potato Crop.— 
Feb, 2.—H. Dean, Esq., in the chair. Mr. Pearson, 
who proposed the subject, said: For the last six years 
I have been a Potato grower, and tried various methods, 
but with little success; but latterly I determined to 
change my system, and will now give you an outline of 
the plan I have adopted. I give my land intended for 
Potatoes the first ploughing in the autumn to the depth 
of at least 7 inches; a second ploughing is then given 
in January or February ; then, after the land is properly 
worked and cleaned I apply two chaldrons of lime per 
acre, and when ready for planting I have my manure 
carted on and spread evenly over the surface, at the 
rate of about 12 loads per acre. I then commence 
planting as follows: after one bout with the plough, the 
sets are planted in the bottom of the furrow, at 9 inches 
apart in the furrow, and the manure which was pre- 
viously spread over the surface is raked into the furrow 
upon the sets from off the width of about 2 feet; the 
ploughing is then proceeded with, the sets are ploughed 
in the first bout, then another bout is ploughed, in which 
furrow other sets are planted, and the manure raked 
in as before. By this means, the distance betwixt the 
rows is about 2 feet, that is taking a foot at each furrow 
slice, and the land instead of being in ridges according 
to the usual method, is left with a flat surface, and by 
this means I conceive it will bear a droughty season 
much better, besides the crows cannot so easily pull out 
the sets. My sets are always cut on the day they are 
used ; they are planted, manured, and ploughed in 
immediately ; the plants when up are cleaned in the 
usual way, but in consequence of their being planted 
level, I think they take less cleaning than when in 
ridges. I afterwards, when the plants are of a proper 
size, mould them up with the plough’ in the usual way, 
and when in flower I have about half the flowers plucked 
off; which has, I believe, a tendency to increase the 
growth of the Potato, as in eonsequence of the flower 
being gathered there is less support required for the top 
seed or apple. Last October, when I took up my crop, 
which was remarkably good for the description of land, 
it being at least 300 bushels per aere (and this upon 
land that had been previously considered incapable of 
growing Potatoes at all); they certainly had the prevail- 
ing disease of last season, though slightly; the Potatoes 
at the lower part of the root being comparatively sound, 
whilst those that were diseased were near the top, but 
there were very few diseased at all. In storing my 
Potatoes I am in the habit of putting them up in pies 
in the field, but conceiving that Potatoes do not keep 
so well when the air is entirely excluded, I place rows 
of draining tiles through the bottom of each pie whilst 
storing them, and by that means currents of air are 
continually passing through the heap ; in frosty weather 
I keep the outer ends of the tiles stuffed with straw, 
so as to prevent the frost from entering those air flues 
to the injury of the Potatoes.—A lively discussion fol- 
lowed, into which several of the members entered pretty 
largely, and detailed their usual practice, but most of 
them had been occasionally subjected to partial failure 
from the disease called dry rot, of which no one 
seemed capable of clearly explaining the causes, or of 
tracing it satisfactorily to its source : as also the blight 
of last season, which was still less understood.—Mr. 
Wilson, of Urleynook, was of opinion that the blight 
of last season originated from the effects of a very 
strong wind which took place when the Potato tops 
were full of sap and vigour, and which so far in- 
jured and enfeebled the plant as to render them 
unable to resist the influence of any gas o 
vapour detrimental to their healthy growth, and 
by this means the disease of last season had been gene- 
rated ; he also stated that, in this opinion, he had been 
borne out by a very extensive Potato grower. Other 
members of the club attributed it to the early frosts 
which had attacked the plants at a time when wet, and 
unable to resist their influence.—Mr. Walton, the vice- 
chairman, gave it as his opinion that the falling off in 
the constitution of the Potato had been going on imper- 
ceptibly for a number of years, perhaps long before it 
began to show itself; and now when the constitution 
had become so much impaired as to render Potatoes a 
really hazardous crop to cultivate, it became very im- 
portant that the greatest possible care should be taken 
in the cultivation ; and he was glad to see so spirited 
n 
ances, from 20 to 100 acres yearly ; all of which were 
Ne with tiles, and in most cases the tiles were laid 
an inquiry into the cause as had taken place that after- 
noon.—Mr. Thomas Dixon, the honorary secretary, 
supported Mr. Walton in his views, and gave it as his 
most decided opinion that the main cause of failure in 
the disease called dry rot, proceeded from the impaired 
constitution of the Potato, brought on by injudicious 
and improper treatment; the principal part of which 
was by cutting Potatoes for seed, and by late planting. 
He considered it a bad plan to cut Potatoes for seed at 
all, it being much safer and better to pick out and plant 
the smaller sized Potatoes; for, by cutting Potatoes for 
sets, and more particularly in a late season, a vel 
serious injury frequently takes place from the evapora- 
tion of the natural juices of the Potato, and more par- 
ticularly when exposed for some hours to a dry atmo- 
sphere. Now, although this mode might have been 
adopted year after year for some time without any per- 
ceptible disadvantage, yet from the experience he had 
had as a Potato grower, he felt quite convinced that 
each time that Potatoes were cut for planting, it had a 
tendency to weaken the constitution, until at last it 
became so far injured as to be incapable of vigorous 
and certain vegetation when cut, or when placed under 
any other, even the slightest unfavourable cireum- 
stances. But although the constitution might be in- 
jured to rather a serious extent, yet his impression was, 
that if care was taken in ordinary seasons, there was 
little fear of failure ; and the method that he would re- 
commend was, to plant whole Potatoes instead of cut 
ones ; to plant early, say in March or April; to plant 
pretty deep, and always to lay the manure upon the sets 
in the rows. If these matters were strictly attended to 
in all cases, he believed there would be few complaints 
of failure from dry rot.—At the conclusion of the meet. 
ing no resolution was come to on the subject ; but Mr. 
Pearson's method was considered well worthy of the 
attention of the members, and the Chairman recom- 
mended it to be further tried, in order that its general 
merits may be better known. The subject fixed for dis- 
cussion on the 2d of March is, “The best Mode of 
Treatment for Breeding;Ewes, particularly during the 
Lambing Season." 
Farm Memoranda. 
Istanp or Istay.— Feb. 2.— The 1st month of 
spring commenced yesterday with a calm, clear, cool 
day. Since the middle of October there had not been 
three conseeutive dry days, and never any frost or 
snow lay for one whole day, except on the tops of the 
highest hills. The land is very wet, and ploughing far 
behind. There is a prejudice in Islay against early 
ploughing of stubble land, and it is said that the land 
is so weak that it is hurtful to plough too early. How- 
ever, as agriculture is improving fast in Islay, perhaps 
that idea may be changed, especially as respects land 
full of reoted weeds, his morning was. clear and 
sunny, and the small birds began to chirp cheerily. 
The common Whin or Furze, and the common Daisy, 
with its crimson-tipped flowers, are the only wild plants 
that as yet are in bloom to welcome the spring... On 
the 3d, there was rain after mid-day ; 4th, snow on the 
tops of the highest hills, and showery, dull, and dreary ; 
5th, clear and cold; 6th, cold and damp; 7th, very 
high wind last night and this morning ; 8th, showers of 
ail, Two vessels of from 50 to 80 tons left Lochindal 
picked quality, and reckoned to be fi& for seed. On 
the 9th and 10th, there was fine clear hard frost, being 
the only whole days of frost that have been in Islay 
this season. 11th, a fine dry thaw; ploughing has now 
fairly commenced on the leas, and there is much land 
with seaweed spread over it ready for being turned 
over, 19th, a ploughing match of the Islay Agricul- 
cultural Association took place this day, on a lea field 
upon the Islay House home-farm. Thirteen competi- 
tors ploughed in one class, and six in another ; and the 
work in both classes was executed in a style that would 
not discredit any like number of ‘ploughmen of any 
district in the kingdom. On 20th, the wind veered 
round by the west, to the south-west, and still the 
weather continued fine till the morning of the 23d, 
when some rain fell. During last week some Wheat 
was sown, and Potatoes planted. 24th, wet and stormy, 
and the wind south. 25th, wet in morning. 26th, 27th, 
and 28th, wind still southward, and the weather has 
been damp, but not very wet; yet it has prevented 
those who had begun to sow Wheat from finishing. 
Wheat growing has been only lately introduced amongst 
the tenantry of Islay; but when properly managed, 
and on soils adapted to that grain, it has succeeded 
well, and great returns from the quantities sown have 
been reaped ; nay, even immense produce of grain has 
been in some places talked of. Spring sowing seems 
as yet to have succeeded best. Severai cargoes of 
Potatoes have left the island during February for Eng- 
land and Ireland. The prevailing epidemic attacked 
Potatoes here and elsewhere. Many intelligent growers 
say they have had a half diseased, and of that half 
they might get some use, previous to this time, for cattle 
or otherwise ; but on many farms, and with many 
cottars, and people who rent small lots, there has been. 
a total loss of large quantities of Potatoes. However, 
it is expected that there will be plenty for seed, and 
that no famine will take place in this island.—P. C. J.s 
March 2, 1846. 
DRAINING AT STREATHAM. — I beg to hand you the 
partieulars of a field lately drained on the estate of 
John Bowes, Esq., M.P., where this system of draining 
