as affecting Agriculture in Ii'eland. 
387 
scale a landlord farms on ; much easier than in a country fit for 
tillage alone. Numbers of us are making more than double the 
rent we used to get for the land, when let to tenants, and three 
times the present valuation of the land. 
When land is well laid down, the first year's grass is very 
good. The second year is worse, because tlie artificial grasses 
are dying out and the natural grasses have not had time to take 
their place. The third year the natural grasses are established, 
and a close and excellent sward is the result, equal to good old 
grass in the West of England, and such as in Norfolk could not 
be got in thirty years, hardly in twice thirty. I have often said 
that such land as I have to deal with, in the Norfolk climate 
would not be worth half what it is in the Irish climate. Again, 
consider the immense rise in the price of grass products in Ire- 
land. Twenty years ago, butter sold for bd. to Qd. per lb. 
Good beef was often at 3c?. and pork at 2c?. per lb. 21. to 3/. 
was not thought a bad price for a yearling heifer. I have bought 
good fair stock lambs in July for 5s. each. Now prices are some 
twice, some four times, some six times these rates, all, be it 
observed, for grass products. This rise of price has not yet pro- 
duced its effects on our farming, and on the value of land. 
Some of it is still recent, at least in part — as the value of young 
stock — and the argument is still used and felt, " Perhaps these 
high prices will not hold." But as soon as the prices of stock are 
felt to be permanent — as the increasing demand for meat from 
increasing wages in England shows it is likely they will be perma- 
nent — that cause alone will be sufficient to turn the balance in 
favour of grass farming, wherever grass will grow fairly. I can 
say that in the arrangements for my own farm these considerations 
weigh more day by day. Corn is not higher in price, the wages 
to be spent in growing it are higher; but grass products, that cost 
little or no more wages, are many times higher in price. Can 
there be a doubt, from this cause alone, what the intelligent 
farmer will do in a climate specially suited to grass ? 
Grass farming in every form, and with every sort of help from 
bought manures or bought food for stock, cake, &c., is the true 
future before us. 
Water meadows, the especial advantage of which, in the mild 
climate of Ireland, was pointed out by Mr. Philip Pusey (in the 
Journal, vol. xi. p. 62) more then twenty years ago, are a most 
valuable resource to Irish grass farmers. Mowing upland grass on 
second-rate land for hay is very exhausting to the soil, and we 
do it as little as possible. We cut hay mostly from bottom lands. 
But water meadows in this climate are very productive, and we 
grow unusual crops of hay on them, yet systematic watering is 
not nearly as common as it might be. Small farmers are con- 
VOL. IX. — S. S. 2d 
