Illustrations of Irish Farming. 
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from actual weight, &c. After several unsuccessful attempts, a 
" Weights and Measures (Ireland) Amendment Act," was passed 
on the 7th of August, 1862, which enacted that every kind of 
farm produce was, after the 1st of January, 1863, to be bought 
and sold by the imperial standard ounce, pound, stone, quarter 
hundred, half hundred, hundredweight, or ton. Certain penalties 
were fixed to be imposed in the event of any infringement of the 
Act. For some time the provisions of the Act were observed, 
but in the course of the month of August, 1863, the Directors of 
the Corn Exchange in Dublin put up a notice virtually setting 
aside the Act, and ever since that time it has been a dead letter ; 
so much so, in fact, that many persons seem unaware that such 
an Act is in existence, and that they lay themselves open to 
fines each time they buy, sell, or quote grain by the barrel. 
This circumstance has been repeatedly taken notice of in Irish 
agricultural journals, but the authorities have never taken any 
steps to enforce the Act. 
Cloona Castle Farm, County Mayo. 
The farm of Cloona Castle, or, to use the original Irish name, 
Cuil-na-gCaisol, is situated near the town of Ballinrobe, barony 
of Kilmaine, county of Mayo. It is placed in the centre of that 
part of Ireland which has the greatest rainfall, and but a short 
distance from the mountains of Connemara, and Loughs Corrib 
and Mask. 
Properly speaking, there are two farms, Cloona Castle and 
Gallows Hill, but they adjoin each other, without any other 
place intervening ; are worked together, as regards rotation and 
stock ; and constitute, therefore, to all intents, but one farm. It 
is held by Mr. James Simson, a native of Roxburghshire, who 
entered upon it in October, 1855, on a lease for twenty-five 
years, at an annual rent of 20s. per imperial acre. The farm 
consists of 2200 acres, statute, 1800 acres being good arable 
land, and the rest bottom land, or cut-away bog. The soil of 
the district is on limestone, either rock or gravel. Cloona Castle 
forms part of the estates belonging to the Earl of Lucan. 
Previous to the famine of 1846-47, the land had been covered 
with a swarm of pauper tenants and cotters, amongst whom great 
wretchedness prevailed even before the pressure of the famine 
years, and the miserable condition of the people was of course 
rendered still worse by that great calamity. Constant burning 
of the surface, and over-cropping, had thoroughly exhausted the 
soil. The nominal rent, which was not half the present rent, 
was not paid, and the landlord had besides to pay annually 400Z. 
to 500/. as poor-rates. Lord Lucan bought out some of the 
