Crown Estate at King William's Town. 
437 
necessary to observe generally — that they have been carried on 
assiduously, and so judiciously, " that 139 acres of nearly un- 
profitable mountain-land have been reclaimed, manured, and cul- 
tivated, and thereby raised in value from about Ad. to from 8s. to 
9*. per acre ; while twenty-six new farmhouses and cottages have 
been erected." 
In regard to the roads — which were formerly impassable for 
wheel -carriages — they are now so improved, that during the last 
two years to which the reports allude, 5100 barrels of limestcme 
(equal in weight to about 1000 tons) have been drawn to the 
estate from the quarry at Carrindulkeen, for the use of the 
tenantry ; of which 3540 were used as manure ; and additional 
limekilns are in the course of erection, to afford every facility for 
the reclamation of the land : it is, therefore, reasonably expected 
that, within a few years, the value of the estate will be more than 
doubled. 
It is also gratifying to learn, that the effect of this experiment 
has so favourably improved the habits of the peasantry in point 
of temperance and industry, as to hold out a striking example to 
the neighbouring country, and a powerful inducement to the 
holders of poor, unimproved soils to adopt similar measures. 
XXXIV. — Past and Present State of Agriculture in Ireland. 
By William Blacker. 
Having been requested to draw up a statement descriptive of the 
past and present state of agriculture in Ireland, for the Journal 
of the Society, I proceed to do so in the best manner I am able, 
merely premising that to enter into all the details which the 
subject would admit of, would be evidently impossible in a short 
compass; and I shall therefore confine myself to such a general 
view of the matter as my limits will permit. 
It would be both useless and uninteresting to the Society to 
lay before them an account of the agricultural state of Ireland at 
any very remote period. A very small portion of the country was 
then capable of cultivation, owing to the extensive forests and 
morasses which everywhere abounded ; and the excitement of in- 
testine wars and interminable feuds possessed greater attractions 
for its inhabitants than the peaceful labours of the field. It 
seems therefore unnecessary to look further back than the justly- 
celebrated Tour of Arthur Young for a suitable starting-point. 
At this period the supremacy of the law was pretty well esta- 
blished ; and it appears evident from the details he enters into 
that the minds both of the English settlers and the natives were 
