Past and Present State of Ar/ricultvre in Ireland. 
441 
an idea of any other more advantageous, at once abandoned the 
attempt, and, embarking for America, sought to better their situ- 
ation in a new country; others gave up large farms, and con- 
tented themselves with smaller ones more suited to their capital 
and the increased labour which improved cultivation required ; 
whilst others who had been accustomed to a life of ease, and com- 
paratively of little exertion during the war, and not wishing to 
change their habits in due time, were finally ruined ; and, if they 
had not remaining what would enable them to emigrate with their 
families, fell to the rank of poor cotters or labourers, and were 
obliged by necessity to earn a scanty subsistence by such employ- 
ment as they could obtain. 
A period like this for the tenants could not be very prosperous 
for the landlords, and accordingly many, unable to live at home as 
they had been accustomed to do, owing to the reduction of their 
rentals, sought a cheaper residence on the Continent ; others 
were obliged to sell part of their properties, in order to lessen the 
interest upon their incumbrances, whilst many were obliged to 
sell their entire estates, and were completely ruined. 
About this time, \vhen the state of agriculture attracted general 
attention, the report of a successful attempt to improve the culti- 
vation of the small farmers on the estates of the Earl of Gosford 
and Colonel Close, in the county of Armagh, got into general 
circulation, and excited a good deal of public attention. The 
improvement alluded to was the introduction of what is known 
under the name of the Flemish System of Husbandry — a system 
which had been recommended by all agricultural writers, and the 
advantages of which were well known to every person of education 
who had studied the subject ; but all endeavours to introduce the 
practice of it among the small farmers of Ireland had been 
hitherto found unavailing: the theory was indisputable, but to 
carry it into practice was the difficulty. 
To overcome this the following means were adopted upon the 
estates above mentioned: — In the first instance a small painjihlet 
was given to each farmer, with an injunction to read and consider 
well the contents, and afterwards to give their opinions upon the 
recommehdations it contained. All the reasonings in the pamphlet 
in question being clear and simple, and adapted to the capacities 
of those to whom it was addressed, and the defects and disadvan- 
tages of the existing mode of cultivation being forcibly exposed, 
it was impossible for the most ignorant or prejudiced to place 
themselves in opposition to the truth of what was stated, and the 
answer almost invariably returned was this, " that the plan re- 
commended was without doubt a good plan for those who were 
rich and able to follow it ; but as to them, it would not suit them 
at all." And although it was quite evident that the greater their 
