450 Past and Present State of Agriculture in Ireland. 
In order to follow up this subject I have been obliged to pass 
over the periods of the introduction of tiie furrow-draining system 
advocated by Mr. Smith, of Deanston, and the rise and progress 
of the Royal Dublin Society and lloytd Agricultural Improve- 
ment Society of Ireland, and the formation of the Society for the 
Improvement of the Growth of Flax. No sooner had Mr. Smith's 
plan been made known by the publication of his pamphlet, than 
the Earl of Gosford hastened to adopt the practice of the Scotch 
landlords, and offered to advance as far as 51. per acre at 5 per 
cent, interest to such tenants on his estate as chose to make trial 
of Mr. Smith's recommendations ; by which means the practice 
has been early introduced upon his Lordship's estate, and the 
attention of other landlords extensively drawn to the results 
through the Market-Hill reports. In the introduction of this 
Improvement in agriculture and the use of the subsoil -plough, 
its accompaniment, none have taken a more active part than the 
Marquis of Downshire, ever ready to patronise what may benefit 
the country and promote the introduction of everything practically 
useful. The introduction of this simple and elfectual mode of 
draining may well be considered to make an era in the history 
of agriculture : the effect likely to be produced by it in Ireland, 
by increasing the produce of the soil, can scarcely be justly 
estimated ; and its universal spread is only retarded by the want of 
capital to carry it everywhere into practice. Amongst the insti- 
tutions for promoting the agriculture of the kingdom, the Royal 
Dublin Society and the Royal Agricultural Improvement Society 
hold the principal place ; but tlieir energies are cramped by the 
want of means to enter more decidedly upon the improvement of 
the mode of culture practised by the occupiers of the soil : and 
whilst I fully admit the high importance which belongs to each in 
being the means of keeping alive the interest of the Irish nobility 
and gentry in the improvement of every kind of stock, yet there 
is no denying that the process of feeding for these exhibitions 
would be ruinous to the farmer to adopt, and that the great object 
of benefiting the masses can only be effected by bringing their 
principal eflbrts to bear upon the better cultivation of the soil ; 
and for this purpose it would seem by the result the system in 
operation at Ballinasloe is superior to any other of a public 
nature that has ever yet been tried. 
The Flax Improvement Society cannot be passed over without 
notice, from the great importance of the croj) to the improvement 
of which its efforts have been directed. Before the introduction 
of flax-spinning mills the importation of foreign flax was entirely 
unknown ; the hand-spinners formed the only market : and 
these being scattered over the face of the entire country, no 
