404 The Prize System as applied to Small Farmers in Ireland. 
several years ago, and as has since been better said by a very 
high authority, that mud walls may be used, at all events provi- 
sionally, with great advantage in many districts in Ireland in 
providing decent, though cheap, accommodation for our agri- 
cultural labourers. 
CORNAGILTA, COUNTY MONAGHAN. 
The average size of the holdings in county Monaghan is 
15 statute acres. In the district in which Cornagilta School is 
situated the average is under 10 acres. It was, therefore, a good 
place for trying the Spencer prize system. It was selected for the 
purpose, for the additional reason that local co-operation was 
expected ; and it was obtained from Miss Rose, on whose pro- 
perty the school is built. 
Unfortunately a feeling soon arose in this, as in some of the 
other districts, that the co-operation thus accorded on the part of 
the owners of property was the result of a settled desire to use 
the system as a cloak for raising rents. This created a formid- 
able difficulty. In the system itself the small farmers and their 
advisers have from the commencement expressed the utmost 
confidence ; but feelings of the kind indicated, when they arise, 
are not easily dealt with. At one time it was feared that it 
would be necessary to withdraw the prizes altogether ; but by 
prudence and perseverance we have been able to continue them. 
That the system has succeeded under the difficulties referred 
to, will be rendered evident by the facts I shall now adduce. 
And this success is, I submit, the very best proof of its inherent 
merits. 
Compared with districts in the south and west, the number ol 
competitors has been small ; but the actual amount of improve- 
ment effected on several farms has been very remarkable. 
In these Reports it is neither possible nor necessary to give 
the entire details of every farm inspected. It is enough to take a 
few typical cases, and to point out the good which has been done. 
I shall notice, first of all, an upland district on the property of 
Miss Rose, close to the school. In 187-2, the first year of the 
competition, the first prize was awarded to Patrick Connolly, 
who scored 340 out of a total of 600 marks, and whose farm was 
in that year a model for neighbouring small farmers. It forms 
part of a tract of sloping ground, through which a public road 
runs. In 1872 a neighbouring farmer, John McAree, scored 
only 260 marks. For the management of his land, that is, for 
his mode of raising crops, he obtained only 112^ out of 300 
marks. In 1876 this man ranked first, scored a total of 510 
