406 The Prize System as applied to Small Farmers in Ireland. 
on the list of competitors, and whose holding is one of the worst 
managed in the entire district, told me the agent had never been 
on the farm. Now if this tenant were induced (and I affirm 
that he could be easily induced) to imitate the system pursued 
by any of the Spencer prize farmers of the district, his annual 
income would be increased threefold. At present he is steeped 
in poverty. I will add that it would be incomparably better for 
him to farm well at double his present rent, than to continue 
his present system without any rent. 
In making these remarks, I desire to guard myself against 
offering any opinion on the adjustment of rent. 1 am simply 
indicating that, according to my experience, persons engaged 
in the management of landed property in Ireland would best 
consult the interests of their employers by creating among the 
tenants a spirit of emulation. If this were done in the district 
now under consideration, tenants, landlords, and all classes of 
the community would be greatly benefited. 
There is another and more remarkable farmer in this district, 
to whom I shall next refer : namely, Peter Connolly, who ranked 
second on the prize list this year, and who ran a dead heat with 
Patrick Connolly for the first prize in 1875. 
He holds 24 statute acres of land from Sir Thomas Foster, 
Bart., at a rent of 8/. 12s. 6d. Part of the land is reclaimed 
bog and part cold and very poor upland. In the first year of 
the competition he scored only 290 out of 600 marks. In 1876 
he obtained 490 marks. Since 1872 he has reclaimed 4 statute 
acres of heath land ; and only a small plot now remains to be 
improved. 
This year the land is apportioned thus : — 
A. R. P. 
2 3 0 manured crops — potatoes and turnips. 
2 0 0 meadow. 
7 0 0 oats. 
10 2 0 grazed. 
The remainder is under roads, buildings, and waste. 
One peculiarity of his management is that he does not sell 
any corn. His sales consist of the produce of his cows, of pigs, 
and of poultry and eggs. His family consisted last year of him- 
self, his wife, and seven children. One of the sons has this 
year joined the Royal Irish Constabulary. Connolly keeps five 
cows, a brood sow, and a large number of poultry. A calf or 
two are reared every year, and the produce of the sow are sold 
as slips. There were at the time of my visit eleven of these 
for sale, worth about 25s. each. Two litters are sold in the 
year. 
After supplying the wants of the family, 6 firkins of butter 
