412 The Prize System as applied to Small Farmers in Ireland. 
The rest of the land was in grass. 
The stock consisted of 4 cows, 2 heifers, 3 weanling calves, 
1 sow and 6 store pigs, 100 sheep, of which 40 were breeding- 
ewes. In summer the sheep are grazed on Lord Bessborough's 
mountain, at the rate of Id. per head per week ; and in winter 
grazing land is hired for them. At the time of my visit the 
old sheep were on a piece of grass, hired until April, at 12/. 7s. 
A few pounds more will have to be paid to bring them through 
April and a part of May. The income of the family is far above 
the average of the small farmers of the district. 
The sales in 1876 included : — 
£ s. d. 
3 young heifers 13 0 0 
2 young bullocks 10 0 0 
20 sheep, at an average of 29s 29 0 0 
(Owing to the state of the market, the lambs 
were held over.) 
Wool .. .. 28 6 0 
Pigs 31 17 8 
(There were 6 fine stores on hand, which were 
reared during the year.) 
I would next advert to the holding of James Dixon, the his- 
tory of which, since I first saw it, is most suggestive. The 
progress effected in one year will be understood when I state 
that in 1875 he scored 404 marks, and in 1876 he obtained 505. 
The farm contains 9 a. 2 r. 35 p., statute, and is held at the 
yearly rent of 6/. 7s. 
The crops in 1876 were : — 
A.' R. P. 
, ( Potatoes 12 0 
Manured crops .. { Mangolds and turnips .. .. 0 3 20 
Oats with seeds 13 0 
Lea-oats , 2 0 0 
Pasture 3 10 
Garden 0 10 
Buildings, &c 0 0 15 
9 2 35 
During the year a new apartment was added to the dwelling- 
house at a cost of about 20/., towards which the landlord con- 
tributed 4/. 10s. It is roofed with slate and lofted ; the apart- 
ment downstairs being used as a sitting-room and the one 
upstairs as a bedroom. New faces have been put to some of the 
old fences, and one very good new fence has been erected and 
provided with a double row of quicks. The headlands have 
been made to incline towards the fences to facilitate the escape 
of surface water. One or two other improvements have been 
suggested, and when these shall have been effected, the holding 
will be in as good a state as could be expected. 
