The Prize System as applied to Small Farmers in Ireland. 417 
immediately home to the doors of the present generation of small 
farmers. It is manifest that it was with this view that he esta- 
blished the prize system on which it is now my privilege to 
report, and which I have watched with no ordinary care during 
the five years it has been in existence. For reasons which it is 
unnecessary to state here, I have studied its effects in this district 
with especial care ; and after having done so, I am in a position 
to state that if any intelligent person entertains a doubt as to the 
great public utility of exciting among our small farmers a spirit 
of improvement, it would be completely dispelled by such inspec- 
tions as I have made of the small farms of Grange since 1872. 
The competition has evoked an extraordinary amount of 
enthusiasm among the people themselves. It was warmly 
espoused by the late Sir Richard Musgrave and by the late parish 
priest, the Rev. P. Wall. The zealous curate, the Rev. J. Walsh, 
has been equally earnest in supporting the system. The present 
Sir Richard Musgrave has promised a subscription of 5/. a year ; 
and I believe I am right in thinking that the present parish 
priest, the Rev. J. Shannahan, accords to it his hearty approval. 
Lord Stuart de Decies contributed hi. to the fund in 1874. No , 
other proprietor has manifested an active interest in the scheme. 
This may arise from the fact that its objects and advantages have 
not been made sufficiently known. 
In a circle of ten miles' diameter surrounding the Grange 
National School there are several districts which differ so much 
in soil and other circumstances, that a really meritorious small 
farmer in one cannot show the same striking results as a man 
of equal merit in another. To illustrate this point I mention 
two of these districts, namely, — First, the tract of warm sandy 
ground close to the town of Ardmore ; second, a large tract of 
very poor mountain land, which is situated in the " old parish." 
Many of the competitors in the old parish occupy the " mountain " 
land of Gortane, and are the tenants of Lord Stuart de Decies. 
Throughout this part of the district the land, which is naturally 
wet, cold, and unproductive, is undrained and badly managed, 
and the dwellings of the small farmers are very bad indeed. 
The rents are low : at all events, the want of prosperity cannot 
be ascribed to high rents. 
If the landlord would establish a system of prizes in this 
peculiarly backward district, on the basis of the Spencer plan, 
he would, in a few years, quietly and silently effect a radical 
improvement in the condition of the people. 
I shall now make a few remarks on the farms of some of the 
prize-takers. 
In the first year of the competition, John Wynne obtained first 
prize and scored a total of 365 marks. In 1876 he obtained 497 
