The J'rizc System as applied to Small Farmers in Ireland. 433 
in 1876. On the day of my visit this man was actively en- 
gaged digging "clay" from the subsoil and carrying it over 
his bogland. Another neighbour, Martin Kelly, who holds 
under Mr. Sandford, D.L., scored 403 marks, and, by carrying 
out a lew improvements suggested to him, he would come out 
very high at any future competition. 
As this paper would run to an inconvenient length if I dwelt 
on each of the competitors who made any improvement during 
the year, I must conclude with a few general observations on the 
remaining parts of the district. 
I refer first to Driney, which is not far from Loughglynn, and 
in which five of the competitors live : namely, William Lally, 
who scored 440 marks, and ranked eighth ; Michael Horan, who 
scored the same number of marks ; John Kelly, who ranked 
ninth, and scored 435 marks ; and Stephen Kelly, who scored 
415 marks. 
Lally is a young man who, single-handed, has effected a great 
deal of drainage, and who promises to become one of the best 
men in the district. In 1873 the farms of the Kellys and of 
Horan were so indifferently managed, that we deemed it un- 
necessary to give them any marks. In 1876 the land was 
remarkably clean and well cropped. 
I would next refer to several farms in the neighbourhood of 
Kilmovee, in which, as already explained, the upland was origi- 
nally rough and stony. This is indeed the land of small farms. 
It would have ruined large or capitalist farmers to make the 
improvements which these people have effected by their own 
labour. This work is still going on. I give one instance — 
that of Michael Higgins — who has lifted huge stones, which, 
standing on their ends, looked at a distance like tombstones in 
a graveyard. This man's house and offices do him great credit. 
1 gave him full marks for the large quantity of well-made manure 
he had. One of the best-managed farms I have visited is that 
of Dominick Roddy, whose son is the most likely man in the 
entire Spencer circuit to advance to the front. This man scored 
504 marks, and obtained the sixth place. The widow Duffy 
came next to him, with 492 marks. She was closely followed 
by Pat Rush, who scored 472 marks. A description of the 
holding of either of these would be as interesting as any I 
have already given. 
Finally, I would refer to John Talbot, of Rathnacassan, who 
holds 8 acres 3 roods from Mrs. Gibbons, at 5/. 5s. The farm 
is approached by a bridle-road, which is as hilly as it is uneven. 
There are 5^ acres of upland in very good condition, and the 
rest is reclaimed bog, separated from which by a simple boundary 
the natural bog, in its original state, can still be seen. This 
man appeared in 1876 for the first time among the competitors. 
