Irish Agriailture. 
39 
attempt to introduce the cultivation of roots and artificial grasses. 
Bv persevering, however, in the course he had laid down, assisted 
bv two practical estate agriculturists, his lordship succeeded in 
effecting a great reformation in the condition of the tenantry on 
his propertv, not alone with reference to the cultivation of their 
holdings, which are generallv of a small size, but also in 
their dwellings, and in the establishment of various branches of 
household industrv, such as the home manufacture of linen, 
linsev-woolsev, and frieze, a most comfortable and durable article 
of wear when made up into overcoats. A number of specimens 
of these home-manufactured articles were exhibited at the Royal 
Dublin Societv"s Exhibition in lt«t35. and still remain in the 
museum of that institution " as an evidence of w hat can be done 
bv the Irish peasantrv when properly fostered and encouraged." 
1 mav state that, while in the other illustrations of estate 
improvement which have been mentioned, I base my remarks 
on personal knowledge of the circumstances ; in that of Lord 
Arran s estate, I do so on the authority of a gentleman who 
has been conversant with the proceedings from their first com- 
mencement down to the present time. 
The agricultural schools which have been established in 
different parts of Ireland under the ^ ational Board of Education, 
were designed to diffuse practical information on improved 
svstems of farm management among the ordinary class of Irish 
farmers. This svstem of instruction is, however, too important 
to be passed over in a cursorv manner, and I hoj>e, therefore, to 
devote a paper speciallv to a descrintion of the various details 
connected with it* 
As a rule the small farmers in Ulster are more comfort- 
able than the same class in most parts of the other three pro- 
vinces. Their houses have generally a tidier appearance, and 
their internal arrangements, with reference to furniture, »5cc., are 
much superior to those which are to be found elsewhere. Since 
the great advance which has taken place in the prices of farm- 
produce, especiallv dairv produce,! there has been no scarcitv 
* The description of the system of agricHltural instruction pursned by the 
Board, together with some " Illustrations of Farm Management " in Ireland, will 
appear in subsequent articles. — Ecrr. 
t The following comparative list of prices, taken from the 'Dublin Market 
Notes,' will show the advance which has taken place in certain articles of farm- 
produce : — 
July 12. 1351. rnly 14. 1S71. 
Beef, per cwt Hi. to 48*. . . 60«. to lot. 
Mutton, per lb 4f(?. .. 5^/. Ihd. .. M. 
Lambs, eacli IS.?. .. 22>-. . . 25»'. „ 40«. 
Butter, per lb orf. ., Ihd. . . lOrf. .. XM. 
„ per cwt 5ti»-. ,. 68*. . . 93*. id. „ 112*. 
Pork ,. 32>-. .. 35t. 48»-. ., r> 's. 
%g3, per 124 4.«. 6<f. .. 4». 8J. .. ♦w. 8^7. ,. 7«. 
