Irish Agriculture. 
59 
Cork market there are two kinds sold ; one being the " heavy 
cured," lor the foreign market, and the other " mikl cured," for 
the London market. The heavy-cured firkins are distinguished 
by the hoops having the bark on them. About six pints of salt 
are used to cure the firkin of butter for the foreign market, and 
three pints for the London market. 
Returns have been issued by Mr. Egan, Secretary of the Cork 
Butter Exchange, showing the total quantity of butter which has 
passed in each year through the Weigh House at Cork, from the 
year 1770 — when the existing system of inspection commenced. 
The quantity which passed during the year ending 14th of 
April, 1871, was 389,047 firkins ; but this does not show the 
actual extent of the butter trade of the district, as little more 
than half of the butter made in the county is sold through the 
Cork Butter Exchange, o\ying to markets being held weekly in 
all the towns. 
When cows are let to a professional dairyman, where there is 
no market for new milk, the price paid, per cow, ranges from 
9Z. to IIZ. The dairyman generally gets some perquisites in the 
shape of potato ground, and grass for the calves until the first of 
November. He always feeds, also, a number of pigs. The pro- 
prietor supplies hay and litter to the cows, and allows them, on an 
average, 2 acres Irish, or acres imperial per head, to keep them 
summer and winter. It takes 1^ ton of hay to winter a cow. The 
owner also supplies all the requisite dairy utensils. The cows are 
given up to the proprietor about the 1st of January, in order 
that they may be let run dry; and each cow for which full hire 
is paid must calve on or before the 15th of May. It is not con- 
sidered desirable that they should calve before the 25th of March, 
as cows let to dairymen get little or no roots, or any feeding stuffs 
except hay, and if they calved long before the grass began to 
spring they would soon run dry, or nearly so. Faimers who 
treat their cows well wish them to calve earlier, as the early milk 
and the early calf are most valuable. It is computed that the 
(fairyman who gains his living by hiring cows has, on an average, 
3/. per cow for his labour. The wear and tear of dairy cattle is 
heavy, and it is considered in county Cork that at least 10 per 
cent, must be set against it. 
When the cows are of good quality nearly all the calves are 
reared, but when they are of an inferior sort, only the cow calves 
are kept ; the others go to the butcher, either as " staggering 
bob," or as fed veal calves. The calves intended to be reared are 
allowed to drink the " beistings," or first milk after the cow has 
calved. They then get new milk for the first week, and they 
are afterwards fed on skimmed milk. Where all, or the greater 
number of the calves are reared, the skim-milk is supplemented 
