Irish Agriculture. 
65 
that the tenant believed that cheese-making would pay him better 
than butter-making, were it not that butter was more saleable 
in the local markets, as there was a prejudice amongst grocers 
and provision dealers in large towns against Irish cheese. It 
is to be regretted that such is the case, for the retail price 
of cheese is much higher in Ireland than it is in England or 
Scotland, and the bulk of the people of Ireland are strangers to 
cheese as a regular part of their diet. In the early part of last 
summer (1871) Mr. Newenham, of Mallow, resolved to intro- 
duce cheese-making in connection with his manufacture of pre- 
served milk. With this view he engaged an experienced cheese- 
maker from Somersetshire to superintend operations, and those 
samples of Mr. Newenham's cheese which I have seen are very 
satisfactory. His undertaking, as yet, is, of course, only an 
experiment. 
I have had occasion at different times to refer to the depend- 
ence of Irish farmers on the hay-crop for the winter keep of their 
cattle. From such being the case, it would be natural to sup- 
pose that considerable attention would be given to the manage- 
ment and saving of the crop. Instead of this, we find that there 
is perhaps no point in which Irish farmers, generally speaking, 
evince more carelessness than in haymaking. For the most 
part the hay is the produce of natural grass, and the first mis- 
take committed is allowing the grass to remain too long uncut. 
It is occasionally so ripe before the mowers are set to work, that 
it may almost be said to be saved "on foot." This reduces the 
nutritive quality of the hay, and this loss is further augmented 
by long exposure to the weather while the cut grass is lying in 
the swathe, and also when it is finally put up in field-cocks, 
which usually contain about 8 or 10 cwt. These are allowed 
to remain in the field for weeks and months before the hay is 
transferred to the rick ; indeed, hay may sometimes be seen in 
field-cocks at Christmas. The result is that a large proportion of 
the hay at the top and bottom of the cock is so much damaged 
that it is properly only fit for manure. There is also a great loss 
of after-grass caused by this system, and the sites of the field- 
cocks are even visible in the pasture next season. Mr. Baldwin, 
Superintendent of the Agricultural Department of the National 
Board of Education, who has given much attention to this subject, 
calculates that, on an average for all Ireland, the loss sustained 
in the hay-crop is not under 20 per cent., or a fifth of its actual 
value — that is, 2,000,000/. are lost annually by careless manage- 
ment in this one point. 
On those farms where a proper system of management is pur- 
sued, either rick-cloths are used or hay-barns are erected, to 
VOL. VIII. — S. S. F 
