74 
Irish Agriculture. 
Universal dependence on grass, for the winter as well as the 
summer keep of stock, is, I consider, a serious mistake. In 
saying this, 1 put altogether aside those pastures which are really 
fattening and finishing land. These form a separate and distinct 
class; their capabilities may, in some instances, be susceptible 
of improvement, but it would be unwise to make any material 
change in their condition or destination. The high-class pastures 
form, however, but a comparatively limited proportion of the 
grass-land of Ireland ; and a great error has been committed in 
fancying that land of any description, if put in permanent pasture, 
would do as well as the best pastures in Meath. 
A few years ago, Mr. Coleman, Park Farm, VVoburn, read a 
paper on rearing and feeding stock, before a meeting of the 
Central Farmers' Club. In the course of an excellent practical 
address, Mr. Coleman said, that " It is all very well to tell a 
farmer to keep four bullocks where before he had only three ; 
but let him, before he thinks of increasing his stock, direct his 
attention to the production of food for them." This, Mr. Coleman 
showed, could only be done " by increasing both the acreage 
and the quantity per acre of his root and green crops." 
I have quoted Mr. Coleman's remarks because they convey 
exactly the views I have long entertained with reference to an 
increased production of live stock in Ireland, and also with refer- 
ence to an improvement of the quality of Irish-bred stock. The 
climate of Ireland, generally speaking, is favourable to the pro- 
duction of grass ; but it is also favourable to the production of roots 
and green crops. Heavy crops of turnips and mangolds are pro- 
duced by fair cultivation, from 30 to 40 tons of Swedes per imperial 
acre being by no means an unusual yield, and fully as much of 
mangolds. What is required in Ireland, therefore, is not alone 
pasture for summer feeding, but an extended cultivation of root 
and green crops to make up the supply when the summer food 
fails ; and there are millions of acres scattered throughout 
Ireland, at present down in permanent pasture, and therefore 
producing only summer food, and that, too, of an inferior 
description, which possess capabilities for producing foot and 
green crops that, if taken advantage of, would add very mate- 
rially to the numbers of cattle and sheep bred and fed in the 
country. 
A system of farm management which combines the pro- 
duction of roots along with a fair extent of pasture, is that 
which is best suited for a large proj)ortion of the second-rate and 
inferior soils in Ireland. On such soils, for the most part, 
pasture does more in the way of keeping stock during the first 
three years than it does afterwards. A mixed system of farm 
management, conducted on the principle 1 have stated, would 
