Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1841-1853, 1849-11-08
Important Facts for Farmers.

Important Facts for Farmers.
None of our readers should fail carefully to ponder
upon the following article, from the Commercial cor
respondent Of the Washington Union. 1t discusses
of paramount interest to the people of Indiana
The prospect of the harvests in the British islands
for the coming year is that which must have most
material influence upon the business of the Union.
The great change which has been going on IN Ireland
since the commencement: of the potato rot in lS45 IN
respect the cultivation Of the island and the lnu-
ence which free trade in corn is likely 10 have ON the
acreable product of the English coil, important
questions TO the Amer farmers In respect TO
England it is well known that the policy Of her corn
laws was avowrdly to maintain high rents for land
by creating. through tariff restrictions, high price
for its products As the population pressed upon The
capacity of the soil to produce. the level of prices
would naturally tend To higher point as ong as the
competition Of foreign food restrained by leglsa-
tive enacments. The effect Of this to press into
cultivation, by most expensive process descriptions
Of lands scarcely fitted for the production of food. and
farmers in most expensive system OF
husbandry. The removal Of all restriction upon for
egn grain left no barrier between the fertile lands OF
other countries and the labor wrought soil OF England,
except that created by freighs. These latter were
again enhanced by the navigation laws, which have
been repealed, and freighs reduced in favor of
foreign corn. Thus when wheat was w''Tth 9Os.,
per quarter in England freight was from New York
to Liverpool 20s.. making los net. The grain IS
now Sos, and the freight IS. Sd. The almost spon-
productions of other soils are now at nominal
cost placed within reach of the English consumer.
II results that the expensive cultivation must DE rein-
auished and as a consequence. the agreeable product
falls off immensely. In Ireland it is known that by
far the larger number of farms under D acres IN
extent, and the larger proportion of these were plant
ed with potatoes, which served as the main depend
ence of the people for food few pigs and poultry
comprised the whole farm stock. When the potato
rot made its appearance in 1915, spur given to
the desire of the la e andhoders eject the cotters,
and whole districts depopuated by the ferocious
cruelty that prompted that prompted the cots to be
pulled down and the unhappy people driven forth to
starve. Very many compelled TO consume their
pigs and poultry when these not seized by rapa-
cious landlords and 1.-THE collectors This process has
changed very great extent the nature OF the cu-
tvation in Ireland. The small holdings that have
been absorbed IN the larger farms have, TO less ex-
tent been planted with potatoes, and less efficient
mode of grain culture, it would seem. has been adopt
ed. The census of Ireland in 1S41 was taken under
the direction of Capt Larcom, of the engneers and
that gentleman by order of Lord Clarendon, has col
lected of the agricultural produce of Ireland
for the years ls47 and 1s45. These returns, COM
pared with those of 1s41 give the following number
and extent Of farms:
Number and ertent of farms in Ireland.
Year. TO- stoIs lstoso Above 30 Total. Holdings
acres. not over
ss.ss ,a 49,; i sss
i ls+ 1878 ass 1879: 1851 s sia1a is:s
The cottier holdings have been. it appears, two
thirds absorbed. Most Of the occupants have become
hired laborers the larger farms; many in the work
houses md emigrated or exiled from house and
home The decrease in pigs was from 1,4l2,e13 in
l541 to 5 185-a decrease Of $50, 620 in aggregate
number. In poultry, the decrease {, 1894 .427 in
1S41 1878 .279; and this, in the of 9TH
er stock, altogether upon the small farms. The
stock up mostly, and TO extent seized
for thus increasing the stock the large
The breadth Of land cultivated in 1913 los 062
acres, against, 4.605, 59S in 1S47. This exclu-
sive of the counties of Waterford and Tipperary
where the Disturbances prevented returns being TAKEN
The quantity of the land in grain was diminished,
however, while that in potatoes was ass 1888 acres,
100 per cent than in 1S47 The late accounts
indicate that the rot is again becoming serious and
on an increased cultivation will have more impor
tant influence The returns show. however, that the
yield per acre in lS4S was far less than in ls47.
The following figures show the bushels per acre for
grain and tons for potatoes in the two years:
Wheat. Barley. Oats. Rye. Potatoes,