, 1877-09-23
CONDITION OF IRELAND.


At the opening of the Royal Agricultural Cat
tie Show in Galway recently, the Duke OF Mari
borough, Lord Lieutenant OF Ireland, was pres
ent, and, in response to the toast, Prosperity
to 1relaud," said:
1t has been his good fortune lately to visit the
northern provinces Of ireland, and there he had
IN opportunity OF witnessing the great strloes
OF commercial and manufacturing Industry anu
activity. It might be well that lie should refer
to the few statistics Of the agriculture OF the
| country. The returns for the current year
| showed an increase OF 1900 acres under wheat.
lie was not sure that this was altogether
| healthy condition, for he believed it might be
| attributed III great degree to the very
fine harvest OF wheat last year. There
had been an increase Of the ouantity
under barley Of 5,00J acres, and somewhat
| peculiar increase in cabbages. There had been
an increase OF 4,500 acres OF rape anu vetcnes.
| but the most extraordinary Increase was that OF
| G4,000 acres in meadow clover. There had also
been a,l increase Of Is, 600 acres Of OATS There
was also Il singular increase in the breadth I'M
| der potatoes. He did not think the dinlinution
it. this crop that had taken place In recently pre-
cedmg years was to be deplored. That di1ntnu-
Tic Lccre;sc in wheat for the same decennial
period was 142,000 acres; Of oats, 1900; lax,
l2l.0UO: while in barley there had been an ln-
crease Of 1900 acres, and III this latter item
IItf u-0 I'LL Cf3lCuCI u kuE 4uAuSt1S HOH plC-
yailins, namely, that large industry with which
so respected name as that of Guinness was
associated. He would not advance my op-
posing argument to the, argument that
tillasc into grass was m unpatrotic act, but it
was generally found that things found their
own level IN agriculture as In any other employ
mcnt, and it was impossible to prescribe any
developed. There were 12l, 900 fewer cattle and
1900 fewer sheep, but they had exported |
during the year 2l3, GOO worth OF live stock,
so tnat il the amount Of stock had decreased !
the large sum Of e13 000 900 had been paid into
the hands III the farmers OF the country. They |
find, however, there were in the country at pres
ent !, 99t QUO cattle, being more by 350,0o0 than
there were two years ago. Pigs also were more |
By $4,000. In sheep there is an extraordinary |
tion, he thought that US regards the agriculture |
debit aud credit account, the country was to be /
congratulated, aud there was no cause for alarm
or despondcncy.
Since the passing OF the Land act there had |
been in the Province Of Ulster cighty-one appli- /
cations for loans to purchase small holdings Of
the valuation ot 1880, and the money ad-
yanccd is s!3, 600. In Munster there were ninety
- GOO, and the total annual rental was 81 7O0
InConnaugilt there were eighteen applications for
purchase Of holdings Of the annual rental value
OF el, ,l64, and the amount advanced was rs
loans was SIS, the annual rental 42l, 900, and
the sum advanced 49:}sa7 900. The progress Of
the system was doubtless an experiment for the
future, but at the same time it opened a way
farms in ireland should become possessed
Of their own property, and if 1t pro-
duccd general contcntment in the coun-
try. he for one would regard it as
step in the right direction. His Grace then
spoke Of the improved condition OF the laborer,
and OF the Improvement in aTrfcn ltur1l dwell