, 1880-04-03

the winter. Neat or Superlative manage
ment is not to be expected in those cases
where grass is left, sometimes by auction,
Tor a single grazing seaSon-say, from the
1St of April to the end of December.
Rents for prime lands range from 40s. and
50S. up to COS. per statute acre. or much
more in special instances. On the large
grass farms, as, for example, the holdings
of 800 and 800 acres, up to 1000, 1000 or
1900 acres, in R~oScommon, between
Strokestown and Boyle, the firm premises
are commonly limited to % nag stable and
offices, q herds house, and a shed for q
sick animal, the farmers residence being
generally a very comfortable house suit.
able for a gentleman engaged in extensive
business and welding a large capital.
There are farms upon which whole villages
used to be clustered, but now desolate of
inhabitants, browsed by sheep and cattle,
and engaging no labour but that of the
lonely shepherd and his dog.
One great loss to Ireland arises from the
inferior management of its crop of hay.
E~aymaking is an art which rude managers
on the little holdings are not likely to
master without instruction.. The climate
does not favour the winning of hay Of
colour and fragrance like that of Middlesex;
but the fashion of the country is to expose
INC grass 700 Hlucl, SO tnat nutrltlv0
matter is washed out and colour is lost:
and then to leave the hay for a long time
in cocks in the field. These heaps of about
8 cwt each are bound down with twisted
hay bands as protection against wind.
The 1,500,0 600 acres mown in a wear are
estimated to yield about two tons per acre;
and the 100000 tons of hay, at sos,
would be worth $500, 900. Professor
Baldwin, however, considers that the crop
il deterorated by imperfect manipulation
to the extent Of one-litth of this value.
Some years ago, after an inspection of
samples oflriSh agriculture in every county
| arrived at the conclusion that the
lighter and medium soils-embracing about
10000, 900 acres, or two-thirds of the total
area under cultivation-are better adapted
for mixed huSbandry than for permanent
grass; and that such portions of these
light and medium lands as are grazed
would furnish more meat and store animals
in addition to dairy produce, wool, and
corn, if farmed as " mixture of grass and
tillage. The calculation was that q farm
of 400 statue acres, of fair pasture, upon
light or medium land, annually produces
goo to $500 worth of meat and wool.
But tho same land, if one-third under the
plough, would by growing green crops and
roots, and artificial grasses, on a four-courso
or hve-courSe rotation, produce 81 900
worth of beet, mutton, and wool, besides q
large amount of bacon, pork, and poultry
(the dairy produce allowed to be the same
in both caSes), while there would DO further
$500 to $500 value of corn and seeds.
Among the practical authorities for this
estimate was the late Mr.. William Levinge,
and | have no doubt that it can DO shown
to be near the truth even at present prices.
|, On the very light soils the difference in
gross return is still greater in favour of
tillage husbandry, the final estimate being
that the medium and light grass lands
together would be two thirds more produc-
tive under "a good system of mixed hus-
bandry than as now kept in pasture only.
The extent Of pasture land open to such
transformation has been estimated at
4,c0O,O 900 acres. Only three years ago
Professor Baldwin wrote thus -
5sThere are four millions of acres of me.
dunn land now growing poor heritage, often
containing more weeds than grass, which.
would pay much better in tillage. AT pre-
| sent the gross return from these four mil-
lion acres does not amount to twice the
rent; if put under a proper system the
yield would amount to five times the rent
and the wealth of the country would be-
increased to the extent of several millions
sterling a year, which would be availablel
for distribution among labourers, farmersy
manure merchants, seed-merchantS, and
Shopkeepers of all kinds"
Tho chon0a MIGHT DrOhahly absorb fhA