, 1880-03-13
IRISH FARMS AND FARMING.
s..zon[ From the Tmcs.J

ATHLONE, WESTMEATH COUNTY. Jan % /
2. l have had opportunities of learning that +
in spite Of some local difficulties and vary
ing opinions as to the best and most DOM
lar men to be employed in distributing the
relief, the Duchess OF MarlborOugh'S Com
mltteeS are working well. Some commit.
tees have been formed in localities wbprs
little beyond the ordinary rate of indulgence
and beggary are really -aScertained 10
exist; but the admirable arrangementhy
winch gentlemen bave been sent out TO
inspect the working of the committees and
to report on the extent and urgency of tho
/ distress will enable the authorities in Duh.
lin to dispense the funds most liberaly
where the needs are most pressing, and the
cry OF impending starvation is at present
most woeful in the remote districts of Con.
nemara and Donegal. Let no one, however,
conclude. that, When a few weeks of benef.
cent effort have been put forth to save
thousands of poor wretches from death, the
worst will be over, that the spring time
will bring in employment and the p4M
population. be able to sustain itse1rsSty
little further aid from charity. The rfhh
works may prove of vast benefit III furNh&
ing wages for hands within reach !; bat
believe, notwithstanding, that there are
many thousands of small farmers who have
been SO heavily smitten by the. failure Of
the potato crop, added tO'Other losses, that
they will need almost entire support
through the summer and this very wide.
~ in many cOunties-nOt at all. restricted
to the coastal and other regions from which
narrowing and heartrending descriptions
of restitution now come 1t is impossible
to speak too warmly in praise of the action
which has been taken by the Lord Mayor
of Dublin, Canon Bagot, and others, for
q, securing. through the Governments q sup
ply of seed oats and of seed potatoes, for
innumerable small occupiers who, In The
absence'of such supply will certainly have
no crop at all in the coming year. There
are no means of even guessing, snwithaany
pretence Of approximation to the truth,
how many thousands of eccupieps are IN
the position of having no potatoes what
even for planting, as they must be planted
during this and next mOnth. AZ commence.
ment OF. the work of procuring and distri
buting potatoes being made will rapidly
discover of itself i'll each district entered
upon what is the imperative demand there
The difficulty to my mind is where a sum
cient quantity of potatoes is to come fron,
to say nothing of that most important pm
posal-a renovation of the potato stocked
Ireland by introducing robust varieties,
such as "champions" and other new kinds
found most vigorous in growth, and strong
in resisting disease The failure of the|
potato crop has been so terrible a blow to
. almost every part dillingham; and Scotland
as well as Ireland, that the available crop
left is wanted for planting in Great
Britain; and a transaction involving tho
purchase and shipping and the railway
carriage and cart distribution of perhaps
$1,000 tons, 10 place, say, II third OIL
ton with each one of 150, 900 occupiers, WIN
encounter a difficulty in finding such
quantity moro serious than that OF the
inevitably excessive price to be pail
After such a wholesale destruction y
"regents" and, "rocks'' and other common
kinds of potato in Great Britain, it's
mystery where the seed is coming from Y
plant the British crop of the ensuing aek
son; the run, of course, being great VI
what may behregardedb as t6lerably ~
sorts. L There are mot 5o,0OO5norJat6Ses
tons Of: seed potatoes (Which gre weren ~
ingy to spare in England; and it y1passs
happy circumstances Il anything Ike SUI