Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1884-07-10
CORRESPONDENCE of the Yorkyille Enquirer.

| Veoetction-IndustriaI Pursuits-Ihe Landlord
System. and the Political Condition of the Irish
| People-A Brom0lsshane Fair.
Correspondence Of the Yorkyille Enquirer
BRoUGHsHANE, County Antrim, Ireland, June
23rd, lSs4.-On the 10Th instant I left Belfast.
My stay at the "Imperial" was very pleasant,
but found, on calling for my bill, that the rich
| fare and downy bed cost me, for the few days l
had enjoyed them, ten dollars.
| took what is called the Northern Counties
| railway. This road extends from Belfast to
Portrush. 1t is said that "out Of America, no
| one except fool or an American rides in first
class railroad carriage felt and still feel that
am an American ''to the manner born Still,
I feel that whatever may be the fact, it is my
duty to do nothing which would lay me liable to
be taken for fool This, together with the far
more potent fact that it costs far less to ride in
| third-class carriage, induced me to take third
class carriage. 1t was very comfortable; as
much so as I could desire, and the rate charged
was a mere tritle.
1 stopped at Ballywiena and set out on foot
into the country My object was to see, if posi-
BILE, every phase of Irish society and pick up
every thing could of Irish history. In the ex-
ecution of this purpose everything has con-
spired to render the undertaking successful.
After a walk Of something more than three
miles, I knocked at the door of Mr.. David Ma
gill. This David Magill is first cousin of Mr..
r. r. Magill, of Charlotte, North Carolina.
I had in my possession letters of introduction
from Mr.. Il. r. Magll to Mr.. David Magill.
| This was a fortunate thing, for was not only
welcomed as stranger for the night, but the home
of Mr. David Magill was made my home for as
long as I might be able or inclined to remain in
that region. Not only so, but I was taken every
| where desired to go and shown every thing 1
might desire to see. In addition to this, Mr..
David NIagill is a well-to-do farmer; mall of
large share of good common sense and extern
sive reading. His position is among the first OF
the farming class of the region of country in
which he resides. Had I undertaken to make
for gaining knowledge of Irish country life,
I could not have, in single particular, bettered
my circumstances. Thus situated, 1 devoted
myself enthusiastically to the accomplishment
of my undertaking. In other words, began
to ask questions about everything concerning
which was ignorant. I kept MI. Magill his
wife and daughter, all busily engaged for hours
in answering my, to them, no doubt, foolish
questions. Just here, although little out of
place, may be permitted to say that both Mrs.
Magill and her daughter are ladies Of extensive
information and refined taste. With your per-
mission will now attempt to give, as best can,
the impression made on my mind by the Irish
man in his country home
Ireland presents an appearance which can be
seen in no part of the United States. The crops,
the mode ofcultivating the soil, and the climate,
are all totally different from what is seen or felt
in the Southern States, and only family SO in any
of the Northern States. The country is very
rocky and mountainous. The mountains are not
high and pretentous, like the ranges in the United
States, and the rocks are not in such quantities
as to exclude the tillage of the soil; but still,
Ireland is rocky and mountainous isle. Be
tween the low and unconnected mountains, small
but beautiful streams of water find their way
through lovely valleys. The rocks Of Ireland
form the building material OF all classes OF the
inhabitants. The walls of the thatched rooted
houses of the humble peasant and those of the
proud and pretentious castles of the arrogant
landlords, are all built of the same rocks, which
are found in great abundance in every section OF
the interior Of the isle. Of these stones are also
built the fences of the country.
The houses of the Irish peasants are OF two
kinds-those in which the farmers reside and
those in which the servants6of the farmers llve
The houses of the farmers are generally two-sto-
ry stone houses, and those of the well-to-do
farmers are well furnished with old substantial
furniture. This furniture is generally solid ma
hogany Occasionally, an article of funlture
made of rosewood or walnut may be seen, but
this is rarely the case. The stories of the old
houses are not so high as ours. Those recently
built are. All the out houses, such as barns,
stables, COW hOuseS-in fact every house OH the
farm-s built of stone. This gives to every
thing the appearance Of massiveness and per-
manence, which is never seen in America outside
Of the large cities.
The houses of the servants and of the poorer
class of laborers, are generally only one story
stone houses, and the furniture in these houses
is such as to attract the attention of the visitor on
account of the little comfort which 1T affords the
occupants Of the dwellings.
The houses of the farmers are generally COM
Portable and everything in and about them is
neat and clean. The houses Of the laborers or
servants are not comfortable, and both inside and
outside are dirty to a degree which produces
nausea From these, no doubt, the inhabitants
ofthe whole country have been enormously call
ed "dirty Irish"
The roads in Ireland are of a superior charac-
ter to anything seen in the United States. They
superior in every respect to the streets OF our
Southern cities. This is not extravagant. They
are wide and inclosed by strong stone wall on
each side. The road bed is built of small stones
and sand, so that it is hard and smooth; and in
addition to this, it is kept clean and neat, by
sweeping, as the streets OF city. The construc-
ton of these roads subjected the people toa bur-
densome taxation, and the keeping them III re-
pair requires the annual expenditure OF prodlg-
ious sums Of money, which are raised by taxa
ton.
The soil Of Ireland is naturally neither rich
nor poor. Isuppose the whole island was at one
time rocky bog, thrown up by volcanic action.
Time has changed it into state capable of being
cultivated. Naturally, the southern portion is
more fertile than the northern. This is due to
many causes. Among them may be mentioned
climate. Ireland is called the "Green lsle OF the
ocean or "Green Erin" This is good general
description of the country. 1T IS green, pelng
covered with vegetation and small groves OF
small trees, but the green Of the grasses and OF
the trees is not that rich growing green that is
presented to the eye by the grasses and trees OF
our Southern States. Every kind OF vegetation
presents that pale, delicate and sickly appear
ance which vegetation presents in our Southern
States when it grows inahe shade. Ireland wants
sunshine in order to give to its vegetation
strength and vigOr. The sun rarely shines
whole day. and the soil is naturally wet, and rain
is most abundant. -
Ireland for agriculture, have been largely over
come by the careful cultivation of the soil. For
centuries the farmers of the country have been
laboriously engaged in remedying the natural
defects of the soil and overcoming the influence
of the cold damp climate.
The crops ususually planted are Irish potatoes,
oats, flax and turnips. Besides these there are
various other kinds of crops Of minor impor-
tance cultivated. In some sections wheat is
raised, but in no section is it produced to any
great extent. Ireland gets all her wheat flour from
America. The staple crops are potatoes and oats,
which is universally called "corn." The oats are
sown much in the same way that they are soWn
in the United States, but the cultivation OF the
potato is very different. The ground is first
plowed with large two-horse plow. 1t IS t@len @
laid off into beds about wide as our corn beds
or rows. These beds are covered several inches
deep with manure. The potatoes are then plant
ed across these beds, and covered by cutting
with a spade ditch between eacn Ded, ABOUT
foot and-a-half wide, and two feet deep, and
throwing the soil thus raised over the potatoes.
These are called lazy beds, ironically suppose,
for moro hard work is done in Ireland in pre-
pairing one acre of ground and planting it In
potatoes, than is done by Southern farmers gen
orally in preparing twenty acres of ground and
planting them in any crop usually cultivated by
us. Some idea may be formed of the number of
potato plants acre, from the fact that 1t re-
quires three thousand pounds of potatoes to plant
an acre An average Weld is about six long tons