Waterbury evening Democrat., 1908-02-17
FILLING IRISH SOIL.
Small Holders Differ From Those
 With Large Tracts,

farmS and those who control very large tracts regarding the relative merit of both schemes so far as the general good of the country is con- cerned. This has been going on foI many years and while an effort is be- ing made to adjust matters by fair | division of the land among tillers of the soil, the thing is far from being settled as anybody can see from the following interesting dissertation on the question:
 The war against the grazing sys- tenn, the ranching system, it is called. is not an agitation against system [ that is merely continuing, but against one that is on the increase. The lat | est publication of the agricultural de- 1 partment shows that forty-fve new holdings of over 200 acres had been created in 1906, the area of the land used for the purpose being 49,O00 acres. This means that number of small holdings, as result of eviction had been consolidated within the year, and 50,000 acres of land pre- viously devoted to mixed farming turned into grass. The effect of this years change in the agricultural conditions will be better appreciated by considering | the question of "uneconomic hold | ings" for the necessary enlargement of which it is sought to acquire and divide so much of the grass | lands as would be required to make them economic. MT Bailey, the chief estates commissioner, has defined an uneconomic holding as farm of land so small in extent and so poor | in quality as to be unable to sup port the tenant without other aids | to subsistence. The agricultural de- partment has issued pamphlet in which its experts estimate the min imum area that will constitute an economic holding. The conclusion arrived at is: About fifty statute acres of average quality, exclusive of bog and land that cannot be cultivat' ed or reclaimed" The departments experts further consider the case where two farmers combine in the joint use of machinery and labor in working two adjoining farms, and say: This might reduce the econo- mic area to thirty statute acres or even if the land be of exceptional fer tility and markets good, to twenty five acres"
 Thus there are two great divisions of the land of Ireland, nearly equal | in extent-one, occupied by two | thirds of the farmers of Ireland whose holdings average fourteen acres each, and do not in any case extend to thirty acres, and the other occupied by only one-fiftieth of the holders of land. the holdings averag- ing 500 acres each, and the minimum holding exceeding 200 acres in ex- tent.
 George Wyndham, M. P, chief secretary for Ireland under the last government, was examined before the congested districts commission, and stated that "untenanted land of the best, or even good quality for grazing cannot be brought into the market except at a price which Is almost pro. hibitive, If 1t is to be used for agri- cultural purposes" It is we'll known ! of course, that the best land of the country Is the grazing land, and that | the land in the occupation of the 350,000 farmers whose holdings aver age only IA acres in the worst. Mir | Wyndham's evidence is quoted as of- ficial testimony to what Is common knowledge in Ireland. This is briefly the state of affairs as between the grazing system, with huge farms of the primest land and the claims of the bulk of the farmers for holdings | of moderate size with mixed farming which will afford the means of sub- sistence to the tenants.
 The statement is sometimes made in English newspapers. and in Irish Unionist newspapers. that the divi. | sion of the grass lands would injure the Irish cattle trade. There is nc | foundation whatever for such state ments. Mixed farming produces more cattle than a purely grazing system, and fattens the cattle to the finish, which, except in a few places the grazing does not, and cannot do There are three systems of agricul- ture, only one of which is generally suited to Ireland. The first Is known as the most intensive system, which eultiyates small fruits. flowers and certain vegetables Such market gardening is suitable to country of great cities and many large towns; the cultivation requires close spade work, and is expensive. Ireland possesses no market for such culti- vation. except near Dublin. and one or two other places, and even there the market is limited. This Is the system of cultivation on the eonti- nent. which the agricultural depart ment in It's early days made itself ridiculous by trying to introduce into Ireland. The grazing system is ex- cept in a few places. equally unsuit- ed to Irish condition. It is now ad. mitted by all sides that the conver- sion of Irish tillage land into grass land was a mistake, and the efforts of statesmen profess to be directed tc restore such land to the blow"
 Of course there is nothing new in the article just quoted except that prominent British officials are now acknowledging the viciousness of a system which the Irish people have been fighting against since its in- eeption.
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