La Junta tribune., 1908-12-19
FROM FOREIGN CLIMEs
BY K. W. PATTERSON
Qua SPECIAL EUROPEAN CORRESPONDENT

the west and southwest. as well as
the coast south OF Belfast and at
two or three other places. mountain
Gus. while n considerable is compar-
atiyely smooth. There are numerous
small lakes and hundreds of small
streams and few streams large
enough to lie called rivers. Ireland
is a well watered country. The soil
is very fertile, or has been, over
the greater portion of the country,
and produces wheat. oats, barley.
flax, vegetables. small fruits, plums,
a few apples. grass and hay. The
climate and soil are especially adapt
ed to the production OF flax OF the fin
est quality and to the handling also,
and the manufacture of the finest
grades of linen. 1t requires just the
climate Ireland possesses to produce
and manufacture f.ax-a wet. misty,
boggy country, heavy dews and
abundance OF water. The abundance
of water enables each farmer
to have pool of clear, clean water
to soak the flax until the woody fibre
is completely rotted, and 1t requires
the damp atmosphere and heavy dews.
to bleach the lint and the cloth.
The flax is grown in considerable
quantities in Minnesota. the Dakotas.
and formerly In Kansas. Nebraska
and Iowa. but solely for seed, as the
climate and other conditions are not
present to assist In the handling and
manufacture sof flax into linen. The
! flax thus grown has strong. coarse
stem and coarse hard fibre: hence.
the flax stalk is almost wholly waste.
the straw being of little value as
food for stock.
The northern and northwestern por.
ito of ireland Is in better state
of cultivation and much greater
proportion under plow than in the
southern portion. The farms are
better improved, better houses, barns,
outbuildlngs and better class of
farmers. The southern portion is
largely devoted to grazing. but only
small proportion under plow. and
there is seen proof everywhere. in
the neglected and abandoned stone
fences and the ruins of former ten
ant houses. OF the change that has
taken place. This country Is now
great grazing country where once
were thousands OF farmers. the land
lords either grazing their lands them
selves or leasing them to farmers In
larger tracts. to Craze cattle and
sheep. From Belfast to London
derry passed trough beautiful
farming country. valleys, rolling up
lands. but occasionally hilly and rough
The largest lake in Ireland. Lough
Neagh, is but about twenty-five miles
from Belfast The road from Lon
donderry towards Belfast. by the way
Of Omagh and Portadown. is some
what wooded. more hi ly and a
good deal of bog. but is generally
well improved. Thence south TO Dun
da i, near the or in this neighbor-
hood, the country is more hilly In
places, but little timber. more cattle
and has an appearance Of prosperity.
The country towards Dublin is a
magnificent country. 1t is quite
smooth generally. the improvements
good and the fences in good repair.
Here are cattle, sheep. and horses,
in large numbers and of good quali-
ty. The horses. however. are not
raised In SO large numbers, but still
there are a good many horses.
About Dublin are grown very fine
horses. / saw the Irish horse in Paris
and he Is extensively used In England.
The horse chiefly grown here Is
small horse, with more or less OF
the thoroughbred. horse for the
saddle and especially for the chase.
The horse for chase must be horse
of great speed. great endurance. act
i've. not large and good jumper
The chase is favorite sport among
the aristocracy. Lords aGd ladies'
Join in this exciting pleasure. The
deer and fox are the animals that
are hunted. The laws protect these
animals with severe penalties. No
man not the owner of the animals
or the land-the right to hunt
is an appurtenance to the land-dares
kill a fox or a deer, even should
the deer be trampling down the
farmers grain or the fox robbing
his henroost. This seems strange to
Americans. whose ideas Of pos
sessory rights are quite different. In
case OF damage by these animals. q
farmer has recourse. and will be paid
for all damage he suffers. Hence.
I'm the chase, the deer or fox nay