tions of religion, politics, and party, which seem to have merged in a general wish to promote the objects of the institution, as essential to the agriculture and prosperity of the country. Many advantages have arisen from the establishment of this society, in which the chief of the nobility and landed proprietors are enrolled.

1st. The increase and improvement of cultivation, acknowledged by the select committee on the corn trade in the house of commons in 1813.

2d. The increased export of corn resulting from this, and more than doubled since the date of the society's institution.*

3d. The improved quality of corn, from the improved culture, and the wide dispersion of imported seed.

4th. The introduction and method of using all the best implements.

5th. This method of using taught by persons employed by the society.

6th. The establishment of district ploughing matches throughout Ireland, by which the improved plough and its use have been particularly encouraged.

7th. The distribution of premium ploughs amongst the working farmers.

8th. The purchase and distribution of bulls, rams, and swine. To all these, and many other branches of agricultural improvement, has the society's attention been directed, and to those objects have its premiums been appropriated. Any person who recollects the October fair of Ballinasloe previous to the institution of the society, and who is now in the habit of attending it,

Ditto, Ditto, from 1801 to 1818, each period being 17 years, 19,223,671

can appreciate the great and manifest improvement which has resulted from its exertion. I have been favoured by an intelligent friend who possesses a considerable landed property, with the following remarks amongst many others :-"The Farming Society's shows are not quite as judiciously timed as they might be. Why not have premiums at the great May fair of Ballinasloe for fat cattle as well as in Dublin in March? But of all the injudicious arrangements, the show at October of horned cattle to obtain premiums for figure, size, and shape, is the most absurd: take the following reasons. In the first place, healthy cattle are too much in flesh to afford the best view of their shape, make, &c.; again, the breeding season for horned cattle is then past. The purchasers of prize heifers, cows, or bulls, must hold them over until the following month of August before turning them to breed. The possessors of prize bulls, or of those nearly of equal figure and value, may, and probably will have disposed of them before the breeding season following, and thus the farmer, already too indolent, and often taking his sires from the nearest quarter, however inferior, has another difficulty thrown in his way in the discovery of those of the superior kinds. Ballinasloe May fair should be the show period for breeding stock, whether bulls, cows, or heifers."

It has been proposed some time since to establish a Farming Society for this province, called "The Connaught Farming Society." If it was established under judicious regulations, and the funds not jobbed away amongst useless officers, totally ignorant of agricultural affairs, I am persuaded it would be of infinite benefit, as they might embrace several minor concerns not coming within the range of the Farming Society of Ireland. As a sine qua non their secretary should be able and

willing not only to give reports of the transactions of the different meetings, but also encourage a correspondence with agriculturists of all ranks.* In England and Scotland several agricultural and horticultural societies have published their transactions, which have been of material benefit; in Ireland, as far I am informed, no such thing has ever appeared. One would be led to imagine the officers of our societies were merely actuated by the salary attached to their office. At the same time this exertion should not be expected without remuneration, which should be ample, but it should not be a sinecure. I recollect, some years since, when the late Mr. Hamilton, the then secretary of the Farming Society of Ireland, invited all descriptions of farmers to meet him once a week to communicate and receive information: I have often attended those meetings with great pleasure and advantage; but with him his salary was a secondary consideration, and I fear a carelessness in his pecuniary affairs, and the difficulties brought on by it, helped to hasten the effects of a weakly constitution.

As I have mentioned elsewhere, I think every landed proprietor should have a yearly show for his own tenantry, when premiums should be given for cleanliness, good husbandry, long service, &c.

I have been informed of a secretary of a Farming Society on being asked a simple agricultural question, answering in the most pettish manner, "Really I know nothing about such things." If he had been asked a question on the rate of exchange, his answer would have been quite pat.

SECTION XIV.

STATE OF MANUFACTURES-WHETHER INCREASING.

THE manufacture of coarse linens forms the principal one of this county. They are generally what are called bandle linen; in some places the bandle is 30 inches, in others 32 inches; again, 28 inches, sheetings 371 and 40 inches wide. In fact, though there is a certain breadth prescribed by act of parliament, and a power given to inspectors, who do or should attend every fair and market, to seize those deficient in breadth, yet little or no notice is taken of it, and they are generally any breadth the owner or the weaver chooses to make them. There is a considerable quantity sold every Thursday at the linen-hall in Loughrea; and a great deal of sheetings are also disposed of at the inn at Tuam; but I understand they are not of such fabric as to do any credit to the makers, as they are of a very flimsy texture, and too often bleached with lime. There is little secret made of this by the country people, and though now and then a little stir is made by the inspector, and perhaps a few pieces seized, it is only laughed at. To make the regulations against this abuse effective rests with the landlords, but they most unaccountably neglect it, though under their nose. If they for a moment reflected that much of the means of paying rent is produced by the sale of linens, they might, perhaps, pay more attention to this affair. At every fair and market a considerable quantity of yarn is sold, but I am informed very inferior both in the spinning and mode of reeling. Many factors attend the fairs, and buy the yarn on commission; and as the weighing rests entirely with them by ouncels, which they always carry

with them, it is probable there are impositions practised on the sellers. The magistrates should look to this. It is the duty of the person who receives the tolls and customs, but in general I fear it is neglected; also, particular attention should be paid to weights and measures, in which it is highly probable much fraud is practised, by using weights made of stone, which, though frequently broken, still retain the original denomination. I am not aware of any woollen manufacture existing in this county, except that of flannels and frizes for home use and sale, at from 1s. 8d. to 2s. 6d. per bandle of 30 inches wide, of which almost every woman in the county understands the manufacture. It is not a little extraordinary that so extensive a county, possessing every facility for the manufacture of woollens, should be without it. It possesses the best clothing wool for both coarse and fine fabrics. In Cunnamara the wool of the country is of very great fineness, and if a little pains were taken by the proprictors of those extensive tracts of pasturable mountain, a wool might be produced equal to the finest manufacture. Probably the Merino cross would be most profitable, and the shape of the native sheep is more assimilated to that of Merino than any other that I am acquainted with. A few years ago South Down rams and ewes were introduced by some proprietors of estates, particularly by Mr. Blake of Renvyle; but of the result I am ignorant, except that I perceive, by an advertisement of that spirited gentleman, that he has near six hundred South Down fleeces for sale. The benefit to be obtained by the cross I have suggested, may be in some measure ascertained by a recurrence to the annual sale of fine wool at the Farming Society house in 1819, where it will be seen that the Rev. Thomas Quin received for 177 fleeces of the third, fourth, and fifth cross of Merino on Wicklow ewes,