beast is kept, a horse will be generally preferred, and probably where many are necessary, some of each will be found most useful, but the greater number should consist of oxen. Those graziers who buy large lots of store cattle have opportunities of picking out those oxen that are most likely to step quick; if they do not answer it is no loss, as they may at any time be turned out to fatten. It is highly probable that long legged lathy oxen are most likely to turn out light movers. The slow step of oxen is frequently caused by the laziness of the ploughman or drivers; I have often observed them at work, and was surprized they did not lie down and sleep, both ploughman and cattle.

SECTION IV.

NATURE AND USE OF IMPLEMENTS OF HUSBANDRY.

THE Common ploughs of this county are very ill calculated to perform good work; one of the greatest defects is, the sole not lying flat on the ground, it has a tendency to run out of the furrow, and small ribs of hard clay are left unploughed; these ribs prevent the surface water from running into the furrows, which in winter is very prejudicial, and greatly retards the sowing in spring. It may may be set down as an agricultural axiom, that when the ploughman does not preserve an erect posture at his work, he is either a bad ploughman, or his plough is defective or improperly set, of course his tillage must be imperfect. What is generally called the Scotch plough on improved principles, seems to be one of the best we have yet adopted;

if well set and kept sufficiently sharp, it turns a sod nine or ten inches broad and five or six inches deep in stiff soils, with the assistance of only a pair of horses or oxen without a leader, in a much superior manner and with more ease than the same work is usually effected by four beasts and a driver; frequently two drivers and a man pressing on the beam to keep the plough in the ground, and the ploughman's elbow almost touching the ground. It very rarely happens that the furrows are straight; the person who leads the horses cannot possibly guide them in a right line, and the furrow is, from the faulty construction of the plough, generally so badly defined the horses deviate from it, and form curves not unlike some of those tame outlines for plantations that have continued a reproach to the taste of of Ireland. If on the contrary, the ploughman holds the reins, his eye is constantly kept on some object on the headland, which he sees between the horses heads, and as from the cleanness of the furrow the horses can scarcely deviate, the work is performed with the greatest exactness. At ploughing matches, poles are set up on the headlands, to which the ploughman runs his furrow nearly as exact as if it had been cut by a line; a leader to the plough would find it almost impossible, as has been often (with no small share of ridicule on those ploughmen who so obstinately used him) proved at several ploughing matches.

The increase of ploughs with two horses without a driver has been very rapid; even the farmers of Fingal, who were as steadfast in the use of four beasts as those of any other part of Ireland, now begin, thanks to the Farming Society of Ireland, to see the superiority of the new method, and have multitudes of two horse ploughs at work. The old ploughman, backed by the

steward of the old school,* have always endeavoured to throw obstacles in the way, but by training up a few young lads under an expert ploughman, this has been in many places counteracted, and emulation between the young ploughmen has done wonders, which must be the result in every branch of farming if judiciously and steadily directed. The rewards given by farming societies for good ploughing have had the most beneficial effects. The Scotch plough requires to be set for working by a person acquainted with its use; a man attempting to plough with it if set in the usual way of the common ploughs of this county would be defeated. It has frequently occurred, that many have imported Scotch ploughs without providing proper persons to use them, and they have been laid by with a total loss of character, at the instigation of ignorance and obstinacy. But such attention has been lately paid to this

66 your honor's The prac

• The steward of the old school may be easily known by the following description: he generally wears a large bushy wig, or his long uncombed ringlets hanging down his shoulders; is stockings about his heels from never buttoning the knees of his breeches, or a pair of old boots without stockings; his frize great coat, worn in the warmest weather, hanging off his shoulders, for he scorns to put his arms into the sleeves; he smokes out of the same pipe, and drinks whiskey with the labourers, who always accost him with "Paddy" or " Phelim," &c. &c. He buys and sells cattle, of the value of which he knows no more than to ask much and offer little, and laughs into scorn every attempt at improvement, father did very well without all this new fashioned nonsense.” tice prevails here, as in the County of Clare, of permitting stewards to become small farmers: it is impossible they can attend to their masters' business;-the wages should be raised and this foolish practice abolished. I have known a footman go home to plant his potatoes for a week, and spend another in digging them ! ! !-Comparing the amount of what the enlightened steward gets, with the wages, land, grass for cattle, house, turf, &c. &c. besides the loss by the idleness of every one under him, it will be found that the balance will be largely in favour of the first. The generality of old light' stewards are mere lookers on of labourers.

interesting subject, that the importation of either Scotch ploughs or ploughmen is no longer necessary. Leicestershire wheel ploughs are in use with a few gentlemen, and are highly praised by those who have used them; but from the comparative trials that have been made, I could not perceive any superiority over the Scotch plough, and as they are more complex, are not likely to be used by small farmers. The general harrow of this county is of very rude workmanship, and defective in its operation, for the teeth are so fixed that several follow each other in the same track, consequently it leaves much of the ground untouched, which in seed sowing is highly injurious, as it leaves much of the corn uncovered. The double harrow, in which the rings of the swingle-tree play on two iron bars, seems to be the best that has been invented, from its hustling motion, and from every tooth forming a separate small furrow, it stirs the ground in every part, and lies better to each side of a ridge; a very material advantage arises from each horse drawing his own share, a mode that should be adopted as much as possible in all farming work, and indeed in all kinds of draught. The couch rake, or harrow, is also used by a few, and is an admirable instrument for gathering the roots of perennial weeds and small stones; but particular care must be taken, that the ground is previously well ploughed and harrowed; I have seen sad work where it was expected that it would answer for both plough and harrow. As few have had a sufficient quantity of tillage to keep a threshing machine constantly at work, very few are to be met with in the hands of farmers. The late Mr. Lambart, of Creggclare, was, I believe, the first who erected one; but many have lately availed themselves of the benefits attached to their use. As it has been well ascertained, that a farm under the improved alternate system of

corn and green crops, will produce more cattle than it did whilst under grazing alone, we may expect to see those admirable machines brought into general use, more especially as I understand there has been one lately contrived by an Irish artist, of which the expense will not exceed twenty pounds. Where there is a sufficient supply of water it should be applied to work the machine; but if the levels are such that the water cannot be used without injuring the watered meadows, (if any,) horses should be substituted; the periodical labour of two horses is of infinitely less value than the water for irrigation. I mention this from the experience I have had of the bad consequence of their interference at Marly, the seat of the late Colonel Latouche; I finished about ten acres of watered meadow, and made preparation to water many acres more; the stream that supplies them also turns the wheel of a threshing machine, and the levels not answering to supply both at the same time, the meadows were defrauded of their proper supply, and I understand have at the instance of the then steward been sacrificed to the threshing machine; two horses work the machine equally well; now supposing they were constantly at work, they may be rated high at sixty pounds per annum; and supposing that only fifty acres should be watered, (but much more could be done, for the supply could be increased from another river,) it is a very moderate calculation to rate the produce, including feeding in spring for ewes and lambs, and meadow and feeding in autumn, at eight pounds per acre,-we can easily perceive what a loss was sustained by such management. The steward understood tillage admirably, but was ignorant of the value of irrigation. At the time the machine was erected, the watered meadows were made, but the millright never considered any one's ad