Extracts from 13. Are they increasing-No, they are not; they are falling off Evidence. rapidly. Mayo and Galway. 528, Q. 9, 10. Roscommon. 369, Q. 20-22. Q. 128-133. 14. Are there many farms held in common --A great many. 15. What effect has that upon the condition of the persons holding?—I think it is highly injurious to them; I talked to them about it. I see their cattle and pigs running about without any control, which is the source of their coming before the magistrates every petty sessions. Mr. David Williamson, land valuator. 9. What is the usual size of the tillage farms?—The tillage farms average about four Irish acres each. The grazing farms are all generally large, many instances occurring where several townlands are consolidated together in one farm; each of which townlands contains from 300 to 600 statute acres. Some idea of the extent of land appropriated to grazing may be formed from the fact, that one grazier in Mayo generally pays £300 per annum county cess. The grazing farm system is also on the increase, in consequence of consolidation of farms. Grazing farms are generally appropriated to the feeding of sheep, but some that occupy a wet situation, or that are of a wet description, are principally appropriated to the feeding of cattle. There are none of those farms appropriated to the feeding of dairy stock. The effect of grazing farms on the employment of labour is ruinous in the extreme. That large grazier, to whom I have referred, keeps the best of the land to himself, and lets the verges round at an enormous rent to the poor tenants. 10. Do you know that yourself?--Yes, I do; I know the land is let at double the value. Mr. James M'Gan, farmer, grazier, and agent. 20. What is the more usual size of the tillage farms in the district? I think from six to eight acres is the more usual size; and then there are other farmers who have 1,000 acres in the district. 21. What is the usual size of the grazing farms?—From 100 to 1,000 acres. 22. The 1,000 acres are grazing farms?—Yes. They con-acre too. 128. What is the smallest quantity of ground upon which a family can support themselves?-Seven or eight acres. Under a good system, two acres will produce more than eight; but under the ordinary system, I should say eight acres. 129. What stock should such a person have upon eight acres?Two cows, two acres of oats, an acre and a half of potatoes, and half an acre of meadow. 130. Would he have a horse?-No horse. I have been making a calculation of what a man would pay holding a farm of that description, giving him bare potatoes, and never thinking of any thing else but potatoes and buttermilk for food. The entire potatoes grown on that farm would be just sufficient to feed his family-a man and his wife, and three children-it would take an acre and a half of potatoes. I give him credit for one pig, that is £3. 131. What would be the rent?-Thirty shillings an acre would be his rent, and I am giving him credit for two firkins of butter, £4. Evidence. I would give him twenty-eight barrels of oats, at 7s. the barrel. I Extracts from would give him one calf, 50s., that is all he could sell. He would have to pay £12 rent; 32s. county cess; poor rates, 5s.; three barrels of oats for seed, 30s. Then I put down £3 for wear and tear of the two cows, because I admit the milkers to produce two firkins of butter; and 10s. for a pig, in the first instance. There is, beside. that, clothing, &c., that would cost £5. The thatching of his house, and any man without a horse requires a horse to harrow, I should say 10s. for that. Then the question arises, How can that kind of thing exist? The answer I give is, that they do not eat the potatoes. I know, of my own knowledge, they often eat two meals of potatoes instead of three. I know of instances, which I have heard from very good authority, of people dividing their time, eating their breakfast late and their dinner late in the day, and going to bed early, to save the potatoes. 132. On a farm of this description is there occupation enough for the whole family, if tilled properly?—Yes, and for double the number. 133. In what manner do you think such a farm should be properly tilled?-He should grow clover and Italian rye-grass, so as to be able to feed the cows in the house; and one acre would produce food enough, if well cultivated in that way. In most cases in this county, they have bog attached to their land; and if the cattle are kept in the house in the summer, and bedded down with this, it would make capital manure-so that if carried out properly it would make his farm like a garden in a short time: every bit could be cultivated. But there would be a large capital required for this; the land should be all trenched, and there should be a large expenditure upon the land. Charles King O'Hara, esq., land proprietor, and chairman of Sligo. 4. What is the more usual size of the farms, and the mode of cul- 356, Q. 4, 5. ture?—There are no large tillage farms in this district; there are a few above 100 acres, held exclusively in grazing, in fattening cows and sheep, and in rearing young stock in general. Farms of all sizes are of a mixed character, partly grazing and part tillage; many of the larger holders break up yearly a portion of the farm in conacre; potatoes and oats, three or four or five crops, according to the quality of the ground; and sometimes two crops of oats, and three of potatoes: that is, five successive years of tillage. They then lay down the land with grass seeds, oftener without, leaving it wasted, to recover a coat of natural grass or weeds, and pastured by light stock, until in some measure renovated, when it is again con-acred. With regard to the size, I made as well as I could a list of them. There are in the district about fifteen farms above 100 acres; twenty exceeding fifty; fifty exceeding twenty-five; 200 exceeding ten; and about 180 under ten-mostly labourers hold the latter class. 5. You mean in the 35,000 acres you speak of, there is that number of farms?—Yes; I am pretty nearly accurate. I speak of statute acres, for I may decidedly say there is no large tillage farm in the district, and that the improvement is made in the small farms. In some of the smaller farms a better system of management, by the Evidence. Extracts from introduction of clover, grass-seeds, vetches, and turnips, has been effected, principally by the encouragement of the landlord. The size of grass fa ms has rather lessened as population has increased. In my opinion they operate against the employment of labour; there are few dairy farms, though all farmers keep dairy cows. Farms in rundale or common (nearly exploded) are in the worst condition. CHAPTER XI. SUBDIVISION OF FARMS. Summary of Evidence-Extracts from Evidence, viz.:-Mr. Baldwin, Proceedings on p. 437. It appears that the practice of subletting farms was formerly 1098, Q. 3— very prevalent, and that though now much diminished, it is still not uncommon. p. 454. Till within a comparatively recent period, proprietors do 220, Q. 102not appear to have taken any active measures to prevent this 601, Q. 13practice. It even seems that while forty-shilling freeholds - p. 433. conferred the franchise they, in some cases, rather encouraged subletting, for the purpose of increasing their political influence. The high prices of agricultural produce during the late 652, Q. 28continental war, and the consequently increased value of p. 435. 1098, Q.3 p. 437. 539, Q. 14 p. 444. 812, Q. 52p. 441. land, appear to have much increased subletting, by enabling the large farmers, without personal trouble, to derive from their leaseholds considerable incomes in the form of profit rents. The attention of the proprietors has been latterly more 968, Q. 30- called to the ruinous consequences of this practice; and their exertions, aided by the operation of the Subletting Acts, have considerably diminished the frequency of its P. 441. 1098. Q.3 p. 437. 222, Q. 109 p. 428. 849, Q. 41p. 436. 186, Q. 26p. 428. 139, Q. 27p. 432. 801, Q. 19p. 434. 685, Q.35 929, Q. 13 P. 435. p. 436. occurrence. Many of the witnesses, however, seemed to be impressed with the idea, that even with the assistance of those Acts, there is frequently much expense and difficulty in preventing subletting in the case of leasehold farms; and this opinion has tended to prevent the grant of leases. Though from the above-mentioned causes, the practice of subletting is now much less prevalent than it formerly was, it appears that the practice of subdividing farms as a provision for the children of tenants still continues to a very great extent, notwithstanding the most active exertions of proprietors and agents. This evil is one difficult, or almost impossible to prevent. The parent possessed of a farm looks upon it as a means of providing for his family after his decease, and, consequently, rarely induces them to adopt any other than agricultural pursuits, or makes any other provision for them than the miserable segment of a farm, which he can carve for each out of his holding, itself perhaps below the smallest size which can give profitable occupation to a family. Each son, as he is married, is installed in his portion of the ground, and in some cases, even the sons-in-law receive as the dowries of their brides some share of the farm. In vain does the landlord or agent threaten the tenant; in vain is the erection of new houses prohibited, or the supply of turf limited. The tenant relies on the sympathy of his class to prevent ejectment, and on his own ingenuity to defeat the other impediments to his favourite mode of providing for his family. The fear of this subdivision, and its ruinous consequences, 766, Q.39 appear, from the testimony of many, to be the principal causes preventing the grant of leases, as the power of the landlord to resist them, though always insufficient, is considered to be much diminished where the tenant holds by lease, no matter how stringent the covenants against subdivision may 89, Q. 114p. 433. p. 433. 468, Q. 26p. 447. |