portion of their land with rape, vetches, clover, or any other of those green crops, so very beneficially introduced into modern husbandry. It remains however to be proved by experiment, whether the potato should not take place of every other species of winter or spring food for stock of every kind. If we advert to the variety of soils in which it succeeds, to the intimate knowledge of its cultivation, which every person from the peer to the peasant possesses, its ameliorating effects on the soil, its fattening quality, and not like many other vegetables, communicating a bad flavor to the meat, the superiority it possesses over every other vegetable production, of keeping perfectly good for upwards of ten months; when all those advantages are added to their freedom from being pilfered, their leaving the ground free for another crop in October, whilst most other plants remain until far in spring, and many others which must occur to every agriculturist, they will perhaps obtain a very high rank amongst vegetable productions for stock. Long as we have had the root in Ireland, and much as the public attention has been turned towards its cultivation, I imagine from some trials I have made of propagating it from seed (a highly amusing pursuit) that we have yet but a very slender knowledge of it, and are very far removed from perfection. The introduction of Fiorin grass in our bogs, or rather the extension, for it has been always there, has caused a revolution in our agricultural system, that promises to overturn many of our vegetable productions. In such soils its produce is, without almost any trouble, superior to most others; is always ready for use, and on ground frequently not worth two shillings per acre. I shall resume this subject in the section of green crops. Nothing would elevate the poor man's til lage more than sowing red clover with his crop of flax; they both require ground in good heart and fine tilth; are sowed at the same time; the small leaves of the flax permit the clover to flourish, and it is pulled so early that it permits the clover to make such a growth, that if the ground is rich, and the proper quantity of seed sowed, there may be a cutting for green food obtained before winter, but this is not a good general practice. SECTION III. USE OF OXEN-HOW HARNESSED. OXEN are not generally used in this county in husbandry. The following gentlemen, amongst perhaps a few others, use them in most kinds of work: Sir John Burke-Marblehill. Lord Ashtown. Lord Riverston. Mr. Browne-Moyne. Mr. Thomas Martin-Ballynahinch. * Though those gentlemen harness them properly, they may be seen some times drawing very heavy loads with yokes and bows, a most cruel method, the poor animals heads almost touching the ground, endeavouring to avoid the galling pressure of the yoke on their bare necks; how much easier must be the collar, or even the sugan of straw. I have seen with much pleasure several pairs of oxen working for Mr. Martin at G 2 • In 1610, Mr. Ledwich says, ten shillings were levied for every plough drawn by the tail in Ulster; there were 1740 forfeitures, amounting to £870.!!-Yokes without collars, are little less cruel. Ballynahinch and Oughterard, much better appointed than I have witnessed elsewhere. Spayed heifers are sometimes used, and are generally allowed to be superior to oxen; they are much quicker steppers, insomuch that the heifers belonging to the Rev. Mr. Symes of Ballyarthur in the county of Wicklow, which obtained the cup at the ploughing match of the Farming Society of Ireland in 1804, though very small, performed their work in much less time than excellent horses that started with them. I am surprised the spaying of heifers that are intended merely for fattening, has not been more practised; the advantages they possess over those not spayed are many. Every person who buys cattle at any of the fairs in this county, must know how very frequently they buy heifers in calf that they intended to fatten, which obliges them to sell before they are fully fattened. If on the contrary spayed heiffers were bought, there can be no disappointment, and the grazier can take his own time to sell; they are also much quieter both in harness and in the pasture: as to the quality of their flesh, they possess a great superiority, and produce more inside fat at an early age, than those that are not spayed. The question so long agitated, whether horses or oxen are most economical for farming purposes, remains still unsettled. The advocates for horses contend, that though they cost more to purchase, require more expensive keeping, and eat more than oxen, and are of infinitely less value when past their labour or are injured, yet the superior quickness of their movements, especially in the hurry of spring work, they think more than compensates for the small price, cheaper keeping, and superior value of the ox when past his labour. Perhaps the comparison has not in general been fairly made; it has been almost always between large, heavy, sluggish oxen, ill fed, and middle sized, and quick stepped horses; one purchased for from £5. to £7. and the other from £20. to £40. Whoever thought, when he went to a fair to buy plough oxen, of seeing them moved before him; he only looks (or at least his wise man) to those who are likely to grow to a large size when fattened, without ever considering whether they step quick or slow; on the contrary, the horse is made to go through all his paces, and rejected if his movements are not good. Put a pair of those heavylimbed, lubberly black horses, that were so injudiciously endeavoured to be established in Ireland a few years ago, into a field with Mr. Symes's heifers, and a more forcible light will be thrown on the subject than from my pen. An additional, and a still more forcible light has been shed by the result of the ploughing match of the Farming Society of Ireland in March 1821.25 pair of horses, 2 pair of mules, 3 pair of oxen, and a pair of bulls, started for the prizes: we may rest satisfied that the horses were selected for the purpose. To the astonishment of the prejudiced, a pair of oxen belonging to Richard Cotter, Esq. won the cup; the second premium of £10. was carried off by another pair of oxen, the property of Joseph Atkinson, Esq. and the third prize of £5. was awarded to the bulls, the property of John Brown, Esq. In the present depressed state of agricultural pursuits, it becomes a matter of the utmost consequence to compare the expenses of horses and oxen, which every farmer can easily do, and make up his mind to sacrifice the pleasure of the eye to dictates of his judgment. The proper feeding of oxen whilst working is generally most grossly neglected; if they get indifferent hay they are generally esteemed well fed; no wonder they are slow in their step; horses on the same bad hay without oats would not be found very quick stepped. I have observed at a very celebrated place near Dublin, oxen fattening for the Farming Society's show, pampered with every vegetable delicacy the farm afforded; within a few yards stood a parcel of miserable working oxen, nothing but skin and bone; they frequently lay down in the plough; not a potato, cabbage, turnip, or head of rape was given to those unfortunate animals, nothing but the worst kind of hay, the leavings of the fattening cattle. The steward, an Englishman from a part of England where oxen are seldom used, forsooth "understood all the best practices of England; aye, that he did, knowed oxen never could stand work." The consequence was, that instead of turning them out to fatten in good store order, as they would have been if well fed, besides performing twice the labour, they were obliged to be kept two years before they were fat; the first year barely recovered them. The expense of feeding horses and oxen may be brought more on a par, if horses get Swedish turnip, steamed potatoes, or bruised furze (Ulex Europeus). I must not be understood, however, to mean that they will perform hard spring work without a portion of corn, but I am perfectly convinced that some of those vegetables should make a considerable part of their food; for riding horses, Swedish turnips or potatoes as a part of their food, will be found very wholesome, and even for hunters, given in small quantities (perhaps seven pounds) on the days they do not hunt; they will cool the body and keep it moderately open. Mr. Young, in his Farmer's Calendar, page 263, says, "Swedish turnip is, next to carrots, the very best food that can be given to horses." Oxen are not so liable to be injured by accidents, nor to be rode by lazy or vicious servants; where only one |