Lewis Topographical Dictionary - OSi Online Shop

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latter most benefited by a moist season. Limestone is
the general substratum, yet as a manure it is not used
so extensively as it should be. Limestone gravel, here
called corn gravel, is also abundant and in general use
as manure, and without burning or any other prepara-
tion it produces abundant crops. The pastures, though
not luxuriant, are excellent for sheepwalks, the flocks
producing wool in abundance, and of very fine quality.
The unreclaimed moor is highly nutritious to young
cattle; but it is observed that where bogs have been
reclaimed, although the vegetation is rapid and rather
earlier than in the upland, corn crops are generally two
or three weeks later in ripening. The best land in the
county is on the western side of the Slieve Bloom moun-
tains, extending from the boundary of the Queen’s
county through Ballybritt to Parsonstown; but the ba-
rony of Clonlisk, in general, is decidedly the most fer-
tile; that of Warrenstown has been recently much
improved by the efforts and example of two enterprising
Scotch farmers of the name of Rait: the land in it,
though naturally good, requires great attention to draw
forth all its capabilities. The beneficial change has been
brought about at considerable expense and labour, and
it is now nearly as productive as the fertile barony of
Clonlisk. A great part of the bog of Allen lies within
this county, forming, in detached portions, the most
remarkable feature of its surface. The mountains have
a great variety of soils and substrata; but the greater
portion of them merely affords a coarse pasture to young
cattle in dry seasons $ the only part worthy of especial
notice is a tract of fertile pasture, which is grazed all the
year by numerous flocks of sheep and young cattle, and
having a limestone soil, with a stiff clay at the basis of
the heights, yields abundant crops of corn.
The farms were formerly very large. It was not
uncommon for one person to hold a thousand or fifteen
hundred acres; but their size is now much reduced,
averaging not more than from 12 to 17 acres; few are
so large as 200 acres. Considerable tracts of mountain
and bog are reclaimed every year by young men after
marriage, who locate themselves in cabins generally
near the bog for the advantage of fuel. Many of the
little elevated patches in the bog of Allen, here called
islands, have been thus brought into cultivation. The
chief crops are wheat and potatoes, except near the bogs
and mountains, where oats are principally grown. Bar-
ley and rape are also extensively raised; the latter is
found to flourish on the most boggy soil, if properly
drained. Turnips, mangel wnrzel, vetches, and clover
are everywhere grown by the gentry and large farmers;
but the generality of the small farmers do not venture
on the green crop system, except in the barony of War-
renstown, where a regular rotation crop is general. Red
and white clover are found on most farms; the former,
with rye grass, answers bog land extremely well, and
throughout every part of the country it affords a re-
markably early herbage, ripens a month earlier than
the natural grasses, and is made into hay with much less
trouble. Flax is grown for domestic use in small quan-
tities in patches or in the corner of a field. On the
banks of the rivers are extensive marshy meadows, called
callows, which are mostly inundated in winter, but
afford a valuable pasture in summer. In the district
between Birr and Roscrea they are very extensive, and
yield great quantities of hay of very superior quality; the
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hay from the callows on the Shannon is not so good.
Dairies are not so frequent here as in some of the neigh-
bouring counties; nor is the same attention paid to the
breeding of milch cows, although near Parsonstown and
on the borders of Meath the dairy cows are very good.
Butter is the chief produce; cheese is seldom made,
and of inferior quality. Much has been done to improve
the breed of horned cattle: that mostly preferred by the
farmer is the old native stock crossed by the Durham.
A very serviceable breed has been introduced by a cross
between the Meath and Devon: the cattle are exceed-
ingly pretty, and thrive well on favoured soils. In the
barony of Ballybritt is a very heavy and powerful breed
of bullocks, being a cross between the Limerick and
Durham, excellent for field work, of large size, and ra-
pidly and economically fattened: they are principally
sent to the Dublin market. The breed of sheep has also
been much improved. A cross between the new Leices-
ter and the native sheep of the valley gives excellent
wool, and draws higher prices than any other. On the
hills the sheep appear to have been crossed till it would
be difficult to give the breed a name: the best appear
to combine the old Ayrshire with the Kerry. The
horses are well bred, light, and active, and when pro-
perly trained, excellent for the saddle; they are bred
in great numbers: it is no unusual thing to see herds
of young horses, mostly bays, in the mountains or
bogs of Eglish and Ballyboy. There is a greater num-
ber of jennets here than in any other part of Ireland.
Pigs are found everywhere, but very little attention has
been paid to their improvement. Asses are mostly
kept by the poor people, and mules are common with
the small farmers. Goats are by no means numerous.
The county is generally well fenced, mostly with white
thorn planted on the breast of the ditch, but from the
time of planting, the hedges appear to be neglected, except
towards the south-western parts, where the country much
resembles some of the midland districts of England.
Draining and irrigation appear to be unknown 3 yet
the country is highly favourable for both, for although
chiefly a plain, and interspersed with large tracts of bog,
it is so much elevated as to afford opportunities every-
where for carrying off the redundant water into some
river. The general manure is limestone gravel, of which
the best kind is found in hillocks, or at the foot of hills,
and has a strong smell when turned up. Burning this
gravel in heaps, with the parings of the moors, furnishes
a manure producing extraordinary crops. Bog stuff by
itself, or worked up into a compost with dung, is much
used. In high grounds, with a deep limestone bottom;
this latter is found to be the best manure. The old
plough is still in use. Oxen are employed in tillage, for
the harnessing of which a singular kind of yoke is in
use in the neighbourhood of Leap; it consists of a flat
light piece of wood which lies on the forehead, and is
strapped to the horns, so that the force of the draught
is brought to the neck, in which the animal’s strength is
supposed chiefly to exist; the oxen rather pushing than
pulling. Another mode has also been introduced when
four oxen are employed; they are coupled together
and a long beam is laid across their necks, embracing
the throat by an iron bow which pierces the beam, and
is keyed at the top 5 from the centre of the beam the
long chain is suspended: this kind of yoke is considered
to be very easy to the cattle. The Scotch plough and