Lewis Topographical Dictionary - OSi Online Shop

LEI
his furrow deep enough. The light angle harrow is
found only with the gentry and wealthier farmers, who
are doing much to improve the system of agriculture.
Potatoes are in some instances dibbled in with a point-
ed stake called “a steeveen,” in others spread on the
sward or on manure, and the soil dug out of the trenches
is thrown over them with a broad awkward shovel. The
grass lands are of every quality, from the richest her-
bage to mountain heath and rushes. It is observed,
however, that even on the coarsest and most marshy
soils, the old native cow thrives well, and both milk and
butter are of excellent flavour. Though there are no
regular or extensive dairies, almost every family, however
poor, has one or more cows, and hence great quantities
of butter are made, which is principally carried to market
in firkins and bought up to be shipped for England.
Leitrim, generally, is not a feeding county like Roseom-
mon, yet there are some excellent farms on which great
numbers of cattle are annually fed, principally for the
Dublin or English markets. In most of the valleys are
found limestone gravel and marl, which are extensively
used for manure; and in the districts of Ballynagleragh
and Glenfarn, which are deficient in these materials, the
inhabitants bring lime from a distance of three or four
miles: sea weed, shells, and sand are not only used in
all parts contiguous to the shores, but are carried several
miles into the interior. The fences are chiefly a trench
from four to six feet wide, having on one side a bank
of earth thrown out of the trench, which becomes
durable by exposure to the air; a layer of sods is some-
times added, and quicksets are planted on the breast of
the bank; but this sort of hedge or fence is found only
in the southern parts of the county, where, on some
of the larger farms, double-faced banks, with trenches
on each side, and planted with thorn, crab, and forest
trees, are sometimes to be seen. Farms of every size,
from 4 acres to 3000, are to be met with, the larger
principally in the mountainous districts and mostly
under pasture, with some enclosures near the dwelling-
houses. Vast numbers of young and store cattle are
reared, and in some districts there are large flocks of
sheep, but they are not so general as they might be: horn-
ed cattle are preferred, because they require less attention,
In the southern parts of the county, and generally in
the fertile districts, great improvements have been made
in the breed of this latter stock, by the introduction of
English and Scotch cows of the most esteemed sorts
The Durham is a general favourite, but is too delicate
for the climate except in sheltered situations: the North
Devon and Hereford do not attain to so great a size as at
home. The cross which appears best suited to the richer
parts of the county is that between the old Leicester
and Durham; and in the upland districts, the blood of the
Leicester mixes well with that of the native long-horn-
ed stock, producing a large and useful animal, well
adapted to the soil and climate, which thrives well, fat-
tens rapidly, and makes excellent beef. The breed of
sheep has also been greatly improved: the New Leices-
ter answers well on the limestone soils, and in both size
and fleece is not inferior to any in England. But the
breed most encouraged is a cross between the Leicester
and the native; the fleece is good and the flavour of the
mutton highly esteemed. Pigs, though numerous, are nei-
ther so general nor so good as in some of the northern and
southern counties. Goats are found most frequently at
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LEI
the foot of the mountains, and are often an appendage
to the cabin on the plain, but they are not by any means
so general as in the mountainous counties of Munster.
The horse, which appears to combine the characteristics
of all the breeds to be met with in Roscommon, Long-
ford, and Sligo, is not so good as that of any of those
counties, being mostly small and light: the gentlemen
and large farmers, however, have horses admirably
adapted for the saddle. A light and useful one-horse
cart has every where superseded the old solid wheel
and slide car. Leitrim was formerly celebrated for its
numerous and extensive forests. So lately as 1605, five
are distinctly mentioned as being of very considerable
extent, under the names of the forests of Drummat,
Clone, Drumdaragh, Cortmore, and Screeney; all of
these have long since disappeared, and this county, like
the rest of Connaught, presents a bleak and denuded
aspect; yet vestiges of woods are seen around Lur-
ganboy and Woodville, which have some appearance
of the remains of ancient forests; and there are old
plantations, containing full-grown timber, in various
parts, with others of modern growth around several of
the mansions of the gentry; there are also several nur-
series. An orchard and a good kitchen garden is a
usual appendage to the farm-house.
The geology of the county presents many remark-
able features. The lowest strata are those of the pri-
mary mountain range entering from the county of Sligo
and extending from south-west to north-east: this
range is mostly composed of mica slate; a green
steatite, thickly studded with valuable garnets, has been
found at the foot of a mountain near Lurganboy. On
the western base of Benbo a clay of a blueish white hue
has been found and used for fullers’ earth: the western
side of the same mountain is traversed by a metallic
vein containing copper pyrites, which was formerly
wrought. Veins of the sulphuret of lead have also
been largely wrought in several places between Benbo
and Lurganboy. This primary range is generally bor-
dered on both sides by beds of variously coloured free-
stone, to which limestone succeeds in every direction,
occupying the remainder of the northern portion of the
county and forming part of the great limestone field of
Ireland. All the central portion of the county forms
part of the great Connaught coal field, constituting a
vast basin of which Lough Allen is the centre. The
principal vein of coal is about 3 feet thick, of very
great extent, and of excellent quality both for domestic
purposes and for smelting; but the beds are often in-
terrupted by faults, by which portions of the strata are
broken and thrown upwards from 20 to 40 yards. It
was originally discovered in the Munterkenny moun-
tains, and such was the importance attached to the
discovery that a parliamentary grant was made for the
formation of roads to it, but the workings were soon
discontinued in consequence of a fault, by which the
stratum was considerably elevated, which induced the
workmen, who were ignorant of the cause of the inter-
ruption and of the means of remedying it, to relinquish
any further operations. In the northern part of the
coal district the beds are found only in the higher
parts of Lugnacuillagh and Lacka. Extensive quarries of
very fine-grained yellowish white sandstone are worked
near the summit of Glanfarn mountain for window seats
and various ornamental purposes. Lacka mountain