OCCUPATIONS OF THE PEOPLE. 183 The England and Wales,' and therefore, they infer, the numbers of the class agricultural in Ireland are, as compared with England and Wales, in the proportion of 18 to 10 in equal areas. argument would hold good if the populations of both countries were equally dense; but, as we have already seen, the population of England and Wales is more than in the double ratio of that of Ireland, and therefore, in reality, the numbers of the class agricultural in 1861 were relatively less in Ireland than in England and Wales, being, according to the above figures, 34.04 to 39.69 for every 500 acres of arable land, viz.:— ENGLAND AND WALES Total population to every 500 acres of arable land 393 No. of cultivators per 500 acres 10.1 39.69 We may arrive at a still more accurate result by taking the total number of cultivators, as given by the Census Commissioners, rather than the above percentage, in which the fractions, to some extent, are necessarily merged, and which is calculated on the actual industrial population, omitting a considerable number in Ireland of no stated rank, profession, or occupation,' which class is proportionally eight times as numerous in that country as in England and Wales, viz.: Here we see that the total numbers of the class agricultural in 1861 were 2,010,454 in England and Wales-being 1,631,652 males, and 378,802 females; whilst in Ireland they were 988,929 -being 904,748 males, and 84,181 females. This gives us 39 cultivators to every 500 acres of arable land in England and Wales, and only 31 cultivators to the same area in Ireland, viz.: But again we are told that there is a larger proportion of arable land under tillage in England and Wales than in Ireland; and that for tillage eight cultivators are required for every one required for pasture, and that this circumstance ought to be taken into account in our comparison. Examining the question from this point of view, we certainly have primâ facie evidence that Ireland, as compared with England and Wales, was considerably in excess of her due proportion of cultivators in 1861; but, as we proceed further, and take into account the peculiar circumstances of the agriculture of each country, circumstances in Ireland by no means analogous to those in the sister island, we shall find that this primâ facie evidence must give way in the presence of incontrovertible facts. Adopting the proportion of eight cultivators for tillage land to one for pasture, of equal areas, and taking the tillage and pasture of England and Wales, as given in the Board of Trade returns in December 1868, we have the cultivators thus divided: Following the same rule for Ireland, and taking her tillage NUMBERS ENGAGED IN AGRICULTURE. 185 and pasture, as set forth in the Board of Trade returns of the same date, and allowing her only the same proportion of cultivators as England and Wales, to equal areas of tillage and pasture respectively, we find her reduced to the following numbers: Here we have 121,642 less than her actual number of cultivators in 1861. But in Ireland the holdings are much smaller than in England and Wales; and it is obvious that the smaller the holdings the greater the number employed in agriculture proportionally must be. We have seen that all the holdings in Ireland average 26 acres of arable land against 59 acres in England and Wales, and that, excluding all small lots, the farms of Ireland average 34 acres, against 98 acres in the sister island. In 1861 the 20,319,924 acres of Ireland were divided into 608,564 holdings, averaging 33 acres of total area and 26 acres of arable land. Surely 988,929 cultivators-men, women, and boys-are not an undue proportion for 600,000 holdings, being an average of about one and a half persons to each holding. On the contrary, they would be far short of the number that would be required if the land were properly cultivated. CHAPTER XLVI. EXTRAORDINARY THEORY THAT 500,000 CULTIVATORS ARE SUFFICIENT FOR IRELAND-A REDUCTION IN THE PRESENT NUMBER OF AGRICULTURAL HOLDINGS IN IRELAND NOT DESIRABLE; SOME OF THE SMALL HOLDINGS MIGHT BE CONSOLIDATED, AND SOME OF THE LARGE SUBDIVIDED; 1,700,000 ACRES OF RECLAIMABLE WASTE IN THESE LATTER-VERY LARGE FARMS NOT SUITABLE FOR IRELAND-MR. CAIRD'S OPINION TO THIS EFFECT -VALUE OF LIVE STOCK AND CROPS OF ALL THE FARMS OF THIRTY ACRES AND UNDER IN IRELAND; THE SAME OF ALL THE FARMS OF OVER THIRTY ACRES; THE SAME PER ACRE IN EACH CLASS. NOTWITHSTANDING the facts set forth in the last chapter, we are told by a writer of deservedly high repute that, whereas in the Lothians of Scotland and certain parts of England 'it has been found that about eighteen men, with a small proportion of women, are sufficient to cultivate in the most efficient manner 500 acres of arable land, if we apply this proportion to the 15,832,892 acres of land under cattle and crops in Ireland, we shall see that some half million of persons would be able to cultivate the entire area.'1 It is rather difficult to realize this proposition. The actual number of agricultural holdings in Ireland is 600,000. How are these to be managed by 500,000 cultivators? Evidently the propounders of the theory contemplate a considerable reduction in the number of holdings-probably of one-sixth, so as to allow an average of at least one cultivator to each holding! Such a reduction, however, is not likely to be attained for a very long time. Indeed, anyone acquainted with the agriculture of Ireland must see that it is far from desirable. It is true that a considerable proportion of the existing small holdings, of which, as we have seen,' there are 302,335 from 15 acres down, comprising a total area of 2,122,655 acres, of 1 Irish Emigration and the Tenure of land in Ireland,' p. 10. Dufferin. By Lord VALUE OF THE SMALL FARMERS TO IRELAND. 187 which 1,917,589 are arable land, might with advantage be consolidated in particular districts, such as parts of Connaught and Donegal, provided this could be done without injustice or hardship; but, on the other hand, it is no less true that a large proportion of the 9,915 holdings from 200 acres up, comprising in the aggregate 4,922,354 acres, of which 2,602,4522 are arable land, might with equal advantage be subdivided. In these holdings we have the greater part of the 1,700,000 acres of reclaimable waste, which at present lie wholly unproductive, but which if occupied on long leases by an industrious peasantry, secure of the fruits of their labour, would add largely to the wealth of the community. Thus, while many of the smaller farms would be consolidated, the present number of 600,000 holdings would not be materially reduced. Very large farms are certainly not suitable for Ireland. Writing on this subject, Mr. Caird observes: The small farm system is condemned by some, and that of the Lothians and the corn counties of England commended as a substitute. Independent of other considerations, I don't think the large farm system suited to the moist climate of Ireland. I am sure it will not usefully maintain so large a population, and statesmen ought not to overlook the fact, that of a capital of £31,000,000 invested in live stock in Ireland, more than one-third is the property of tenants holding less than thirty acres of land.3 It may not be uninteresting here to observe that the small farmers, of thirty acres and under, alluded to by Mr. Caird, owned, in the year 1866, over two-fifths of the crops, and close on one-third of the live stock of the country. The following tables are formed from the exact figures as given by the Registrar-General :—4 1 Exclusive of 13,004 acres of woods and plantations. 2 Exclusive of 165,700 acres of woods and plantations. See supra, p. 103. 3 Letter to the Times, April 1867. 4 Agricultural Statistics for 1866, xiii. xx. xlvii. |