AN ALARMING CONDITION OF THINGS.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XI, Issue 48, 28 March 1884, Page 5

AN ALARMING CONDITION OF THINGS.

Professor Baldwin, an eminent scientist, writing on the condition of Irish land, says : -" It has been stated that large tracts of land in Ireland are going back to the wild or prairie state. I have had an opportunity of seeing some of these lands year after year for many years past. When this process of deterioration was first announced, many persons were unable to realise its significance Slowly the truth came to be known. One of the largest and wisest landlords in Ireland volunteered to me this statement :—' A great deal of the inferior land I have drained, reclaimed, and put under grass has gone back of late, and ought to be gradually broken up and renovated.' Evidence publicly given, ia tbe Land Courts by experienced, sensible landlords is of the same character. " A question of national importance may be asked h»re— What, is to become of these lands ? "When held in farms of moderate size, and when the necessary labour is available in the farmer's family, these lands will be gradually renovated by the occupiers, now they have got security of tenure. When held m large tracts it may be assumed that, in the present state of the labour market, the occupiers, who in many cases are also the owners, will not venture to re-drain and re-improve these lands. In this case they will become still less productive • and the 1 rate of deterioration will be very rapid if the seasons should unfortunately continue for some years to be as wet and cold as they have bei n of late yearp. J " It is difficult to guage the extent to which the productive powers of these lands have gone back. It is not necessary for mv present purpose to do so. It is sufficient to state generally that all experienced peisons are aware there has been a serious falling off " The agricultural statistics of the country appear to me to show an alarming state oi things. I know how unwilling general readers are to go through long columns of figures. I shall respect this feeling and put the case very biiefly. s •• In 1871 we had, in Ireland, under hay, water and wasto 4,259,793 acres In 1883 we had, under the stmeTeading, 4,B^2lß acres. The difference is 585,425 acres. In other words, in the space of twelve years confiiderably more than half a million acres went out of use and into waste. I have Been with my own eyes lands going from bad to worse and waste. The figures given above surprised and startled me. It was, I thought, possible there may have been a mistake. I have got the figures verified. " The tale is too true. This is only one chapter of our sad story. Upwards of half a million acres have gone out of tillaee The figures are : Area under tillage in Ireland :— ' III] -' •" - 3,792,393 ... ... >(> 3194 346 giving a decrease of 598,047 acres. The area under every crop has been reduced. 1 must not weary the reader with the figures. I would, however, beg his forbearance for stating that while the area of tillage has decreased and grass has increased, the number of cattle was reduced in the same period of ten years, 19,777, and sheep