For every car used after the 1st of September, 1805, with an iron axis, and the wheels turning thereon, in preference to the common car now in use-one guinea. To the female, who spins the greatest quantity of flax grown in the barony of Gowran-two guineas. To the second-one guinea. To the third-one half guinea, or a spinning wheel. The cattle are to be shown at Thomastown fair on the 29th of June, and the claimants must enter their names with the Secretary by ten o'clock in the morning; all other claimants must enter their names and places of abode before the 1st of June, 1806. The Society reserve to themselves the power of withholding any premium, where sufficient merit does not appear. SIMON GRAVES, Secretary, The The county of Kildare has not hitherto derived much benefit from the exertions of the Farming Society of Ireland; the pursuits of the committee seem to be mostly guided by the propagation and encouragement of the stock, and have made Ballinasloe, in the province of Connaught, the principal scene of their operations. With all due deference and respect, I consider it unwise to localise their exertions and influence, and would beg leave to suggest, that they should extend their annual show to other parts of the kingdom. No doubt, competitors would travel with their show stock to wherever the Society pointed; at present, the farmer of Kerry derives no more benefit from the Ballinasloe show, than if he were an inhabitant of Lapland. The farmers of Connaught make their entire rents by stockbreeding; of course, they want no example to stimulate them, and they have long boasted of their black cattle stock, as justly superior, in a very eminent degree, to any thing to be produced in Great Britain. The Society have proposed, at next October show, premiums for stallions and bulls, who may have served gratis a given number of females. I shall not take the liberty to make any comment upon such proposed premiums, as the event will show how far they are well or ill grounded; but I consider it my bounden duty to deliver freely, to the best of t my my abilities, such suggestions as occur to me in the course of this work; I do not intend offence to any man or body of men. I should humbly suggest the expediency of transferring such premiums to the importers of the best sires of every species of stock, which, when imported, should be exposed for the approbation or rejection of the farming committee, to be by them directed to central situations in each province or in each county in Ireland; and I should particularly recommend a much greater extension of the improved breeds of swine; and that, in each county, a boar and sow approved by the committee should be so stationed; the boar to be given to the neighbourhood gratis, and the produce of the sow to be sold from time to time at half a guinea per head. Thus would the improved breeds of swine come within the reach of every cottager, and would shortly treble the supply and export of pork and bacon, which at present administers so much to the comforts of the peasant. Whenever the present objects of the farming committee are sufficiently attained, it is devoutly to be wished, that the propagation of drilled vegetables, and the cultivation of red clover may be included in their pursuits. Enough has been done to encourage the gentleman-breeder in the improvement of his stock; it is now time to guide him to artificial food, by which he can support five times the quantity of stock on any given space space of ground, and surely it is high time to extend their benign influence to the small tillage farmer of fifty acres, who is at present mulishly deficient in agricultural improvements, and requires cherishing and example. Would it not be of the greatest value, if in every county, or, if that be too extensive, in the centre of every province, one hundred acres should be allotted, and conducted by some skilful person, under the directions of the farming committee, for the purpose of setting an example of the best modes of cultivation practised in Scotland or England; the example would be of the greatest value, and the expence, under careful management, would be nearly defrayed by the profits. SECT. 12. Of Mills of every kind. FROM the number of excellent local situations, the county of Kildare abounds with bolting and other mills, which bring home markets for grain to the farmer's door. Threshing mills have considerably extended. Mr. Neale, near Rathangan, with true public spirit, took up Denil of Glanery, near Rathangan, who showed a mechanical turn, and sent him for improvement to take drawings of Mr. Christy's mill near Belfast; he has erected for Mr Neale a very excellent machine, and has since been employed employed by several persons; he has erected lately on a farm of Mr. Hendrick's at Tully, near Kildare, a most excellent mill, which, that gentleman assures me, with three horses threshes eighty barrels of oats in ten hours. Underneath the large wheel Mr. Hendrick has constructed a rack and manger, which holds forage, and yields shelter at night for eight working horses. The small grist mills for grinding and making oatmeal are innumerable. SECT. 15. Of Plantations and Planting, &c. &c. EXCEPT in Carberry, on the estate of Ambrose O'Farrell, Esq. the Forest of Oaks has been com-> pletely destroyed; no other natural wood within the county being worth mentioning. About fifty years since, the grandfather of the present Colonel Keating under-drained and enclosed forty acres of very bad, sour, swampy land; he trenched, ploughed, and carefully fallowed for two years, until he reduced the whole to garden fineness; he then sowed thickly the seeds of the different kinds of trees, which formed an extensive nursery, that enabled him to pursue his great scheme of planting the rest of his extensive estate. For the last thirty years, the noise of the axe has resounded through these forty |