| Title: | Letter to the Tenants on the Killyfaddy Estate, Co Tyrone. |
|---|---|
| ID | 3731 |
| Collection | Irish Emigration Database |
| File | maxwell, j.w/19 |
| Year | 1844 |
| Sender | Maxwell, J.W. |
| Sender Gender | male |
| Sender Occupation | landowner |
| Sender Religion | unknown |
| Origin | Finnebrogue, Co. Down, N.Ireland |
| Destination | Killyfaddy Estate, Co. Tyrone, N.Ireland |
| Recipient | tenants on the estate |
| Recipient Gender | unknown |
| Relationship | estate owner to his tenants |
| Source | D/1444/6: Presented by H.W. McCoy, The Old Manor, Ashley, King's Somborne, Stockbridge, Hants |
| Archive | The Public Record Office, Northern Ireland |
| Doc. No. | 709016 |
| Date | 02/04/1844 |
| Partial Date | |
| Doc. Type | LET |
| Log | Document Added by JM, 11/09/07 |
| Word Count | 741 |
| Genre | |
| Note | |
| Transcript | MY FRIENDS, As the time for sowing Grass-Seeds, and where the land suits, Clover-Seeds, has now arrived. I have to call your particular attention to this department of Farming. On my last visit to you, I was certainly dissappointed [disappointed?] by seeing so little use made of the GRASSES, over a large portion of the, Property, and I then recommended generally, that you should sow GRASS-SEEDS on all land that had been manured the year before. I intend, if blessed by God with such health as will enable me, to see you every spring; and I expect, on my next visit, which I hope will be about the end of this month, to find that you, have acted on my suggestions: My advice, on this and other matters, is given to you from a conviction of the great advantages arising to yourselves, and I therefore hereby inform you, that unless you act on my advice, you cannot continue to receive my assistance, or the beneficial allowances I have made you. In every case, where my Agent reports to me that you have neglected to fulfil my wishes, I will withdraw from the Tenant, so acting, the Reduction of Rent I have made, and all other advantages I have offered to afford him. You know that last Spring I made a very particular inspection of all. your Farms, and I came. to the conclusion, that the following would be the most suitable rotation of Crops for your exhausted and badly managed Farms:-- I. A rotation of Crops; which, will keep one-half the Farm in Grain and Green Crops, and the other half in Grass. 1844-Sow out last year's manured land with Grass-Seeds alongst with Grain Crop; or after the Grain Crop has brairded. 1845-The same field to be in Grazing or Hay, as the land may be in condition. 1846-The same field to be in Grazing or Hay, as the land may be in condition. 1847-The same field to be in Grazing or Hay, as the land may be in condition. 1848- The same field to be in Grazing or Oats Ploughed from Lea, as the land may be in condition. 1849- The same field to be in Green Crop, viz.: Potatoes and Turnips; One-third, at least, Being Turnips. as the land may be in condition. This will bring the Farm into 3 fields in Grass ; 2 fields in Grain Crops ; "and 1 field in Green Crop ; and will require the Farm to be divided into 6 fields II. A rotatation of Crops which will keep more than one-half the Farm in Crop. 1844- Sow out with Grass-Seeds, as in the other rotation. 1845- The same in Grazing or Hay. 1846- The same in Grazing 1847- The same in Grazing 1848- The same in Oats, ploughed from Lea. 1849- The same in Flax, being ploughed in October, if possible, if not in November or December; and cross-ploughed and well cleaned by harrowing, rolling, and hand weeding in Spring, before the seed is sown; or, if you prefer, One-half the field in Flax, and one-half in Vetches, under the same system of labour. 1850- The same field in Green Crop, viz:- Potatoes and Turnips; One-third, at least, being Turnips. This will bring the Farm into 3 fields in Grass; 2 fields in Grain Crops; and 1 field in Flax, or Flax and Vetches; and 1 field in Green Crop; and will require 7 fields on the farm. I expect that every tenant, who wishes to have any claim on my indulgence, will, this Season, get into one or other of these Rotations. I have appointed an Agriculturist, who will give every advice and assistance you may require; and it will be from him I will learn whether you are adopting my suggestions, as he is directed to keep a report of what every Tenant I have may be doing in the improvement of his Farm. Under the above improved management; I am satisfied that the produce of your Farms will be doubled; that is, if Draining and Liming, are properly attended to, as I have directed and made allowances for. When I saw each of you on your Farms, last Spring, I informed you that you should keep your Cattle in their Byres during Winter, and house-feed them ; and I hope, this; season, to see such a preparation for Turnips, as will enable you to carry out my directions. I am Your sincere well wisher, J. W. MAXWELL. Finnebrogue, 2d April, 1844 Transcribed by Jonathan Engstrand |
