212 MINUTES OF EVIDENCE TAKEN BEFORE TIIE Mr. E. Rooney. 11611. Did you go through a regular calculation in coming to the result of what • — the land was worth ?— I came to the calculation of an acreable rent in walking over 25 May 1838. thp janc| 5 ancj forming- the best opinion I could at the time. 11612. How did you come by that result?— I3y looking at the land and inquir- ing of the tenant; making every inquiry about the description of butter and crops he had upon it; I think," upon looking at this note, I made it about 10 acres of tillage that year; on the year before that he had from 20 to 24 barrels of oats to the acre; he grazed upon his pasture two cows, and a mare and foal; he sold three tubs of butter from the produce of the cows, and used with his family nearly another. 11613. Now with regard to that, using with his family nearly another, do you take the value of that tub of butter he so uses with his family?— I did not take it in that way; I take it, that land capable of giving so much milk must be a good farm. 11614. Then, if I understand you rightly, you walked over the farm; you made those inquiries ; then you imagined this land would produce so and so, as to butter, oats, and so forth, and then put the rent upon it?— Yes. 11615. Now, in putting the rent upon it, did you at all take into consideration the outlay and labour that is necessary to produce these different crops ?— I did not go into a calculation of either the crops or the outlay ; the expense of labour and butter, or milk, is not much, therefore I did not make any calculation at all upon that; I took no account of any tillage he did ; but I came to the conclusion, from the appearance of the land, and comparing it with the land I had, for which I paid 2 /. 2 s. an acre. 11616. By which you made a very comfortable profit?—' Yes; and which I should have been glad to have been left in possession of. 11617. You calculated it from that?— Yes. 11618. Now, where draining is wanted, you would take that into the calculation? — We do not expend so much money in draining in Ireland as you do in England. 11619. It is too good to lay out money upon it?— Yes, we conceive so. 11620. Did any of these lands want draining?— I cannot say. 11621. What is your belief?— I can only go from what is before me ; I know the land in this neighbourhood is very good. 11622. And none of it wants draining?— I cannot say ; some may. 11623. How much of it?— I can only say as to this farm; he had a small portion of moorland at the bottom which was probably as good as the best. 11624. Did it want draining, or not ?— It might have been better if it had been drained, but I cannot say whether it did or not. 11625. Was not Mr. Bracken asked, was it was well drained ; and was not his answer that it was : " I think you say this farm is well set, well cropped, and well drained?— I did not say well drained." " Is it well drained?— rPart does not want draining." " Is it all well drained ?— No, there are three acres of lowland at one end of it''?— I never read his evidence ; but that corresponds with mine, that he had a little moorland at the bottom of his farm; I did not read Mr. Bracken's evidence upon it. 11626. That lease having been taken lately, the price dropped from 48s. to 30s. ?— Yes, but it is not from the same landlord. 11627. It is not from the same landlord ?— No, Colonel White is the landlord now. 11628. And some middleman was the landlord before?— Yes. 11629. Do you suppose there would be a difference of 18s. an acre between the letting of one person and the letting of another, if the land were really worth 48 s. an acre?— I have already stated that the land will bring higher in the market than the head landlord charges for it. 11630. It will bring higher in the market ?— Yes. 11631. Is that because the middleman, when he lets at that high rate, considers he is not so sure of his rent as if he let at a lower rate?— Yes, but a middleman cannot afford to let at a low rate, for he sometimes pays a high rent himself. 11632. Can all the head landlords afford to let land at so great a diminution as between 30^. and 485. an acre?— That depends upon their incomes. 11633. Are you prepared to state that the landlords in Longford, or any other part ol Ireland with which you are acquainted, can afford to take 30s. an acre for land for which the tenant can afford to give 48 s.?— Yes, I know that Mr. White does. 11634. Do