cesses of agriculture, owing in a great degree to the ex ample set by the resident gentry, are skilfully carried on. The land is well cultivated. The farms are in some dis tricts small, but the effect of emigration has been to con
solidate the holdings.The breed of horses is an object of much attention, and some of the best racers in Ireland have been bred in this county. The native breed of sheep, a small hardy race, is confined to the mountains. The various other kinds of sheep have been much improved by judicious crosses from the best breeds. Hogs are reared in great numbers, chiefly for the Belfast market, where the large exportation occa sions a constant demand for them, hams of very superior quality being prepared in that town.
The following figures give the acreage of the principal crops and the numbers of live stock raised in the years 1873 and 1876 respectively:—
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D O W 383 Wheat. Oats. Potatoes. Turnips. Flax. 1873 24,783 118,342 53,266 21,117 27,093 1876 21,272 119,857 52,273 20,973 23,612 Horses and mules. Cattle. Sheep. Pigs. Goats. 1873 32,183 146,971 75,406 32,827 11,434 1876 31,875 143,832 68,968 51,327 11,227
Along with Tyrone, the county grows the largest extent of flax in Ireland, and the largest extent of the other cereals of any county in Ulster. In live stock Down possesses a greater number of horses than any other Irish county with the exception of Cork.
Fisheries.—These are not developed as they might be. The Kilkeel herring fishery realized 4203 in 1871, 6200 in 1872, 13,349 in 1873, 6000 in 1874, and 1360 in 1875. There are fishing stations at Donaghadee, Strang- ford, Newcastle, and Carlingford ; the total number of vessels in 1875 was 678, and of men and boys 2537. In 1850 there were 1468 vessels and 4640 hands.
Administration.—The county is divided into 14 baronies, 70 parishes, and 1258 town-lands. It forms part of the united dioceses of Down, Connor, and Dromore; and it belongs to the military district of Belfast. The assizes are held at Downpatrick ; quarter sessions at Banbridge, Downpatrick, Hillsborough, Newry, and Newtownards ; and there are 26 petty sessions districts. The poor-law unions of Downpatrick, Kilkeel, and Newtownards are wholly within the county, and those of Banbridge and Xevvry partly in Down and partly in Armagh. The total sum expended in poor-law administration in 1875 was 21,076, and the average daily number of paupers 1280. The county prison and infirmary are in Downpatrick, but the county lunatic asylum is in Belfast. Down returns 4 members to Parliament -2 for the county at large, 1 for Downpatrick, and 1 for Newry. Portions of the boroughs of Belfast and Lisburn are in Down county, but they are regarded more properly as parts of Antrim and Armagh respectively. Previous to the Act of Union Down returned 14 members to the Irish Parliament 2 for the county at large, and 2 each for the boroughs of Bangor. Downpatrick, Hillsborough, Newry, Newtownards, and Killyleagh.
Population.—The general decrease of population in the province of Ulster between the census of 1851 and that of 1871 indicates a percentage of Sf, while that of this county amounts to 13-J. This decrease maybe ascribed in some part to the migration of the people to Belfast and the neighbouring manufacturing towns, as well as to the emigration to foreign countries. In 1851, the inhabitants of Down (exclusive of the part of Belfast) numbered 320,817; in 1861, 299,302; and in 1871, 277,294, of whom 130,457 were males and 146,837 females. At the last census it appeared that 31 f per cent, belonged to the Roman Catholic persuasion, the numbers being Catholics, 88,003 ; Episcopalians, 60,868 ; Presby terians, 116,017 ; and others, 12,406. There were at the same time 140,886 persons of five years and upwards who could read and write, 57,140 who could read but could not write, and 45,792 who were illiterate. There were 20 superior schools in the county, and 527 primary schools.
The following are the principal towns : Newtownards, population 9562 ; Banbridge, 5600 ; Downpatrick, 4155; Holywood, 3573 ; Gilford. 2720 ; Bangor, 2560 ; Dromore, 2408 ; Donaghadee, 2226 ; Comber, 2006 ; Portaferry 1938 ; Rathfriland, 1827 ; Warrenpoint, 1806 ; Killy leagh, 1772 ; Kilkeel, 1338 ; and Ballynahinch, 1225. Newry, partly in Down and partly in Armagh county, has a population of 14,213.
History and Antiquities.—From the period of the English settlement to the Irish revolt in 1333, Down formed two counties, Newtownards in the north and Down in the south. The English settlers at that time were driven into the maritime baronies of Ards, Lecale, and Mourne, of which they in part retained possession. The remainder of the district fell into the hands of Irish families, the O'Neals of Clandeboy, the MacArtaus, MacRorys, and MacGinnises, whose possessions, however, reverted to the crown on the attainder of Shane O'Neal, in the latter half of the 16th century; but having afterwards submitted to the Government, they received back their former estates. In 1602 the O'Neal estates were again forfeited, and granted to Sir Hugh Montgomery and Mr Hamilton, who planted Scottish colonies on the land. The estates of the remaining old Irish and Anglo-Norman families were mostly forfeited in the rebellion of 1641, or subsequently at the Revolution.
The county is not wanting in interesting remains. At Slidderyford, near Dundrum, there is a group of ten or twelve pillar stones in a circle, about 10 ten feet in height. A very curious cairn on the summit of Slieve Croob is 80 yards in circumference at the base and 50 at the top, where is a platform on which cairns of various heights are found standing. The village of Anadorn is famed for a cairn covering a cave which contains ashes and human bones. Cromlechs, or altars, are numerous, the most remarkable being the Giant s Ring, which stands on the summit of a hill near the borders of Antrim. This altar is formed of an unwrought stone 7 feet long by 6^ broad, resting in an inclined position on rude pillars about 3 feet high. This solitary landmark is in the centre of an inclosure about a third of a mile in circumference, formed of a rampart about 20 feet high, and broad enough atop to permit two persons to ride abreast. Near Downpatrick is a rath, or mound of earth, three-quarters of a mile in circumference, its exterior consisting of three artificial ramparts, the largest of which is 30 feet broad. In its vicinity are the ruins of Saul Abbey, said to have been founded by St Patrick, and Inch Abbey, founded by Sir John de Courcy in 1180. The number of monastic ruins is also considerable. The most ancient and celebrated is the abbey or cathedral of Downpatrick, supposed to have been founded by St Patrick soon after his arrival here in 432, and said to contain his remains, together with those of St Columba and St Bridget. It was restored in 1790, when the adjoining round tower was taken down.
borough and market-town of Ireland, capital of the county of Down, 18 miles S.E. of Belfast, and 74 N.N.E. of Dublin. Downpatrick lies in a valley formed by hills of some elevation, near the south-west extremity of Strangford Lough, and is divided into the English, Irish, and Scotch quarters. It consists of four main streets meeting near the centre, the principal of which are the Irish and English streets. In the former all business is carried on ; the
latter is well built, and contains neat private residences.
