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A N T R I M 143 bi some cases a rich, loarn, in others a chalky marl, and elsewhere a coating of peat. The chief feature in the tillage of a considerable portion of the county is the potato- fallow. The quantity of potato-land is commonly regulated by the amount of manure that can be collected ; and since the use of lime was introduced it has been greatly increased. After potatoes, wheat or oats are sown ; if the latter, two or three crops are successively taken. When the ground is exhausted potatoes are again planted, or the land is suffered to rest for a year or two until it is covered with natural grass. The sowing of wheat is chiefly confined to the baronies of Massareene, Belfast, Toome, and Antrim. Flax is also sown after potatoes, except in the lower or northern part of the county. The total area under tillage extended in 1871 to 257,211 acres. The crops are wheat, oats, barley, beans and pease, potatoes, turnips, vetches, rape, &c. Considerable quantities of flax are also grown, as well as grasses and clover. The cattle of Antrim do not belong to any particular stock, but they have been greatly improved by crossing with Dutch, Ayrshire, and other breeds. Pigs are reared in considerable numbers, the small farmers and cottars depending chiefly upon them for making up their rent. Comparing recent with previous years, we find an increase in all kinds of domestic animals, especially in sheep and goats the former having more than doubled, and the latter increased more than fourfold. The farms are usually small. Extensive woodlands have in great measure been cleared, and there is now but little natural wood in the county. Many thriving plantations of trees have, however, been planted near noblemen and gentlemen s seats; and orchards have been formed on the Hertford estate, near Lough Neagh. Cod, ling, pollock, ray, and turbot are caught off the coast in considerable quantities by the fishermen of Ballycastle, Larne, Carrickfergus, Belfast, &c., most of the fish thus taken being sent to Glasgow and Liverpool. Mackerel also appear in periodical shoals off Larne. Oysters of good quality are taken all over Belfast Lough, of the value of 400 or 500 per annum. Besides the fish usually found in fresh water lakes, the char, a species of trout called dollagher, and the pullan (or fresh-water herring) are found in Lough Neagh. There are extensive salmon fisheries at Carrick-a- Rede near Ballintoy, along the coast north of Glenarm, and in the rivers Bann and Bush; and salmon are found in all the rivers in the county, except the Lagan. All the rivers abound with eels, which are chiefly taken at weirs in the Bann. Antrim has long been distinguished for its linen manu facture, which is still the most important in the county. It- was formerly carried on by hand-loom weavers, but the introduction of machinery has completely changed the character of the occupation. In 1841 there were about 240,000 spindles in operation, and now there are upwards of 580,000. There were 64 flax factories in 1870, with 9140 power-looms, employing 32,487. Cotton-spinning by jennies was first introduced in 1777 by Robert Joy and Thomas M Cabe of Belfast; and twenty-three years after upwards of 27,000 people were employed in the cotton manufacture directly or indirectly, within 10 miles of Bel fast. For many years great part of the yarn was imported from Manchester or Scotland, but now cotton-yarn has long been an article of exportation. In 1870 there were six cotton factories, with 73,000 spinning-spindles, in Belfast, and employing 814 persons. There is one hemp, and one jute factoiy in the county. A great source of employment for females is the working of patterns on muslin with the needle. Belfast is the centre of this trade, but about 300,000 persons, chiefly women, are employed in various parts of Ireland, and the gross value of the manufactured goods amounts to about 1,400,000. There are also extensive paper-mills in the county, and various manu factures in connection with the trade of the district. The exports are linen, linen yarn, all kinds of grain, pork, bacon, hams, beef, butter, eggs, lard, potatoes, soap, and candles. The communication by means of roads is good, and there are several important railway lines. About 20 miles of the Ulster Railway, which inns from Belfast to Clones in Monaghan, are in the county. Another line joins Belfast with Carrickfergus and Larne ; and the Belfast and Northern Counties Railway using a portion of the Carrickfergus line unites Belfast with Antrim, Ballymena, Ballymoney, and Coleraiue in Londonderry, <fcc. A junc tion, 18 miles long, from Antrim to Knockmore, joins this line with the Ulster Railway. There are regular steam-ship lines between Belfast and Glasgow, and Belfast and London. A canal the Lagan connects Lough Neagh with Belfast Lough. The earliest known inhabitants were of Celtic origin, and the names of the townlands or subdivisions, supposed to have been made in the 13th century, are pure Celtic. Antrim was exposed to the inroads of the Danes, and also of the northern Scots, who ultimately effected permanent settlements. The antiquities of the county consist of cairns, mounts or forts, remains of ecclesiastical and mili tary structures, and round towers. The principal cairns are one on Colin mountain, near Lisburn; one on Slieve True, near Carrickfergus; and two on Colin ward. The crom lechs most worthy of notice are one near Cairngrainey to the north-east of the old road from Belfast to Temple- patrick ; the large cromlech at Mount Druid, near Ballintoy ; and one at the northern extremity of Island Magee. The mounts, forts, and iutrenchments are very numerous. There are four round towers: one at Antrim, one at Armoy, one on Ram island in Lough Neagh, and a fragment of one between Lisburn and Moira. Of the eccle siastical establishments entunerated by Archdall, there are some remains of those of Bonamargy, where the earls of Antrim are buried, Kells, Glenarm, Glynn, Muckamore, and White Abbey. The noble castle of Carrickfergus is the only one in perfect preservation. There are, however, re mains of other ancient castles, as Olderfleet, Cam s, Shane s, Glenarm, Garron Tower, Redbay, <fcc., but the most interest ing of all is the castle of Dunluce, remarkable for its great extent and romantic situation. In 1584 the county was divided by the lord-deputy, Sir John Pcrrot, into eight baronies ; but, by the sub division of six of these into upper and lower, the number has been increased to fourteen, viz., Antrim, Lower and Upper; Belfast, Lower and Upper; Gary; Dunluce, Lower and Upper; Glenarm, Lower and Upper; Kilconway; Massareene, Lower and Upper; Toome, Lower and Upper. The number of parishes and parts of parishes is seventy-five, all, except Aghalee, in the diocese of Connor. There are seven poor-law unions in the county, Antrim, Ballycastle, Ballymena, Ballymoney (partly in Londonderry county), Lisburn (partly in Down county), and Larne. The constabulary force has its headquarters at Ballymena, the county being divided into six districts. Antrim is in the Belfast military district, which has its headquarters, as has also the county militia, at Belfast. The valuation of rate able property in 1872 was 1,039,898. The county sends six members to the imperial parliament : two for the shire, constituency, in 1873, 10,503; two for Belfast, one for Carrickfergus, and one for Lisburn, constituencies, 15,000, 11GG, and 568. Among the nobility and gentry who have estates in this county we may mention the earl of Antrim, (Glenarm Castle); the marquis of Donegall (Ormeau Park and Carrickfergus) ; Viscount Ternpletowu (Castle Upton) ;

Lord O Neill (Shane s Castle); Lord Waveney (Ballymena