Page:William Petty - Economic Writings (1899) vol 1.djvu/273

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of IRELAND.
175

Shrub-wood, &c. commonly call'd unprofitable Land; and for that ½ a Million supplies the Inhabitants with Corn for Bread and Drink, Man and Beast, Hemp, Flax and Rape, as shall be hereafter shewn[1] from the number of the people, their manner of eating, from the number of Mills, and from the value of the Tythes, &c. supposing the other 7 Millions to be competently well stockt, let us first |56| see how many Houses there may probably be.

To which purpose, remember that there are 184 M. Families, whose Houses have but one or no Chimney. Now I guess, that about ⅓ of this number keep a small Horse call'd a Garran, which is 61,000 Garrans for Tillage; and I suppose that the 16,000 Families have for the Coach and Saddle near 40 M. Horses. So as in Ireland there are about 100 M. Horses, whose Food requires 100 M. Acres of good Pasture, 50 M. Acres of Meadow, and the 16 of an Acre of Oat-Land, viz. about 16,000 Acres. In all 166 M. Acres: Or if the Horses be such as require little or no Hay and Oats, as the Horses of poor people do not, then as aforesaid 2 or 2⅓[2] Acres is allowed to each Horse.

The Wooll which is usually exported, being a little above 2 Millions of pounds, grows upon 1000 M. Sheep: And the Wooll which cloaths the Nation, being about 1100 M. Bodies, at —l. each for Cloths, Hats and Stockins, requires 6000 M. more; and so 3 Millions more of Sheep, in all 4 Millions. The feeding whereof at 5 to an Acre, require 800 M. Acres. So as Horse and Sheep require one Million of Acres. So as there remains ½, a Million being allow'd |57| for all other Cattel, Beasts and Vermine) 5½ Millions[3] for great Cattel, which will feed about 3 Millions of that Species.

If there be 3 Millions of Black Cattel,
there be 1500 M. of Males, viz.
25 M. Bulls.
700 M. under 3 year
old. 600 between 3 and
6. 175 above 6.

Of Females 1500 M. whereof 25 are milch-Cows, viz.

  1. Chap.xii. discusses the diet of the inhabitants of Ireland.
  2. S, 1719, '2½.'
  3. S, 'remains (½ a million being allow'd for all other Cattle, beasts, and Vermine) 5½ Millions.'