30 JUNE 1883, Page 2

Lord Spencer, who is travelling in Ireland, on the 27th

inst. made an important speech at Limerick to the Agricultural Society. He said that the insecurity of the farmer had now disappeared, and that he saw signs of agricultural improvement in the West. Culture was still behind-hand, the peasantry, without sufficient stock, raisingexhausting crops on impoverished soil, but still the beasts were better and slightly increased in number, there were more tiled houses, and the number of poultry, a stock raised by the smallest tenants, had increased two millions. The quality of the butter also had been improved, till the article which ten years ago fetched 296 a ton in London, now fetched 2120. He urged strongly more attention to material improvement, as the only method by which the poverty of the West could be permanently relieved, but thought that, upon the whole, "we might again look forward with some hope to the future." These remarks appear to have been well received, and it is reported that.the decrease of bitterness towards the Viceroy is marked throughout his tour. We fancy, however, that the bitterness has never been greatest among the agricultural popu- lation, who expend their hatred rather on local enemies and on the law, than upon the Government, which is slightly beyond their grasp.