"POOR PADDY-LAND ! " [To THE EDITOR OF THE "SPECTATOR."]
SIR,—In the Spectator of October 20th, an "Ulsterman takes up " Vocalist Viator" more sharply than there is any need for, and unconsciously misquotes him as well. It is in September that the latter says he saw corn stacked or uncut in the fields, not October, as "Ulsterman" seems to suppose though, as a matter of fact, there is corn out in some fields yet, for the simple reason that it was too full of sap and grass to, be got " winnowed " during the month of splendid harvest weather. Many farmers who drew it to the stockyard in haste at that time, were obliged to draw it out again at leisure a few weeks later. As to the "small cocks," " Vacuus Yiator " does not speak of seeing them left out in the meadows, but in, the fields, which is a very different matter. Had he asked any one who chose to give him information, he would have fauna that thriftiness, not carelessness, was the true reason. And that the Ulster farmers know their own business better than he supposes. A few years hence, when grass-seed is no longer our pibce de resistance, should he happen to travel through Ulster, his eye will no longer be offended by small cocks- " harts " we call them here—of rye-grass, waiting in the fields to be thrashed ; and he will be told fast enough then of the- high prices the seed fetched in '92 and '93, and how we have all been fairly ruined by the fall in it, But just now we like to keep quiet about our pet produce, and talk to " Vacuns. Viator " of the low prices of wheat,—which we don't sow.-a,
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